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 plow into the back of a wave and flip end-over-end (pitchpole). This hazard is especially dangerous for a multihull that is using a spinnaker in high winds and large seas. To avoid this unfortunate scenario trimaran sailors are advised to reduce sail and to always have all sails easily released. The use of trampolines with a large weave, to allow water to easily pass through, and the deployment of parachute anchors drogues and sea anchors whenever appropriate should reduce the risk to an acceptable degree. Several manufacturers build trimarans in which the floats can be removed, repositioned, or folded near