After a season's use, SolDeck will still have a fresh, newly laid appearance, while hardwood will have aged and become dull grey in colour. Being impervious to UV attack and water ingress, SolDeck does not discolour or rot, either in storage or when laid in a pontoon system. This results in a longer lasting pontoon which even in its later seasons continues to look new and even more importantly, integrally sound and safe.

Being made from recyclable HDPE, SolDeck does not splinter as hardwood often can, and is therefore kinder to barefoot crews. It is more flexible when being laid and, being slightly heavier than its hardwood counterpart, it is extremely strong and suitable for high use areas. To enhance its longevity, SolDeck has been designed to be resistant to frost and is also fire retardant.

Solent Marine's Marc Simmonds said, 'We have spent several years looking for a synthetic product that was aesthetically as good as hardwood but provides our customers with a longer pontoon life. We can also stack SolDeck without fear of rotting or discolouration prior to delivery to site.

In one recent application for British Waterways Marinas, Solent Marine designed the layout and manufactured the pontoons, decked in SolDeck, for the Diglis Basin Marina in Worcestershire UK.