Important Warning For Buyers Of Used Docks, Lifts, Boats In Minnesota

It is prime lake season, which means it is also prime season for snapping up a used dock, a secondhand boat lift, or a gently worn pontoon from someone a few lakes over.

Before you load it up, the state has a reminder worth a few minutes of your time: that bargain could be carrying an expensive hitchhiker.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is reminding people across Minnesota to check boats and trailers, docks and boat lifts, and any other water-related gear for aquatic invasive species, especially when buying or selling used equipment. It sounds like a small thing. It is not.

Why Mid-Season Is The Risky Part

The spring rush of putting docks and lifts in the water has passed, but the DNR says the used-equipment market that heats up mid-summer is actually the bigger danger.

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"Although we are past the initial spring shoreline equipment installation rush, the mid-season market for used equipment presents a much higher risk of spreading AIS," DNR Invasive Species Training Coordinator April Rust said in the announcement.

The reason is simple: a used dock, lift, boat, trailer, or swim raft that moves mid-season can carry attached invasive species straight to a lake that does not have them yet.

Zebra mussels are the headline offender. They latch onto posts, footings, wheels, and the underwater bars of docks and lifts, plus any part of a boat, pontoon, or raft that has been submerged for a while.

Move that equipment to a clean lake, and you have just introduced a problem that lakes rarely recover from.

What Minnesota Law Actually Requires

This is not just a friendly suggestion. State law sets some hard rules, and a couple of them surprise people.

Docks and lifts have to stay out of the water for at least 21 days before they can go into a different water body.

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And if you are hauling a dock or lift that has zebra mussels attached from a shoreline property to another spot for decontamination, you need a free permit to transport it legally.

On top of that, whether or not a lake is known to have invasive species, Minnesota law requires everyone to:

• Clean watercraft, trailers, and equipment of plants and prohibited species
• Drain all water and leave the drain plugs out during transport
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
• Never release bait, plants, or aquarium pets into the water
• Dry docks, lifts, and rafts for 21 days before moving them between waterbodies.

A Few Smart Steps Before You Buy Or Sell

The DNR recommends a quick inspection before any used equipment changes hands. Look closely at posts, footings, wheels, and underwater support bars on docks and lifts, and at any submerged parts of boats, pontoons, and rafts. Make sure water is drained before transporting anything.

If you would rather leave it to the pros, the DNR suggests hiring DNR-permitted lake service provider businesses to install and remove docks, lifts, rafts, and boats. They are trained on the state's invasive species laws and know what to look for.

Also, if you spot something in a lake that is not already known to be there, you can contact an area DNR aquatic invasive species specialist to report it.

For an extra layer of protection, the DNR points to free courtesy decontamination stations, spraying or rinsing equipment with high-pressure water, and drying everything for at least five days before using it in another lake.

The Bottom Line

However tempting a used dock or lift deal looks online, a five-minute look for zebra mussels is the cheapest insurance a Minnesota lake lover can buy. Once an invasive species takes hold in a lake, there is usually no taking it back, and the cleanup falls on everyone who loves that water.

So check before you buy, check before you sell, and give the next lake the same clean start you would want for your own. Full details are on the DNR's aquatic invasive species page.