Dockman Vlog: Dockman takes a Vacation (Sort Of)

You’d think after a long summer of installs, repairs, and hauling docks across Michigan, a guy like me would finally take a real vacation. You know—the kind where you put your feet up, shut your phone off, and stop thinking about tools, couplers, or boat ports. But if you know me, you know that’s not how a Dockman operates.

This trip started like any other “getaway.” We loaded the trailer, checked our straps, and hit the road for Manistee and up into the Upper Peninsula—God’s country. The plan was to relax with the Manos family for a few days before heading home. But somehow, even on “vacation,” we ended up installing a full EasyDock setup on a lakeshore, floating sections over from the boat launch to save the backache of carrying them down.

By the time the sun broke through the clouds, we had the dock, two PWC ports, and a BP3000 boat lift installed in record time. I kept saying, “Easy Dock makes it easy,” but what I really meant was that we just don’t know how to slow down.

After wrapping the job, we told ourselves we’d unwind in Ontonagon for Copper Fest—a little food, some laughs, maybe a few cold drinks. We even stopped by the legendary Rousaw Bar, a true UP dive where the floors tilt, the walls talk, and the cheese curds could win awards. It was the kind of place that makes you forget what day it is.

But before long, I was back at it—hauling sauna stone from Emerson’s rock pit, loading dumpsters, and picking up cedar boards for a new sauna build back home. I told myself it was just “multitasking,” but really, it’s just the way I’m wired.

Vacations for me aren’t about rest—they’re about changing scenery. Whether it’s standing in a river trying to catch trout, checking out muscle cars at Copper Fest, or filling a trailer with rock, I’m still working… just in different boots.

As I crossed the bridge heading home, I couldn’t help but laugh. A true Dockman vacation isn’t about getting away from the job—it’s just taking the job somewhere beautiful.