Services
Gangways & Custom Aluminum Fabrication
Heavy Metal Dock & Marine Construction fabricates custom aluminum gangways, walkways and structural marine components in-house. Rather than ordering standard parts from a catalog, we build to the specific dimensions and requirements of your dock and shoreline — which matters when your site has unusual geometry, significant tidal or seasonal water-level variation, or conditions that a stock gangway isn't designed to handle.
Why In-House Fabrication Matters
Most dock builders source their gangways and structural hardware from a small number of marine supply manufacturers. That works fine when your site fits the standard dimensions those products are designed for. When it doesn't — when the shore-to-dock distance is unusual, when the water level varies significantly by season, when the angle of approach is steep or when the dock geometry requires a custom connection — a stock gangway either won't fit or won't perform well over time.
Custom Aluminum Gangways
A gangway is the hinged or floating walkway that connects the shore to the dock, allowing safe passage as water levels change. Gangway design involves the span length, the width, the hinge and pivot system, the decking surface, the handrail configuration and how the gangway connects to both the shore structure and the dock. We fabricate aluminum gangways because aluminum is lightweight, corrosion-resistant and well-suited to the wet, freeze-thaw conditions of Pacific Northwest waterfront environments.
Structural Marine Fabrication
Beyond gangways, Heavy Metal fabricates a range of custom structural components for marine construction projects. Custom brackets, framing members, hardware, dock sections and specialty components are built in our shop when the project requires something that isn't available off the shelf. We also fabricate our own work barges and marine equipment.
Part of a Complete Dock Project
Gangway fabrication and installation is most often part of a complete dock construction or replacement project. When Heavy Metal builds a dock, the gangway is designed and fabricated as part of the same project — sized and configured to work with the specific dock layout, water depth and shore connection rather than added as an afterthought.
Custom Gangway Work We Handle
- →Residential dock gangways in custom lengths and widths
- →Commercial gangways for marinas and multi-slip facilities
- →Gangway replacement on existing docks
- →Floating gangway systems for significant water-level variation
- →ADA-accessible gangway design where required
Service area: Custom aluminum fabrication and gangway installation services are available throughout Washington, Idaho and the Pacific Northwest, including Spokane, Lake Washington, Lake Tapps, Lake Chelan, Coeur d'Alene, Lake Pend Oreille, Priest Lake, Bellingham, Lake Whatcom and the Columbia River.