Deck help

So this is only tangentially related to boats, but I am hoping someone here may have an idea.

The problem is how to build a swim platform/deck...

At my house in Jamaica we have a long coral cliff that leads down to the water. With about a 5' drop from the edge of the coral to sea level. We have kicked around a number of ideas of how to build it, but since the wall is unprotected it faces regular 5' swell breaking on it, and during hurricanes is completely exposed.

The best idea so far is to build a platform of some sort that is attached to a hinge, which is then bolted to the cliff. Instead of having the platform just cantilevered out to instead use an old mast section to carry a stay to the outer corner, and have a crank that would allow the dock to be lifted during rough weather, with the entire thing removable during hurricanes.

It isn't quite the floating platform we originally wanted, but I just don't think a floating platform fully exposed to the ocean will last that long (am I wrong?)


Any thought or ideas? Everything has to be brought in from the states with a 100% duty attached, so I would hate to spend a lot of money on an idea that has some major flaw I am missing.

 

Hinged onto the rock face with guy wires and a spreader post to put the load into compresion might work. Similar to an opening transom

 

Concrete, lots of reinforcement . . .

 

Possibly use moorings or anchors to hold the platform in place with a walkway hinged on land with rollers on the platform end. Tow it somewhere safe when hurricanes come.

 

Par,

We have tried reinforced concrete three times, all three times it wound up in the pool alongside some boulders from the seabed that all have to be jack hammered out. Unfortunately I can't get anything but basic concrete on island, and everything is mixed by bag and the quality control is poor at best.


Michael,

That's similar to what I was thinking, but with the ability to be easily unpinned for storms.


Sam,

The idea is to not have a floating platform because the wave action where it would be is too severe. Even on a calm day there are 1-2' waves coming in. This side is completely exposed to the ocean. Which is were the idea came from to build a suspended platform that doesn't touch the water. It will be suspendedo out over the cliff face, but not actually interact with the sea.

 

How about a hinged deck that cantilevers out like you want, that will fold back in over the top of the pool and bolts down over it to protect it from collecting debris during storms. that way you do not have to remove it and haul it off, and it serves a double purpose.

It would also be a safety feature should anyone fall into the pool when you are not around, it will be locked up so neighborhood kids to not find a good place to play when you are not around.

 

A pool? I thought he was talking about the Caribbean Sea..??

 

Bag concrete is usually fair low PSI stuff, so I can see why is breaks up. Polyester reinforcement, lots of steel and of course a suitable high PSI mix is necessary.

A retractable steel structure seems to be an option.

 

My concern is that the more steel I use the harder it is going to be to take off in the event of hurricanes. Happen to know a good quick release method?


Petros,

No pool in sight.