Pontoon bridge Pontoon bridge A pontoon bridge (or ponton bridge), also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load they can carry. Most pontoon bridges are temporary, used in wartime and civil emergencies. Permanent floating bridges are useful for sheltered water-crossings where it is not considered economically feasible to suspend a bridge from anchored piers. Such bridges can require a section that is elevated, or can be raised or removed, to allow waterborne traffic to pass. Pontoon bridges have been in
Trimaran hull". The outrigger hulls are "floats". The structures between the main hull and the floats are called the "wings" and the structural portions thereof are "beams"). In cruising trimarans the wings are solid and cabin accommodation extends over them, while in racing trimarans accommodation is limited to the main hull and the wings are open sheets of netting. In comparison to outrigger canoes, trimarans typically feature a sail (or engine) and are not primarily designed to be paddled. Trimarans are typically significantly wider. In addition, trimaran floats are much more buoyant than those of outrigger canoes to support a large