By structural form
- aluminium-frame pontoon on polyethylene floats
- hardwood/timber-frame pontoon on polyethylene floats
- reinforced/precast concrete pontoon
- fibreglass monocoque or float system
- modular HDPE cube system
- FRP/composite framed system
- steel industrial pontoon/barge
- aluminium pontoon boat
- polyethylene pontoon boat/platform
By restraint
- pile restrained
- strut restrained
- cable restrained
- chain/deadweight anchored
- bank-hinged
- mooring-grid restrained
- combination systems
By use
- residential berth
- marina walkway/finger
- public access landing
- ferry/passenger
- boat-ramp pontoon
- fishing platform
- swimming platform
- rowing pontoon
- sailing-club pontoon
- kayak/canoe launch
- PWC drive-on dock
- industrial pump/dewatering
- floating work platform
- event/temporary platform
- aquaculture platform
- pontoon boat/party boat
- houseboat base
Buy the use class, not the generic product
A rowing club can be badly served by a very expensive marina pontoon if the deck is too high. A super-stable concrete pontoon may be difficult or uneconomic to transport to a remote lake. A lightweight HDPE system can be ideal for a protected launch but unsuitable for an exposed vessel berth. The correct answer starts with operating requirements.