MultiFunction Boom Series
Pacific Netting Products’ MultiFunction Booms (U.S. Patent No. 29,610,480) offer a durable, low-maintenance floating barrier solution engineered for long-term performance and versatility—all at a cost-effective price point. Built for a 50-year service life, these booms are watertight, corrosion-resistant, rot-proof, UV-stable, and capable of withstanding extreme temperatures down to -140°F.
With minimal moving parts and customizable features—such as diameter and wall thickness—MultiFunction Booms can be tailored to meet site-specific load requirements. Their modular design and variety of available lengths make them fully compatible with Pacific Netting Products’ extensive line of accessories, enabling flexible configurations for applications including fish passage, debris control, ice management, site security, safety, environmental protection, and structural support.
Material Overview
MultiFunction Booms are manufactured using custom-extruded, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) PE4710, meeting ASTM D3350 standards with a cell classification of 445574C/E. For added buoyancy, the booms can be internally filled with Type 1, closed-cell expanded polystyrene foam logs that conform to ASTM C578 and are precision-sized to fit the internal diameter of the boom.
To ensure long-term UV resistance, the HDPE material is formulated with a minimum of 2% carbon black and/or UV stabilizers. The smooth, non-stick surface of HDPE reduces friction and provides excellent resistance to fouling, making the booms ideal for use in demanding marine environments.
Engineered for strength and flexibility, MultiFunction Booms offer high deformation capacity without fracture, making them suitable for frequent grounding. They can also be manufactured using a co-extrusion process to incorporate high-visibility colors (e.g., yellow or orange), enhancing visibility and safety while delivering superior impact resistance and reducing long-term maintenance costs.
Material Detail Highlights:
- Modular – Customizable length, diameter, wall thickness, and connections to meet site-specific requirements.
- Strong – Built with heavy-duty, bullet-resistant materials—functions as a structural member without the need for wires, chains, or cables.
- Cost Effective – Designed for a long service life with minimal maintenance, often delivering the lowest lifetime cost in the industry.
- Flexible – Compatible with a wide range of attachments and accessories to support unique operational, environmental, or structural needs.
Boom Section Types and Connection Options
Flange Bolted Sections
When boom sections are flange-bolted together, the entire assembly functions as a single structural load-bearing member, eliminating the need for moving parts between sections. This design not only enhances overall strength but also creates a smooth, continuous surface—ideal for applications requiring debris exclusion or guidance. By eliminating gaps between sections, the system prevents debris from becoming trapped or impinged on the boom. When properly positioned, prevailing winds and currents can further assist in directing floating debris toward a designated collection point. Boom sections typically range from 20 to 50 feet in length but can be custom-fabricated to meet specific project requirements. Sections are connected using A325 galvanized steel backer rings and hardware for secure, durable installation.
Articulating Sections
To accommodate water level fluctuations, minimize rolling between sections and shore connections, and reduce installation costs, MultiFunction Booms can be equipped with padeye or universal link connections, each designed to match the boom’s safe working load. In these configurations, boom sections are generally shorter, and for shoreline applications, boom lengths are tailored to suit the site’s specific bathymetry.
The standard padeye assembly features A572 high-strength, low-alloy steel plate with a galvanized finish padeye and domestic safety anchor shackles. A galvanized A36 steel backing plate is mounted behind the HDPE end flange, and the entire system is securely bolted together in a sandwich-style configuration. This setup allows for reliable connection to shore-side anchors using shackles and chain.
Connections
To improve safety, streamline operations, and minimize maintenance, standard MultiFunction Boom sections are engineered without any moving connections below the waterline. All inter-boom connections—including those used for boat gates—are designed and rated to match the boom’s full breaking strength. The only exception is safety connections, which are intentionally designed to release at a predetermined load to prevent damage under excessive force.
Debris Skirt and Overtopping Guard (Splashguard)
For enhanced debris control and protection, MultiFunction Booms can be equipped with both a debris guidance skirt and a debris overtopping guard, offering a comprehensive solution for managing floating debris in high-impact environments.
The debris skirt is a continuous, heavy-duty, four-ply poly-nylon fabric typically extending to a depth of 48 inches. Permanently attached to the keel of the boom, the skirt guides debris along the boom’s face—minimizing entrapment in porous or rigid barriers like steel screens. Assisted by wind and current, debris is directed toward designated shoreline collection points. The skirt is engineered for impact, tear, and abrasion resistance, and remains flexible under varying water conditions. It is weighted with galvanized chain in areas likely to contact the substrate at low pool levels, and with steel weight bars in all other areas to maintain proper positioning and functionality.
To further improve performance, especially in high-debris or wave-prone environments, each boom section can be fitted with a debris overtopping guard along its upstream edge. Acting like the flare of a boat’s bow, this guard increases freeboard and helps prevent debris and wave action from spilling over the top of the boom. It’s an ideal feature for facilities requiring enhanced debris deflection or wave attenuation, such as fish collection and water intake structures.
Customizable Boom Features and Attachments
MultiFunction Booms feature a modular design that can be fully customized to meet a wide range of strength, security, and operational requirements. Using our patented system, we can incorporate walkway fittings, ice boom structures, wave attenuation components, and ballasted sections for turning points or site-specific configurations. In certain applications—such as steep shorelines where grounding is anticipated—a double boom setup can enhance performance and provide a stable platform for mounting lights, signage, or other equipment. Booms can also be outfitted with a variety of attachments, including navigation lights, security fencing, safety features, and informational or regulatory signage, tailored to the needs of each site. MultiFunction Booms can also be delivered with standard black or HDPE color (RAL 2009 orange) or (RAL 1021 yellow) to meet
regulatory requirements. Custom colors are available.
Boat Gates
To control access to restricted areas while still allowing authorized personnel to pass through, the PNP Boat Gate is engineered for both security and ease of use. Designed for single-person operation, the gate can be safely opened or closed from either side of the boom using a surface-mounted latch system and extended gate bar. Constructed from rigid, heavy-duty galvanized steel with a durable box frame design, the gate integrates seamlessly into the boom system, maintaining structural integrity and debris control. It can be securely locked in either the open or closed position, and features rubber skirting between the boom and gate to eliminate gaps and prevent debris from passing through.
A Closer Look at HDPE Manufacturing
PNP uses customized and proprietary manufacturing processes to produce its SafeGuard Boom Series. The raw materials are extruded in a continuous surface method of production. In addition to tensile or safe pull strength and consistent cross sections (wall thickness), the other benefit of this method of manufacture is the consistency of the finished material properties, which are defined in standards such as ASTM D3350 describing key properties and ranges of performance.
During the manufacturing process, plastic pellets are mixed with other materials, such as UV inhibitors, and then pushed through the die. Because higher operating pressures are created during the extrusion process, higher density resins can be used. Together, the materials and manufacturing process make SafeGuard Booms ideally suited for debris, demarcation, and security applications.
Download Printable PDF of Product Specs: MultiFunction Boom™ Series
