Why A Wood Box On a Dock?

In 1975 when Michelle’s family was cottaging on Bala Bay her uncle lost his prescription glasses down the boat slip. It only took one moment to bend over, tie up the boat and watch helplessly as the glasses slipped from his shirt pocket and into the lake. Many family members and friends attempted to rescue the glasses from the depths, but it was to no avail. For another 40 years all sort of containers were used at the cottage on the dock to store jewelry, cell phones and sunglasses. Some of these solutions included kids sand buckets, food containers with lids and the most deadly: the towel wrap (known for it’s full send launch of items across the dock and into the most deepest part of the lake).

The story took a full turn with the lost wedding rings. The dreaded lost wedding rings…

Safe On The Dock owner Michelle Ward ‘safely’ put her wedding rings into a cup and put the cup in the boat and then promptly forgot (post swim) where she put her rings. The result of this misplacement was the entire family enjoying a stressful ‘treasure hunt’ to find where the rings were located and the seedling of an idea for a new product was born! “Enough loosing stuff thought Michelle, I need to solve this problem once and for all.” Michelle’s husband Dave just happens to be a skilled craftsman with a wood working studio right in the heart of Meaford, Ontario. After collaborating for several months, the first prototype was built. The family took the box up to Muskoka and tested it while at the cottage and it performed beautifully. There were no lost ear buds, necklaces, glasses, cell phones. Even books stayed dry & safe in the Safe On The Dock!

After doing some research Dave decided to produce the boxes with the highest quality thermally modified wood, which has been specifically developed for outdoor usage. Normally this wood would be used to make high end decks, siding and outdoor furniture. Now it’s being used to make these elegant boxes that solve all the problems that Michelle has encountered throughout her cottaging years!

“The quality and craftsmanship of the boxes will enhance any outdoor space and will become a cottagers ‘go to’ for keeping small items ‘Safe On The Dock”.

Michelle Ward