Pier Gear Origin Story

Pier Gear didn’t start in a workshop. 
It started on a windy afternoon at a friend’s lake house.

Back in 2022, I was watching him dock his boat in a strong crosswind. The boat kept bumping into the lift posts — not hard, but enough to make every boat owner cringe.
He shrugged and said, “Happens every day this time of year. I wish someone made a bumper for lift posts.”

He had dock bumpers.
Everyone does.
But nothing protected the lift itself — the exact place boats hit most often.

That weekend turned into the kind of guys trip lake owners understand: golf in the morning, boating all afternoon, and long conversations on the patio at night. Every one of us had a story — scratches, close calls, windy docks, nervous passengers.
We all said the same thing:
“Someone should make this.”

So I did.

The first product was the Padded Wrap — a simple protective cushion for lift posts that prevents dings and dents while docking. It immediately resonated with boat owners, especially across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan where lifts and wind are just part of lake life.

Then the second problem found me.

I deal with mild vertigo. Standing on a dock and stepping into a boat — especially with gear in hand — isn’t always comfortable. I realized I wasn’t alone. Kids, guests, parents, and grandparents all experience that little moment of instability between dock and boat.

So I created the Stable Cable — a simple overhead grab line that gives boaters confidence and balance while boarding. The design was unique enough to earn a patent, but more importantly, it solved a problem people instantly understood.

Today Pier Gear ships to all 50 states and Canada. Marinas and dock dealers reorder every season.
What began as a side project is now a real business — still run by one person, still headquartered in a basement, and still built on conversations with boaters.

The best part isn’t just selling products.
It’s the reviews from people who avoided damage, prevented a fall, or helped a parent safely board the boat.

And because lakes gave me this opportunity, a portion of every sale goes back to conservation causes that protect them.

Simple products for people who love the lake lifestyle.