Manufacturers have developed a system based on interconnecting polyethylene floats that can be configured to almost any shape imaginable, including docks, floating bridges, barges, and platforms (figure 8). Most designs include multiple coupler pockets, a decking face with traction surfacing, accessory attachment points, and versatile anchor points for pilings or deadweight connections. The modules function as the float, frame, and deck. Most systems do not have a natural appearance and would not fit in the more primitive recreational settings. Many new types of systems are appearing on the market. A few suppliers are listed in the Additional Information section.

Figure 8—This floating bridge crossing a wetland in Alaska uses the
Superdeck modular system (photo by Paul Schrooten, USDI Fish and
Wildlife Service).