How to Choose Between Jetties and Pontoons for Your Marine Business

Whether you are thinking about organising a party by the river, starting up a marine wildlife watching business or staging or a dance spectacular on your local marina, pontoons and jetties will probably come into your plans at some stage. However, while it's easy to confuse the two marine accessories, there are some important differences, and finding the right mix can make or break your business or event. For most applications, pontoons will be the more useful of the two (but not exclusively so). Here's why.

With Pontoons, Tidal Changes Are Not an Issue

The major difference between jetties and pontoons is that pontoons float on the water while jetties are fixed in place. A pontoon may require piles to remain in place, but because it is free-floating, it can rise or fall with the tides.

If you intend to use your pontoon as a stage or a space to host guests, it helps if it can handle tidal changes. There will be less risk of water overflowing the surface and any boats tied to the pontoon will be less likely to experience damage as well.

Pontoons Tend to Require Less Maintenance

Historically, jetties in Australia have been made out of wood, and this continues to be the case. This allows for flexible construction and attractive results, but wood is a relatively high-maintenance material. It can rot and snap, putting the integrity of the jetty in question.

On the other hand, fabric and metal pontoons require very little upkeep. They can be cleaned easily by removing them from the water and are much less vulnerable to long-term decay.

Pontoons Are a More Flexible Option

Perhaps more importantly still, pontoons are a more flexible option. If you are planning a music concert on the water, you can easily position a pontoon stage to take advantage of light conditions or move it away from food preparation areas. You can also use pontoons for different types of occasions in the future, while a jetty is usually fixed in place. Pontoons are also cheaper and quicker to install, both big pluses for businesses that need to arrange events efficiently.

What About a Mixture of Jetties and Pontoons?

However, before you order a flotilla of pontoons, it's worth considering jetties as well. Modern jetties can be lightweight, quickly installed and more resilient than pontoons in tough conditions.

If you intend to launch vessels on a regular basis and need space to board passengers or offload cargo, a jetty will also provide a more stable place to do so. That's why many businesses actually use a combination of jetties and pontoons in their final arrangements. While you can use a few pontoons to create a floating stage or a party venue, jetties are a more permanent feature that fishing or touring companies will find essential.

Pontoon and Jetty Experts Are Best Used to Create Your Configuration

Whatever your needs, when you use jetties and pontoons, it's important to bring in marine platform experts to install them. For one thing, they can make sure that every pontoon is securely fastened and properly shielded from flooding events. For another, experts can tell whether old piles contain asbestos and arrange for safe disposal. Local companies will also know about tidal and weather conditions that might necessitate a more robust form of mooring, helping to avoid vessel damage in the future.

So whether you are starting a wedding planning business, hosting a classical concert in a nearby harbour or taking tourists whale watching, pontoons or jetties will provide the facilities you need to host guests or load passengers. With a little expert help, you can make any business idea float.