Although it is within the general civil engineering construction industry, marine construction is a specialized field. Florida marine construction may include building seawalls, docks, boathouses and bulkheads, and each of these structures has a specific job. Below we describe three types of marine construction and which jobs they are most suitable for.
- Boat Access
Docks may be the most common type of marine construction because they are required to access and tie up boats in the water. However, different types of docks exist. For example, piling docks require beams that are driven into the earth under the water. Because they are secured into the earth, they are strong and can withstand punishment, such as high waves and strong currents.
Protected marine areas may require floating docks. Because these docks are not secured to the earth, they can be easily moved from one location to another. However, they are significantly weaker than piling docks and require calm water.
Some docks are removable, such as pipe docks whose supports sit on top of the earth under the water. Although they have greater balance and durability than floating docks, they are not as strong as piling docks. Because they are not driven into the earth, they are also easily removed.
- Protecting Property
Seawalls are built on shores to prevent flooding. Seawalls, which may be made of reinforced concrete, steel or rock, protect your land, boats, and docks from wave damages. These structures are typically tall, wide and long. They are typically built along the shoreline. These long-term solutions to flooding and erosion have a high price tag.
Retaining walls, or bulkheads, are built along shorelines to prevent land erosion into the water. If your land does not have significant vegetation, such as trees, and rocky bluffs or shorelines, you may see your property wash away without a retaining wall barrier.
Like seawalls, retaining walls may be built out of stone, sheet metal or concrete. Retaining walls may also be used in landscaping to prevent erosion.
- Marine Equipment Storage
If you have marine equipment, such as safety gear, and vehicles, such as boats, you may require a boathouse for long-term or winter storage. Boat houses may also have a second story or rooms where people can gather and socialize and take advantage of the water views.
If you are considering or have purchased land with water frontage, such as on the ocean, a lake or a river, consider consulting a marine contractor to gain greater access to your water and boats and protect your property from erosion and flooding.
