Rowing Center Aluminum Floating Dock Survives Flood
The Conshohocken Rowing Center, located north of Philadelphia on the Schuylkill River, was challenged by a rainstorm that caused the river to rise 20 feet, reaching the top of the embankment. Despite the flooding, the aluminum floating docks, gangways, and rowing center, remained intact. This is yet another testimony to BoardSafe's engineering and construction skills. Watch this on-the-spot video:
BoardSafe Provides Docks and Gangways for Philly's Boathouse Row
In May of 2020, Philadelphia city officials announced that the Schuylkill River would be dredged for the first time in over twenty years. Now, a team that includes a Penn Design professor is researching strategies to keep the river clear for decades to come.
BoardSafe entered into a contract with six of the boathouses on Boathouse Row in Philadelphia. The contracts range from removing the docks and storing them prior to dredging to putting some of them back and installing new floating docks and gangways. They are working with the following boathouses: PA Barge Club, Fairmount, University, U Penn, Crescent, and Malta.
ADA Boat Launch, Floating Dock, and Fishing Pier
Leaser Lake in Pennsylvania created an accessibility park for those who are disabled or have limited mobility. The accessibility area includes paved walkways and a wheelchair-accessible boat launch and fishing pier. BoardSafe was contracted to build and install the floating docks, gangways, and ADA boat launch, for handicapped access to the 117-acre lake. BoardSafe was selected because of its reputation as a high-end dock builder and its proximity to the lake. They also specialize in Americans-with-Disabilities-Act-featured accessible commercial aluminum floating docks, boat launches, and fishing piers. The project included an ADA-accessible kayak launching ramp.
Providing equal access to all is important. If you are in need of ADA-featured commercial aluminum products for your marina or home dock, contact BoardSafe below to see our selection of ADA-featured applications.
BoardSafe specializes in manufacturing aluminum docks, gangways, and rowing centers. They offer both standard and ADA-featured products. If you have a rowing center or marina project and would like to learn more, visit BoardSafeDocks.com or call 610-899-0286.
Best Rowing Dock in Philadelphia Is not at Boathouse Row
Like any sport, rowing is competitive. Not only is there competition in the water, but there is also competition out of the water. Temple University's rowing coach says that they have the best rowing dock in Philadelphia. We concur because we believe that we design and manufacture the finest rowing docks and rowing centers around. An aluminum rowing dock with synthetic lumber decking that is 280-feet long, and that is accessed by two 24' x 40' aluminum gangways, is very hard to compete with. That is why Temple is bragging (and so are we). There is pride in rowing and pride in manufacturing great products. Watch the video:
The Temple University Rowing Center is a state-of-the-art facility on the Schuylkill River, characterized as "the best rowing center in Philadelphia" by their crew coach, Brian Perkins. The Temple boathouse is located 2.5 miles north of the famed Boathouse Row, and 11 miles south of the Conshohocken Rowing Center. The site is specially engineered to be fastened into the river bank anchor points above the historic cement riverbank wall. It is also designed to handle the torque from the river current and water level fluctuations. Additionally, the design maintains a 6" freeboard for easy entry and exit from boats and can support varying weight requirements during large events and regattas.
The rowing center was designed, manufactured, and installed by BoardSafe, an experienced manufacturer of aluminum floating docks, aluminum gangways, pedestrian bridges, and other marina access products. For more information about BoardSafe's products or to see their list of rowing center projects, visit boardsafe.com.
Successful First Adaptive Paddling and Picnic at Lake by BoardSafe Docks
In the fall of 2015, BoardSafe Docks installed a new ADA fishing pier and adaptive / ADA kayak launch at Leaser Lake in Kempton, PA. The floating docks and applications were designed and constructed by BoardSafe Docks, completing an ADA and adaptive park area that already included paved nature trails and ADA picnic tables.
On Sunday, May 22, 2016, a group of 12 adaptive paddlers and 30 volunteers, including 6 ACC instructors, enjoyed their first adaptive paddling event.
The Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation coordinated the parking, food, and programming, while Team River Runner handled the adaptive boating program. This was the first event of its kind since the unveiling and trial run on the adaptive kayak boat launch in November. Paddlers were taught water safety, the proper way to enter and exit a boat, and the basics of paddling.
Northeast Products Is Exclusive Distributor of Pearson Pilings
Customers who live or work in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, and want Pearson Pilings for their commercial or residential project, need to purchase them through Northeast Products and Services, Inc. (“Northeast”). Northeast is the exclusive distributor of Pearson Pilings in the Mid-Atlantic states.
