Float (nautical) marine salvage, often deployed uninflated then pressurized to raise a sunken object. In popular usage, the term "pontoon" can refer to any of several of the following objects that make use of nautical floats. A pontoon boat is a flattish boat that relies on nautical floats for buoyancy. Common boat designs are a catamaran with two pontoons, or a trimaran with three. In many parts of the world, pontoon boats are used as small vehicle ferries to cross rivers and lakes. In Australia and New Zealand, the term "pontoon" often refers to an anchored raft-like platform used for diving from.
Pontoon bridge a pontoon bridge to cross the Bosphorus and Emperor Caligula built a bridge at Baiae in 37 AD. For Emperor Darius I The Great of Persia (522–485 BC), the Greek Mandrocles of Samos once engineered a pontoon bridge that stretched across the Bosporus, linking Asia to Europe, so that Darius could pursue the fleeing Scythians as well as move his army into position in the Balkans to overwhelm Macedon. Other spectacular pontoon bridges were Xerxes' Pontoon Bridges across the Hellespont by Xerxes I in 480 BC to transport his huge army into Europe: According to John Hale's "Lords of the