New system saves old sea walls

Paradise Docks crews work with owner Mike Kelly to install a DSMS system that saves sea walls using stainless steel rods and a plate that anchors the wall to the existing yard.

Saving sea walls on the back of people's waterfront homes is the new mission of Paradise Docks.

The company, which opened in 1985, is now focusing its efforts on informing the public about a new system that will save them money, their landscaping and the threat of having their backyards erode into the waterway.

"This will work down here because sea walls are getting older and the old system of tearing them out and replacing them is very expensive," said Mike Kelly, the owner of the company that is the only authorized dealer of the product.

The DSMS system was invented by Jim Timmerman, a Naples native who designed the product that uses stainless steel rods to anchor failing sea walls that would cost as much as $180,000 to replace.

"I can come and using this system, do the same thing for a fraction of replacing a sea wall that may just need some support," said Kelly, who offers free estimates and uses an underwater camera to film sea walls for an additional fee. "This system will also last a minimum of 50 years because there is no concrete that eventually breaks down."

A seawall that is crumbling, leaning or cracking has to be replaced because homeowners can be fined for polluting, have their backyards slowly leach into the waterway and have property value loss as well.

That's why Paradise Docks can come out to a home and install the DSMS system in a day depending on weather and the amount of rods needed.

"We have a 12-foot rod and a 16-foot rod. The price is slightly different but we make suggestions based on what is best for the client, not for us," said Kelly, who has been installing the new system for more than a year. "I'm always looking for innovative products that best serve my customer and this is it 100 percent."

The innovation in the system, Kelly said, is that it's simple for a work crew to install in as little as a day.

"Sometimes weather is hard on us but usually we hook up to the wall with our barge, set up a framing mechanism and drill through the concrete and install the rods," said Eric Kelly, who runs the barge that the company also uses to install dock pilings. "It's easy to do a few rods quickly and it's always up to what the homeowner wants."

Paradise Docks also installs docks, piers, boat lifts and floating ramps for commercial and residential projects.

"We can do the whole project and we know this system will work very well for many homes," Kelly said. "We get in their early and knock them out."