Pearson's fiberglass composite pilings are the ideal building materials for waterfront foundations, docks, piers, and bridges. The composite pilings are stronger than wood, steel, and concrete pilings, and because they will not rust, rot, or crumble, they will last virtually forever. Containing no chemical preservatives that leach into the water, Pearson sustainable fiberglass composite pilings are environmentally-friendly and are the choice of “green” developers of clean marinas and waterfront properties.
Commercial applications include pilings for marinas, piers, docks, bridges, and more.
New marinas and docks, fishing piers, municipal bulkheads, and bridges, demand the strongest, most durable pilings available. Pearson pilings require no maintenance and will rarely need to be replaced, even after several years of hard use. Demolition and removal of old pilings may also be avoided by installing Pearson pilings over existing pilings.
The unique properties of fiberglass composite pilings make them an ideal building material for a wide variety of applications where superior strength and durability are required. From artificial reefs to elephant retaining walls, from bridge fendering systems to commercial building foundations, engineers and architects are finding new and unusual applications for Pearson Fiberglass Composite Pilings every day.
Best of all, Pearson pilings are environmentally-friendly. If you're building "green," you'll want to specify only Pearson Fiberglass Composite Pilings.
Residential applications include pilings for home foundations and residential docks and piers.
If you are building a new waterfront home, adding a new dock, or need to repair your existing dock or bulkhead, you'll want to use today's strongest, most-durable pilings. Pearson Fiberglass Composite Pilings will never rot, rust, or crumble. They'll last virtually forever. They're incredibly strong, too — stronger than wood, steel, and concrete! Their attractive, smooth, natural finish will look good year after year, never developing harmful, unsightly splinters.
Ask your contractor or architect to specify Pearson Pilings. Your investment today will pay off in the long run by eliminating replacement costs and increasing the value of your waterfront property.
If you are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, or Maryland, and would like to discuss your projects using Pearson Pilings, call Northeast at 610-899-0286. Northeast has decades of experience in residential and commercial construction as well as marine construction. Northeast also specializes in manufacturing aluminum floating docks, piers, gangways and rowing centers.
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.
Penn's Landing, Pennsylvania, Commercial Gangway
Penn's Landing, Philadelphia's premier waterfront destination located on the Delaware River, is the home port of the Freedom Elite, one of the area's newest private yachts. The new ship required dockage that included removing old mooring pilings, installing new mooring pilings, installing two 10-foot-by-40-foot barges, and installing a landing platform cantilevered off the existing bulkhead wall. When it was determined a gangway and stairs would need to be included for the project, BoardSafe was naturally asked to provide those items.
BoardSafe met with company officials and determined that, because of the elevation difference between the new landing platform and the barge surfaces at mean low tide, an 80-foot long gangway would need to be provided. BoardSafe suggested using dock products engineered, designed, and manufactured by BoardSafe. Design loads were determined, calculations completed, and a final design generated. The fabricators at BoardSafe then consulted the drawings and manufactured the gangway, landing platform, and stairs. The components were constructed using BoardSafe proprietary shapes and standard shapes. Decking was Ipe, supplied in panel form by TimberStrong.
"We have had a few events on the new yacht and we are getting many compliments on the ramp! It looks great." — Mary Rinaldo, General Manager
Jarrett Nature Center Pier Walkway
Originally a part of the Jarrett Family Farm, the Jarrett Nature Center is a portion of land owned by the Hatboro-Horsham School District in Pennsylvania. Located near Philadelphia, this parcel of land has four different ecosystems: a meadow, a pond, wetlands, and woodlands. The Jarrett Nature Center is used by the school system and is open to the community for education purposes as an outdoor classroom.
In order for students and teachers to access certain parts of the wetlands habitat, the school district decided that a walkway would ensure that students remained in designated areas. Student impact on the environment would be kept at a minimum while allowing students access to wetlands flora and fauna.
The landscape architectural firm Land Concepts designed the Jarrett Nature Center project, which included the manufacturing and installation of a 6-foot-by-50-foot walkway. Pearson Pilings composite pilings were driven as support for the walkway. A BoardSafe aluminum frame was installed and then finished with TimberStrong Deck Panels featuring GeoDeck composite decking. All materials selected for this installation are considered to be environmentally-friendly and have a low impact on wetlands environments.