Flat Rock Park, PA, Floating Docks and Gangway
When Lower Merion Township, north of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, commissioned an upgrade for their public boating facility, Flat Rock Park on the Schuylkill River, they contacted the Pennoni engiuneering firm to produce the drawings and specifications.
In turn, Pennoni contacted BoardSafe to consult on the design of the elevated walkway, gangway, and floating docks. During the design phase of the project, the designers at BoardSafe suggested that the original pier — specified to be constructed from pressure-treated lumber — be upgraded to a design consisting of all-aluminum construction. Township officials were consulted and agreed the all-aluminum upgrade would eliminate any maintenance issues as well as provide a pier that will have a much longer life cycle than the original design.
Construction drawings were prepared, reviewed by an independent professional engineer, then stamped by the PE. The drawings were then sent to the BoardSafe manufacturing facility where all of the components were manufactured. Once completed, the dock sections were delivered to the job site for installation by an independent contractor.
The final design consists of an 8-foot-wide-by-80-foot-long stationary pier, 6-foot-by-12-foot gangway, and a two- section 6-foot-by-40-foot-long floating dock. The floating dock required four custom-made piling guides. The piling guides were made in two pieces so they could easily be removed from around the Pearson Fiberglass Pilings and allow the floating dock and gangway to be removed at the end of the boating season for winter storage, then easily be reinstalled in the beginning of the boating season.
The project has been well-received by the Township and acknowledged by the community as an enormous upgrade from the antiquated pressure-treated dock system that existed prior to the installation of the new aluminum floating boat dock, gangway, and stationary walkway.
Urban Outfitters Floating Garden
Urban Outfitters, Inc., is a large clothing and accessory retailer offering the brand names of Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Leifsdottir, and Terrain. Urban's corporate headquarters is located at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River.
As part of the master plan for their facilities, they desired to construct floating hydroponic gardens in Dry Dock #1. The challenge was to create individual gardens in the shape of 4 distinct letters: URBN (this is Urban's designation on the Nasdaq).
The completed letter assembly would need to be nearly 30 feet high and 150 feet long. In addition to the gardens, a trash boom spanning nearly 100 feet long had to be installed at the mouth of the dry dock to prevent debris from entering the dry dock.
To accomplish their vision, Urban contracted with BoardSafe to make their plan a reality. The initial concept drawings were completed by the landscape architectural firm D.I.R.T. Studio of Charlottesville, Virginia. BoardSafe then took the concept drawings and designed a floating structure that not only included the floating letters, but also a massive underwater support structure connecting the letters together.
In addition to holding the letters together, the support structure allowed the entire assembly to move up and down with the fluctuation of the tide. The challenge was to make the entire structure "non-permanent" so the use of the dry dock could be changed at any time. The trash boom presented the same challenge. To facilitate the easy removal of the assemblies, powder-coated steel I-beams were attached vertically to the side of the dry dock in 6 locations, providing an attachment point for the underwater boom assemblies.
On the end of each boom, a roller assembly travels up and down the I-beams, following the tidal elevation. The letter frames, booms, underwater support structure, and trash boom, were fabricated from aluminum and then powder-coated black. Once each letter was assembled on land, a plastic Brillo©-like material was installed and the different species of vegetation were planted. A 2-foot high fence was then constructed to outline each letter. The fence serves two purposes: to keep wildlife from nesting in the gardens, and to delineate each letter once the plants began to grow.
All components were assembled on land, then installed using a crane, workers on the ground, and scuba divers.
St. Mary’s College Rowing Center Gangway and Floating Dock
As part of updating their waterfront activity center, the school contracted with Dissen & Juhn Corporation to install a new bulkhead, raised piers, boat ramp, aluminum gangway, and floating boat dock. Dissen & Juhn, in turn, contracted with BoardSafe to design, construct, and deliver the aluminum gangway and floating boat dock.
The main challenge in constructing the floating boat dock was the 8-inch free board (distance between the top of the dock and water) requirement. The 8-inch free board is necessary so that the top of the racing skull is at the same elevation as the top of the dock. This allows for easy boarding and exiting of the vessel by the college's sculling crew.
A related challenge focused on the floating dock frame. A normal floating boat dock consists of a frame that sits on top of flotation, but the St. Mary’s dock would have to be designed in such a way that the flotation was incorporated into the frame.
BoardSafe, as part of the design phase, calculated the weight of the completed frame (framing materials and decking) and determined the amount of flotation required to give the completed dock the required free board. The number of floats under the dock directly affects the free board; the greater the number of floats, the higher the free board, and the greater per square foot support. In turn, the fewer the number of floats under the dock, the lower the free board height and support per square foot. The calculations needed to substantiate the number of floats needed ultimately provided the desired free board.
The aluminum gangway was designed in accordance with current ADA specifications and measures 5-feet wide by 30-feet long. After the design was completed and approved, fabrication began at our manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania.
The custom floating boat dock frame was 10 feet by 50 feet and fabricated using our proprietary mainframe and aluminum tubing. Once the frame was completed, the specified floats were installed and the pressure-treated decking put in place as the design required.
