Dock Construction

Structural Features That Improve Storm Resilience Talk to anyone who has lost a dock to a hurricane and they will tell you the same thing: it happened fast. One day it was there, solid as it had ever been. Then the storm came through, and what was left afterward wasn’t worth much. The thing is, most of those losses were not inevitable. They were the result of decisions made years earlier, during the build, when…

Comparing Maintenance, Lifespan, and Structural Strength At some point early in the planning process for a new dock, the material question comes up. Wood or something else. For a long time on the Gulf Coast, that question answered itself. Wood was what everyone used. It was what every dock builder knew how to work with, it was available everywhere, and the alternatives that exist today simply were not on the market yet. That history is…

How to Plan a Durable, Low Maintenance Dock for Gulf Coast Conditions Here on the Florida Gulf Coast, the water is beautiful and the conditions are brutal. Salt air gets into everything. Storm surges roll through without much warning. The sun bakes exposed surfaces day after day, year after year. Anyone who has owned a waterfront property for any length of time knows that the Gulf Coast does not go easy on the things you…

When you’re planning a dock, pier, or boathouse along Florida’s Gulf Coast, one of the biggest decisions involves choosing between aluminum and steel for your structural components. Both materials have earned their place in marine construction, but they perform very differently in our saltwater environment. At HMP Marine, we’ve worked extensively with both materials throughout Pensacola and the surrounding coastal areas, and understanding their distinct characteristics can save you both money and headaches down the…

Creating Accessible Docks and Marine Facilities for All Users So you’re planning to have a waterfront facility built/installed. Here’s the issue that comes up in every single one of these projects—how do you make sure that everyone can actually use it? Yeah, there are legal requirements to consider. But honestly? Making your dock or marina accessible makes sense from every angle. Business, community relations, basic decency—they all point in the same direction. Since the ADA…