Hybrid Shell System® (Patent No.12546075)
The Hybrid Shell System® (Patent No.12546075) is a shoreline stabilization system that features a combination of a hardened aggregate (shell) and a non-hardened aggregate (imported organic blend) with blooming native plants. This creates a "hybrid" system that looks "beachy", colorful, and organic while being nearly as effective as rip rap rock* in controlling erosion. Unlike rip rap, bulkhead, sheet pile, and seawall it is considered "maintenance" by the South Florida Water Management District and most counties. Why does this matter? It saves our clients money on permitting fees, engineering fees, and it avoids a lot of red tape.
Case studies have proven that the system can withstand hurricane-force winds, maintain its shape and function after being submerged under six feet of water, and can actually become more effective as it ages. Below are some of the benefits of this system explained in detail.
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*With the addition of drainage systems on some lot lines and corners- often included in our price per LF.
Beautiful Before & After Results
One of our projects in Bonita Springs was completed just 3 weeks before Hurricane Ian made landfall in September of 2022. The customer was very worried about the damage that would be inflicted to our young system and plants. We visited the site and did a post-hurricane evaluation and case study and found that out of 4,000 linear feet of shoreline, only a small 70-foot section (which was pummeled with 2-3 foot waves) had some displaced shell! We installed a larger aggregate in this section and the client was overall thrilled with our system!
Pictured is our oldest system - installed in Spring of 2016 in Estero, FL. You can see the shell is holding steady and the Golden Canna Lilies are healthy and established. Since installation, the residents on the lake have stated that the lake maintenance crew rarely has to spray any weeds along the shoreline, if any at all!
Our system features proprietary components that were developed alongside civil engineers and various community projects. For instance, the imported blend that we utilize contains ingredients that allow it to achieve a high compaction rate and makes it more resistant to erosion and hydrodynamic forces. This is far more effective than typical fill dirt and muck dredged from the bottom of a lake.
For maximum effectiveness, the slope on the shoreline must be +/- 2 degrees, the shell must be a specific thickness, and the plants must be treated so that they root in within days, not weeks for minimal attrition rate. All of these factors have been optimized through years of experience and R&D… we do not simply dump shell and smooth it out!
“I prefer the more natural and less costly/invasive approach of re-grading/compacted crushed shell and robust littoral plantings for bank restoration and stabilization..”
-Bowman Engineering, Fort Myers, FL
“The Seabreeze Hybrid Shell System offers shoreline erosion protection, which supports live littoral plantings and has a natural beauty not found with rip rap.
It's a polished, inviting shoreline look.”
-W.J. Johnson & Associates Engineering, Cape Coral, FL
“we seldom, if ever, recommend harvesting material from the bottom of a lake.
The use of an imported fill gives you the most control over the sediment size (grain distribution) as well as what you want for an organic blend. That is important if you are attempting to establish littoral vegetation around the perimeter of the lake.”
-HWA, Fort Myers, FL
COST ANALYSIS
Money Saving
| Expected Lifespan | Maintenance Costs | |
|---|---|---|
| Seabreeze Hybrid Shell System® (Patent No.12546075) | Decades | $5/LF every 10 years* |
| Grading, fill, sod | 3-24 Months | $5/LF every 3-24 months** |
| Geotube / Polyethylene containment systems / 3D open-cell systems | 6 Months - 8 Years**** | $75-125/LF every 2-8 yrs*** |
| Littorals Only (lake maintenance law care companies) | 6-24 Months | $7.50-11.00/LF every 6-24months |
*To fill in an average of 100 littoral plants every 100 linear feet an average of every 10 years.
**To replace 200sf of sod that has died at the water's edge every 100 linear feet every 5 8 years.
***The cost to tear out the old tube or sox, re-grade, and install a more permanent system.
****We documented a tube on a lake in Bonita Springs that failed after only 6 months.
NOTE: All expected lifespans are estimations only and are subject to change due to anomalous weather, environmental forces, and acts of God.
THE ONLY COUNTY APPROVED OPTION
