Leaser Lake, PA, Bridge Completes Walking Path Around Lake
As parks, marinas, rowing centers, and other outdoor facilities, add greater accessibility, Leaser Lake, in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, stands out as one destination that can be enjoyed by all. The park has completed an area that features accessible trails and a floating fishing dock. The county also unveiled an accessible kayak launch that includes an aluminum gangway, floating dock, boat ramp, and kayak access with ADA features.
The accessible floating dock and kayak launch were designed and manufactured by BoardSafe, who took several existing accessible kayak launch designs and added innovations based on feedback from wheelchair focus groups. The outcome was a new design that offers a convenient and safe way to transition from a wheelchair into a kayak. As one kayaker said, "It was awesome to transition independently, get in the kayak, and be free on the water."
New! Watch this updated video about the installation's durability:
Watch this brief video highlighting how the custom prefab bridge is positioned:
https://youtu.be/QbW9_ogt2Cs
The project highlights include an ADA accessible park, paved nature trail, ADA / adaptive fishing pier, ADA adaptive kayak boat launch, and accessible picnic tables.
The completion of the footbridge comes just in time for Lehigh Valley residents to walk around the lake and enjoy the warm fall summer and vibrant foliage.
In September 2022, BoardSafe visited the site of several of its applications at Leaser Lake in PA. In 2015, an ADA fishing pier and adaptive kayak launch were installed. The following year an aluminum pedestrian bridge was installed. The ADA-accessible park also includes a paved nature trail and accessible picnic tables.
Upon site inspection by BoardSafe Docks, all of the applications appeared to be in excellent condition, structurally sound, and in proper function. BoardSafe Docks prides itself on manufacturing high-quality products and excellent craftsmanship. As this footage shows, the condition of the ADA fishing pier, adaptive kayak launch, and pedestrian bridge continue to perform to the high product standards desired by BoardSafe.
Since the construction of Leaser Lake in 1971, Pennsylvania residents have enjoyed activities at the lake: fishing, boating, and hiking. For the first time, visitors will be able to walk completely around the lake with the installation of a footbridge. The bridge, built of commercial grade aluminum and manufactured by BoardSafe, goes over the dam at the lake and connects the nature trail on both sides. Prior to the installation of the footbridge, there was no continuous walking trail around the 117-acre lake. The bridge is one of the last installations of a renovation project crafted by the Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation.
This 540-acre park is owned in part by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and in part by Lehigh County.
BoardSafe's First Adaptive Kayak Launch Is Dedicated 9-11-2015
On September 11, 2015, after installing the first BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch, at Leaser Lake, Dan Smalley and Jason Strozyk from BoardSafe Docks met with a number of Disabled Paddlers and representatives from the Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation to discuss what adaptive features needed to be added to the launch.
Located in the foreground are a cooler, two concrete blocks, and a cardboard box — This was the prototype for the first BoardSafe Boarding Bench with pullout seat. The bench was built and installed. The day before the dedication, the idea of installing the roll cage with straps and the overhead grab bar was proposed. Within 12 hours of the discussion, the items were manufactured and installed, literally a few hours before the ribbon cutting. This is a testament to the dedication and passion the BoardSafe Team has for the BoardSafe Adaptive Kayak Launch.
Quaker Penn Park, PA, Floating Docks and Gangway
Falls Township's vision was to provide township residents and boating enthusiasts in general with a state-of-the-art boat launching facility. To put their plan into motion, they contracted with T&M Associates to prepare a master plan for the facility located on the Delaware River.
The plan was to include a parking lot, boat ramp (to launch 2 boats at the same time), and nearly 2,500 square feet of floating docks. Because of the unique configuration of the floating docks, T&M looked to BoardSafe for design consultation. Unlike most boat launching areas that incorporate floating docks with access provided by a movable gangway, the Quaker Penn Park boat ramp needed to be designed so all floating docks moved in and out with the fluctuation of the tide, which is nearly 8 feet. To allow for the movement, BoardSafe 
designed custom piling guides that not only provided room for movement, they also were configured to move in and out without binding and possibly tearing the docks apart.
Because of Falls Township's commitment to using sustainable materials for the project, they approved the use of TimberStrong Deck Panels featuring GeoDeck composite decking. In addition to the decking, fiberglass composite pilings from Pearson Pilings were used to secure the floating docks. All frames were aluminum, using BoardSafe aluminum decking on the angled sections of the floating docks.
Allen Pond Park, MD, Floating Docks and Gangways
Allen Pond Park is the premier park in Bowie, Maryland. The park offers an array of activities, including an amphitheatre, boat rentals, ball fields, basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic areas, pavilions, biking and walking trails, and more. Accommodations include rest rooms and drinking fountains. The park sees many visitors throughout the year and is a favorite spot for the local community.
The park totals 85 acres, including a 10-acre pond for fishing and boat rentals. The City of Bowie desired to make major improvements to the park and 
commissioned a master plan to make renovations to the park. The major goals were to enhance the park experience and improve programming efficiencies while encouraging use and protecting the natural beauty and habitat. A major facet of this renovation was to improve access to and use of the pond.
The city relied upon the experience of BoardSafe to provide ideas and create drawings for a dock layout and pond access around the boathouse. BoardSafe manufactured numerous alumimun floating docks and railings for water access as well as several aluminum gangways. Local fisherman and families renting paddle boats love the new docks. The City of Bowie is proud of their state-of-the-art floating docks at Allen Pond Park.
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.
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.
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.
