Method and apparatus for selecting and maintaining the level of a pier deck

Apparatus for controlling the configuration of a pier or the like relative to a body of water, comprising:

• a. a plurality of piles arrayed to support a deck of said pier;
• b. flexible lines connecting said deck to said piles whereby each said pile is so connected to said deck by a flexible line extending between said deck and a point elevated on said pile;
• c. means for retracting or paying out said flexible lines to shorten or lengthen the length of flexible lines extending between said deck and said elevated pile points to raise or lower, respectively, said deck relative to said piles;
• and
• d. lock means, carried, at least in part, by said deck for engaging at least one pile to anchor said deck against downward movement relative to said pile, said lock means being normally open when said corresponding flexible line is taut, but closed to so anchor said deck to said pile when said corresponding flexible line is slack.

A method for controlling the configuration of a pier, or the like, relative to a body of water, comprising the following steps:

• a. suspending the deck of the pier by flexible lines from a plurality of piles, with the lines extending between the deck and elevated points on each of the piles;
• b. retracting or paying out the flexible lines by means of one or more reels to adjust the length of flexible lines extending between the deck and the elevated pile points;
• c. controlling the step of retracting or paying out the flexible lines to so adjust the configuration of the deck relative to the piles;
• and
• d. locking the deck in anchoring engagement with at least one pile to prevent downward movement of the deck relative to the piles in response to the corresponding flexible line being slack.