Pontoon

A pontoon is a buoyant device, either of solid lightweight material or constructed as a watertight chamber, used to support objects above or below water.

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Pontoons may be simply constructed from closed cylinders such as pipes or barrels or fabricated as boxes from metal or concrete. These may be used to support a simple platform, creating a raft. A raft supporting a house-like structure is one form of houseboat.

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Pontoons may be used to support docks or floating bridges. In the case of a dock the entire device is sometimes called a pontoon.

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Pontoons of sophisticated construction and shape are used to support aircraft so they may be operated from water. Such pontoons may also contain landing gear so that the aircraft may operate on both land and water. Such aircraft are called amphibious floatplanes. Floatplanes are distinct from flying boats in which the aircraft fuselage forms a watertight hull.

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Pontoons are useful in the salvage of sunken vessels. They may be used to support cranes that lift the boat via cables. In other cases they may be sunk and attached to the vessel underwater. The water inside the pontoon is then displaced with compressed air to float the pontoon.

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Buoyant: REDIRECT Buoyancy...

Water: :This article focuses on water as it is experienced in everyday life. See water (molecule) for information on the chemical and physical properties of pure water (H2O, hydrogen oxide)....

Cylinder: The word cylinder has several meanings:...

Pontoon related Images and Photos (experimental)

Pontoon and Hut Over the Lagoon Rangiroa Taumotus The French Polynesia

WWI British Troops Pass Through Sacile Over Hastily-Made Pontoon Bridges