Keeping Dunedin’s Waterfront Views in the Frame
Dunedin’s name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh. Two Scottish merchants, John O. Douglas and James Somerville, chose it in the early 1880s when they petitioned for a post office in a settlement previously called Jonesboro. The town incorporated on June 1, 1899, largely so it could deal with the hogs roaming its streets. During World War II, Donald Roebling’s “Alligator” was developed into the Landing Vehicle Tracked at a Food Machinery Corporation factory in Dunedin, and the city’s Scottish roots still show in its annual Highland Games and school pipe bands.
The city describes itself as one of the few open waterfront communities between Sarasota and Cedar Key where buildings do not obscure the view. Residents value those sightlines across St. Joseph Sound toward Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island. For a pool owner, the challenge is keeping that view while keeping out the insects, leaves, and wind-blown debris that come with living on the water.
- Preserves views of the sound with ScenicView wide-panel screening.
- Keeps mosquitoes and biting insects off the pool deck.
- Blocks leaves and wind-blown debris from the water.
- Meets Florida’s pool safety barrier requirements.
- Cuts cleaning time and chemical costs.
How a Hurricane Led CRA to Rethink the Pool Cage Beam
CRA’s engineering story began after Hurricane Charley, when founder Tom Teffenhart saw how often standard aluminum beams had failed on screened enclosures. He worked with a NASA engineer to redesign the beam. After independent testing and years of refinement, the result became the ChannelLock Self-Mating Beam, with nine U.S. patents and Florida Product Approval FL#19700.
CRA has since earned four more patents for its ScenicView screening system, which gives Dunedin homeowners a patented option built specifically around open views.
- Beam redesign developed with a NASA engineer after Hurricane Charley.
- Nine ChannelLock patents plus four ScenicView patents.
- Florida State Licensed Contractor, Lic. SCC056736, CGC058897, and CBC1270440.
ScenicView, Cable Railing, and Entry Enclosures in Dunedin
ScenicView screen enclosures use wider panels and slimmer aluminum framing than a standard pool cage, which suits lots facing the sound. CRA pairs them with aluminum cable railing for second-story decks and waterfront stairs. The company also builds standard pool cages, entry and lanai enclosures, fencing, gutters, and carports, and it rescreens and repairs existing enclosures.
- ScenicView screen enclosures with wide panels and slimmer framing.
- Cable railing for waterfront decks, balconies, and stairs.
- Pool cages, entry and lanai enclosures, rescreening, and repair.
Conclusion
Dunedin has protected its open waterfront for generations, and a pool enclosure on a Dunedin lot should keep that view in sight. CRA’s patented ScenicView system and ChannelLock beam give Dunedin homeowners a screened pool with the view intact. Contact CRA for a free quote.
FAQs
1: How is ScenicView different from a standard pool cage screen?
ScenicView is CRA’s wide-view screening system, protected by four U.S. patents. It uses wider screen panels and slimmer aluminum framing than a conventional pool cage, so a Dunedin homeowner looking toward St. Joseph Sound sees more water and less frame.
2: Can a ScenicView enclosure handle the wind that comes off St. Joseph Sound?
Yes. ScenicView enclosures are built on the same ChannelLock SMB beam CRA uses on every project, which is tested 40% stronger than industry-standard beams and engineered to Florida Building Code wind-load requirements for the property’s location.
3: Is cable railing a good fit for a Dunedin deck facing the water?
Cable railing keeps sightlines more open than solid pickets, which is why waterfront owners often choose it. CRA installs aluminum cable railing for decks, balconies, and stairs, and can quote it together with a ScenicView enclosure on the same property.
