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All You Need to Know About Floating Swim Platform
For most lake, beach, and riverside property owners, there are fewer things that are as appealing to their daily lives as going for a swim, boat ride, or fishing. What if you had a dedicated platform for fishing, taking that dive, sun-bathing, or docking your boat? You might even have one and are looking for the best floating platform replacement options out there.
Worry no more, this article aims to address this issue, while focusing on the purpose, considerations, and standards to look at before making the purchase. We do hope it is informative enough to keep your shopping productive. Read on to find out more.
Table of Contents
Why Do You Need a Floating Platform for Swimming
Fixed platforms or docks are less safe and less adaptable than floating swim platforms. They are an important asset for properties in a variety of industries, including:
Residential
A floating swim platform on your pond or lake allows your family and friends to swim whenever they want, regardless of water level. It’s also a great place to cast a line or relax in the sun. Water facilities will distinguish your property from other waterfront properties and excite potential buyers or renters if you decide to sell or rent it out in the future. Don’t want to part with it? Floating swim platforms are very simple to transport and install at your new seaside residence.
Commercial
Commercial buildings should always be on the lookout for methods to improve the value and appeal of their waterfront. A floating swimming platform is a quick and cost-effective approach to draw attention to your business and attract more consumers.
Government
Governmental facilities, such as parks and outdoor recreation areas, must continually strike a balance between public interest and the need for safe, sturdy, and dependable products. A floating swim platform is a long-term investment that adjusts to your specific demands and meets regulations and requirements with ease.
Environmental Standards for a Swim Platform
Today, taking care of the environment is a global responsibility that requires our personal initiative to execute. The floating docks you choose should be eco-friendly and should not release harmful substances to the environment. To find the right floating swim docks ensure they meet the following standards;
Made from high-performance, general-purpose materials that provide a balance of toughness, stiffness, environmental stress fracture resistance, and low-temperature impact performance.
Suitable for recycling at a government-approved facility or disposal at any government-approved waste disposal site.
It is not classified as a hazardous waste, nor is it formulated to hold hazardous waste materials.
Does not release contaminants when burnt, corroded, or by chemical reactions.
No foam filling is required. Many similar products include foam that can escape if they are ruptured, posing an environmental threat.
No wood materials that have been treated with copper, chromium, or arsenic are used.
Made from recycled rubber from pre and post-consumer waste.
How to Choose the Best Material and Size
Floating swim platforms are composed of the same durable materials and designs as docks since they must stay structurally sound while potentially submerged in water. Construction materials are combined with various flotation mechanisms to allow them to rise and fall with the water.
Available Materials
These materials are available for swim platforms:
Aluminum: Like an aluminum dock, an aluminum swim platform is made wholly of metal or in combination with wood or plastic. Textured metal surfaces give excellent traction, while specifically constructed aluminum decking prevents the surface from overheating.
Wood: Pressure and chemically-treated wood(not environmentally friendly) is used to build wooden docks and swim platforms, which means the boards won’t rot, distort, or weaken as rapidly in the water. While wood is a renewable resource and a cost-effective building material, it is susceptible to splintering, heat retention, and water damage. The chemicals used to treat the timber have the potential to harm marine life and the environment.
Polyethylene: Polyethylene is a type of plastic that is commonly used for docks, swim platforms, boat launches, and other waterfront accessories. Polyethylene is also resistant to splinters, rotting, bending, UV bleaching, and heat retention, making maintenance a breeze.
Size Considerations
A floating platform can be thought of as a larger piece of land on the water, where you may organize industrial events or recreational activities just like you would on dry land.
When it comes to your new swimming platform, one size surely does not fit all. You’ll need a floating dock company that offers a lot of customization options so you can have the perfect dock for your needs. You’ll also need a dock with actual versatility and mobility in case you ever wish to change the shape or size of your swimming platform. Look for a floating dock that can be shrunk and/or expanded quickly and painlessly.
How to Maintain a Swim Platform
The term “swim platform maintenance” refers to a variety of actions that are performed to keep the platform’s look, shape, durability, utility, and longevity in good working order. A few care tasks are done regularly or semi-regularly, such as treatments and inspections. Repairs and fastener modifications, for example, are done as needed and require a trained eye.
Consider the following responsibilities that you will have throughout the year:
Repairing: Before each swim season, inspect your aluminum and wooden swimming platforms for corrosion, bending, splinters, cracks, rust, weak boards, sharp corners, or bug infestation. Because polyethylene is not susceptible to these types of damage, a quick inspection to ensure your platform was not harmed during storage should suffice. If you overlook damage, it will worsen and become more difficult to fix.
Treatment: To stay structurally sound, wooden swim platforms need to be treated and sealed on a regular basis. This includes sanding the boards before sealing them with an eco-friendly sealer.
While polyethylene and aluminum don’t really need paint, you will need to repaint or restain solar-faded lumber on a regular basis to keep it looking new. Before placing it back in the water, be sure you use non-toxic, water-safe paint.
Fasteners: On wooden and aluminum platforms, nails and screws may loosen, fall out, rust, or corrode. They also need to be treated with weatherizing chemicals on a regular basis to keep them looking good.
Cleaning: To avoid detrimental accumulation or erosion, some materials, such as wood and aluminum, require regular cleaning. If you don’t clean metal with an aluminum-safe solution and a wire brush on a regular basis, it will corrode and discolor. If installed in saltwater, you must also spray aluminum and wood with fresh water to prevent salt corrosion. Polyethylene platforms are typically clean after a heavy downpour, but with a little soap and a power washer, you can make them appear brand new again.
Ideas to Have Fun with a Floating Swim Platform
There are a variety of ways you can make use of a swim platform. However, we will only highlight just a few and leave the rest to your creativity. These include;
The Lake Swim Tour
Since these platforms can float to just about any place on your surrounding water body, you can try using this opportunity to float around the lake as a family, or friends. However, there are some precautions you should take;
Ensure the lake is safe and does not contain any hazardous substances, chemicals, or any dangerous water life
Ensure everyone is in a good health condition(physically and psychologically)
Ensure that you and your group can swim(It’s not advisable to learn to swim in a lake)
Ensure that you do not dive into the water while intoxicated
Do not dump any plastics or any other waste in the lake
These guidelines may seem a bit harsh to some, however, no one wants to see fun turn into chaos. Also, do bring with you something to peddle you back to the shore once you are done having a good time.
Floating Picnic
Although the swim platform is meant for… swimming, it can also serve as an opportunity for you and your partner to have a romantic getaway across the pond or lake. Cook some good food, get yourselves the drinks of your choice, and “float away to love”. Also, remember to bring with you some life jackets, you know for precautions. The above-mentioned precautions also apply for this activity.
Site Seeing with the Kids
Although the platform is not as safe as a boat, it can also be used as a “travel the lake expedition” vehicle. There’s no doubt that there are amazing views in and around water bodies as you float through them. Do take the opportunity to find out if your child has an eye for nature. It should also help with keeping them away from phones and other devices. Time for some parent-child bonding!
The Bottom Line
Floating swim platforms expand water entertainment possibilities and flexibility. Although buying a floating swim platform might seem expensive at first, it will be a worthy investment on your part. However, you first need to follow each recommendation made in the above-mentioned considerations.
We do recommend getting yourself a high-quality floating dock/platform to ensure the safety of both you and other occupants of the same. Hisea Dock offers these high-quality floating platforms and docks that promise reliability, aesthetics, simple installations, and are environmentally-friendly. Get yourself one today by visiting the hisea dock website to learn more. All the best!
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