Additional flotation was also added in the area where the gangway would rest on the floating boat dock to provide additional support for the point load created. Once completed the floating boat dock and aluminum gangway were delivered to the St. Mary’s campus and installed by Dissen & Juhn Corporation.
Both St. Mary’s and Dissen & Juhn were highly-satisfied with the custom floating dock and gangway solution BoardSafe designed and manufactured for this project.
BoardSafe and Bailey Wood Products
BoardSafe and Bailey Wood Products
To better serve the needs of our customers, we have partnered with Bailey Wood Products of Kempton, PA, to supply us with various wood species such as Thermally Modified Wood, Ipe, Jatoba, etc. Bailey Wood Products has been serving customers for 82 years and has an impeccable reputation for providing quality products. To learn more about Bailey Wood Products feel free to visit their web site at www.baileywp.com
Conshohocken, PA, Rowing Center Features BoardSafe Aluminum Docks and Products
One of the centers of the rowing community in the United States is Boathouse Row in Philadelphia. Rowers from the boathouses compete at every level, including local clubs, high schools, colleges, summer racing programs, and international-level athletics. The newest and finest facility in the area is not at Boathouse Row, but a few miles upstream.
Conshohocken is located just north of Philadelphia, PA, on the Schuylkill River. The Conshohocken Rowing Center was unveiled in October 2014. The state-of-the-art facility is a 6-bay building that houses The Haverford School , Malvern Preparatory School, and the Borough of Conshohocken. The operation of the building is a public and private relationship that encourages local and youth rowing. Because rowing is serious business in Philadelphia, the members of Conshohocken Rowing Center wanted the best dock builder they could find.
They did not have to look hard to find Pennsylvania-based BoardSafe, a trusted and expert dock builder with projects up and down the east coast. BoardSafe custom-designed, manufactured, and installed the docks and the observation deck.
The observation deck is an aluminum frame dock with Nylodeck synthetic wood, featuring the TimberStrong fastening system. The large observation deck was designed to provide great views and accommodate several hundred fans. The deck runs along the rear of the rowing center building and was engineered to cantilever over the riverbank. It measures 24-feet by 122-feet and features:
- a concrete foundation system (engineered by Innovative Marine Solutions , a sister company of BoardSafe - PE stamped drawings).
- a galvanizedstructural steel support frame (also engineered by Innovative Marine Solutions - PE stamped drawings).
- fifteen (15) 8-foot-by-24-foot aluminum joist system panels.
- a 42-inch high ultra aluminum rail - powder-coated black.
- docks designed to provide a 6-inch freeboard under no live load. The docks are BoardSafe Commercial Aluminum, featuring NyloDeck (Desert Spice color) attached to the frame with the TimberStrong fastening system.
- steel frame components, aluminum panels, decking, and railings, installed by Innovative Marine Solutions employees.
As impressive as the observation deck is, the floating docks and structure are unparalleled (scroll down to watch aerial videography of the project).
The floating docks project includes:
- one main aluminum dock measuring 10-feet wide by 360-feet long.
- six finger piers and three support arms.
- a 42-inch high ultra aluminum rail - powder-coated black
- The docks were designed to provide a 6-inch freeboard under no live load. The docks are BoardSafe Commercial Aluminum, featuring NyloDeck (Desert Spice color) attached to the frame with the TimberStrong fastening system.
All of the steel frame components, aluminum panels, decking, and railings, were installed by BoardSafe.
BoardSafe specializes in manufacturing aluminum docks, gangways, and rowing centers, all in the USA. If you have a rowing center or marina project and you would like to learn more, visit BoardSafeDocks.com or call 610-899-0286.
Boat Rack Systems
Aluminum Boat Rack Systems
Rowing centers and kayak launches need a functional way to easily store and access their boats, kayaks and rowing gear. BoardSafe has built numerous rowing centers and understands the uses and needs of rowers, kayakers and adaptive athletes to offer the best options for boat storage. Aluminum boat rack systems can be freestanding or built as an addon to a floating dock, pier or adaptive kayak launch.
Commercial Aluminum Piers
Commercial Aluminum Piers
Our commercial aluminum piers can be built to your specificaitons or you can chose from one of our standard sizes. BoardSafe manufacturers commercial aluminum piers and bridges using heavy duty 100 Series Aluminum extrusion. BoardSafe uses the highest quality materials including marine grade 6160 aluminum, proprietary extruded aluminum frame, and synthetic lumber featuring Timberstrong hidden fastening system. The piers and bridges are designed for marine applications at lakes, marshes, rivers and other areas with water. BoardSafe designs and manufacturers products that meet construction requirements as well as special applications like ADA requirements and accessories for accessibility for all.
Watch the below video of the installation of a commercial aluminum bridge designed and manufactured by BoardSafe. The aluminum bridge is approximately 30 feet long and has ADA accessibility features. It extends over a dam at a lake and connects a walking path that circles the lake.