Crocker Marine Services designs, builds, and repairs docks, seawalls, and boat lifts throughout Fort Myers, Florida — our home city, in Lee County. Most Fort Myers waterfront sits on the Caloosahatchee River or the canals that feed it through neighborhoods like McGregor, Iona, and Whiskey Creek. The river runs wide and tidal here, with real current and boat wake, so a dock or seawall on the Caloosahatchee is built to a heavier standard than one on a quiet canal. Our showroom is on McGregor Boulevard.
Marine construction services in Fort Myers
Crocker Marine is a full-service marine contractor — we handle every part of a Fort Myers waterfront project in-house, from the first survey to the final inspection. See the full range of services, or browse completed dock, seawall, and lift projects across Southwest Florida.
Docks
A dock on the Caloosahatchee takes current, wake off the channel, and a wider tidal swing than a canal dock, so we build with heavier pilings and cross-bracing and often recommend a floating section that rides the tide. On the canals off the river, the design is simpler but the water is brackish and hard on untreated wood. Services include new dock installation, dock repair, full dock replacement, dock accessories, and dock canopies and shade covers.
Seawalls
The established Fort Myers neighborhoods — Edison Park, Dean Park, the McGregor corridor, Iona — hold concrete seawalls that are decades old, and Hurricane Ian's surge in 2022 undermined or overtopped many of them. We install and replace both poured-concrete and vinyl sheet-pile seawalls, and repair sound walls with tie-backs and cap work or ongoing maintenance before a full replacement or new installation is needed.
Boat lifts
We install and service boat lifts working with Coastal Boat Lifts, which builds its lifts here in Fort Myers. On the river we size the lift for the current and the wider water-level range; on a canal, we size it to the vessel and the mean low-water depth. We also handle boat lift repair — cables, motors, bunks, and remote systems.
Dredging
The federal channel down the Caloosahatchee is deep, but the mouths of the side canals and the nearshore approaches to many docks are shallow at low tide. Our residential dredging service restores a slip or canal to its permitted design depth, permitting included, and is often scheduled alongside a new dock or lift.
Marine inspections
If you're buying or selling a Fort Myers waterfront home, or renewing insurance on one, our marine inspections give you a written condition report on the dock, seawall, and lift — structural condition, remaining service life, permit status, and the repairs the property will need.
Permits and local conditions in Fort Myers
Marine construction in Fort Myers is permitted through the City of Fort Myers within city limits, Lee County in the unincorporated areas, and — for work below the mean high-water line — the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. A permit generally needs a current survey and drawings, which we prepare and submit.
- River current and tidal range. The Caloosahatchee is a managed river — freshwater releases through the W.P. Franklin Lock upstream change the current and salinity, and the tidal swing on the river is wider than in the canals. Docks and pilings are built for it.
- Bridge clearances. The Edison, Caloosahatchee (US-41), Midpoint, and Cape Coral bridges set height limits that matter if you keep a sailboat or a tall vessel.
- Hurricane Ian. The September 2022 surge came up the river and into the canals; a large share of the seawall and dock work in the city right now is storm-driven replacement.
- Older seawall stock. The historic neighborhoods have concrete walls well past a normal service life, which need careful handling of the cap and tie-backs.
Why Fort Myers homeowners choose Crocker Marine
- True Price Guarantee. The price we quote is the price you pay — no change orders, excluding rock excavation, client-requested changes, or specialty permitting.
- Licensed and insured. Florida certified building contractor CBC1266139, with $2 million in insurance coverage.
- This is home. Our showroom is at 2101 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, backed by more than 60 years of combined marine-construction experience — founded here in 2014.
- Warranties. A 15-year seawall warranty and a 1-year dock warranty.
Fort Myers marine construction FAQ
Do I need a City of Fort Myers permit for a dock or seawall?
If the property is inside city limits, yes — through the City of Fort Myers. In the unincorporated areas it goes through Lee County. Either way, work below the high-water line also needs state and federal sign-off, and we handle the permitting as part of the project.
How does the Caloosahatchee's current affect dock design?
River-front docks get heavier pilings and cross-bracing to handle the current and the wake off the channel, and a floating section is often the right call because the water level moves more on the river than in a canal.
My seawall was damaged by Hurricane Ian. Repair or replace?
It depends on whether the panel and cap are still sound and whether soil washed out from behind the wall. A marine inspection tells you which. We've done a lot of both since 2022.
How deep is the water off the Fort Myers riverfront?
The federal channel is deep, but nearshore water and the canal mouths can be shallow at low tide. We check the depth at mean low water before designing a dock or lift, and dredging is a common part of the job.
Can you work on the older McGregor-corridor seawalls?
Yes. Walls that old need care with the cap and the tie-back anchors, and we assess whether a repair will hold or whether the wall is better replaced. Request a free estimate or call (239) 841-9674.
Nearby service areas
Cape Coral · North Fort Myers · Fort Myers Beach · Sanibel · Estero · Matlacha · Lehigh Acres