FLOATING BREAKWATERS PROVIDE EROSION CONTROL PROTECTION & WAVE ATTENUATION: WhisprWave® Floating Breakwaters - Wave Attenuation

Marina Wave & Wake Attenuation | Coastal Erosion Control Protection

Wave Dispersion Technologies, Inc. (WDT) developed the WhisprWave® floating articulated breakwater erosion / wave and wake control technology to afford protection to marinas, beaches, and private property subject to destructive or annoying wave / wake forces. There are three primary configurations of the WhisprWave® floating breakwater: Ocean Floating Breakwaters, 2-Layer Floating Breakwaters, and 3 Layer Floating Breakwaters.

Marina Wake and Wave Protection
Marinas that are not based in protective coves or estuaries are often subject to the damaging wave and erosionary forces associated with violent storms. These storms cause damage to both the physical marinas, as well as, their clients vessels. During calmer times, these marinas remain concerned about the quality of their slips. Waves, and wakes formed from passing boat traffic, can violently rock harbored crafts making it difficult for their owners to enjoy them while in port. There are many marinas that would like to realize added revenue from their unused shoreline frontage by building additional docks. Frequently these marinas are more limited by the quality of the dock space, impact of waves / wakes on new docks, as the prime spots were built on first, than their ability to source capital for the new construction.

Pier Point Marina on Sodus Bay in Lake Ontario, New York was the first marina to approach the company to solve the aforementioned wave and wake protection issue. Pier Point Marina had the additional problem that Sodus Bay freezes during the winter. Therefore, the marina needed a solution that could compensate for this seasonal requirement, ideally a device that did not have to be physically removed from the lake during the winter. The WhisprWave® floating shoreline erosion control breakwater was specifically designed to solve these erosion problems. With a transmission coefficient of 0.1 on the expected wave spectrum, the WhisprWave® was able to dissipate the 4-foot waves that the marina was subject to, during highly destructive storms, to a mere 6 inches (90% efficient). The effect enabled the marina to exand and realize greater ROI and ROA, as noted in the marina owner's letter of satisfaction to WDT.

During the winter, when the bay freezes, the WhisprWave® modules are submerged four to six feet below the freeze-line. This feature made the system highly attractive to Pier Ponte as the cost of maintenance and reinstallation is minimal.

Pier Point Marina soon realized a significant ROI with increased revenues (additional slips, increased slip usage, and increased slip rates), a reduced repair expense (reduced storm damage), and a minimal maintenance expense for the WhisprWave® breakwater.

Erosion Protection
Several government agencies and property owner associations have approached the company for an effective, environmentally sound solution to protecting beaches from erosion and private property from shoreline and coastal erosion problems. The company offers the patented WhisprWave® floating breakwater. The WhisprWave® is designed to moderate and delay the loss of sand from beaches in the dry beach and surf zone.

Traditional breakwaters, seawalls and jetties have failed primarily because they reflect or direct wave energy in destructive ways or concentrate it in local hot spots. Erosion problems and the scouring effects of the misdirected energy lead to the loss of beach / coastline and undermine the structures that were meant to be protected.

In addition, other fixed structures such as groins lead to the loss of natural flows in down-drift beaches by interrupting the littoral flows of sand and generally create a surplus condition on the up-drift side and a starvation condition on the down-drift beaches.

The WhisprWave® is designed to remedy the limitations of traditional breakwaters, seawalls and jetties. The WhisprWave® can be set in any depth of water, but is particularly effective at 20foot depths and less, believed to encompass most in-shore erosion problems. Unlike other systems, it has complete portability and does not require major construction to move it. This flexibility greatly enhances its usefulness at sites that are subject to possible changes in needs and requirements.

Finally, the WhisprWave® has usefulness beyond beach erosion protection and erosion control. It has applications, which would complement other wave attenuating devices such as the Rapidly Installed Breakwater (RIB), which is under development by the Army Corp of Engineers for use in military operations. In addition it would logically be considered for inlets and marine anchorages to protect surface craft from the effects of wave energy, boat wakes, and other natural and man-made disturbances; especially in confined or high risk areas.

EROSION PROTECTION ADVICE

A few closing thoughts from the beach erosion protection specialists at WhisprWave®.

If you have a marina, beach, boat launch or shoreline erosion problem that you have not been able to solve, give WhisprWave® a call and let's talk about how we can help stop the erosion problems that are adversely affecting your quality of life.

You can contact WhisprWave® via the following channels:

1. Telephone: 908.273.3358
2. Fax: 908.688.0198
3. E-Mail: info@whisprwave.com
4. Erosion Protection Info Request Form

The team at WhisprWave® is confident that we can help solve your erosion problems, don't hesitate - CALL TODAY. WhisprWave® has the right erosion control technology solution for you.

Download Brochure
908.233.7503