Building a Raft - the best solution.

Loobz

Hi there.

I found this lake on the weekend. I was wondering if anybody could recommend materials needed to build a lake-worthy raft? Preferably, the materials should be easily accessed.

Personally, I was thinking 2 large barrells tied together with rope. Then place a pallet (sp?) on top and tie this to the barrels. You could use a long flat piece of wood as an oar. Now I know that building rafts and sailing on a lake is dangerous etc etc. So try to keep posts like that to a minimum. However, please do take safety into consideration when devising a raft plan.

So, has anybody ever built a raft that would rival the QE2? All ideas considered.

Illustrations and diagrams are welcome.

Gurgle

You'll need more than one pallet & 2 barrells for stability. If you do it that way, you will quickly find yourself under the pallet, with the barrels on top.

Use at least 6 pallets attached together using lengths of 3x2 and with a large barrell in all 4 corners.
Once you've got that much weight in it, you'll find you can walk around on it without too much pitching about.
(I miss my mis-spent youth)

Loobz

I was thinkin my plan was flawed.

Ishmael

Might be handy to cover the topside of the pallets with something that will stop your feet going inbetween the pallet boards, Maybe some of that crappy stuff thats usually on the back of presses.

Loobz

Ishmael wrote:

Maybe some of that crappy stuff thats usually on the back of presses.

I know the stuff, nice input.

MorningStar

First thing you do is get a life jacket. It may sound like an over responsible reaction but considering your first suggestion for the raft would of toppled

Tyre inards are a good idea and easier to get. And strangely I think it's easier to create a boat out of something rather than create a raft.

Loobz

MorningStar wrote:

First thing you do is get a life jacket.

Good point. So, whats the best way to build a life jacket?
Joking aside, I will get one.

Macy

Loobz wrote:

Good point. So, whats the best way to build a life jacket?

Go to Lidl on Thursday and buy a life jacket and a boat

http://www.lidl.ie/ie/index.nsf/pages/c.o.oow.20050623.index

Loobz

But but... I wanted to build one. I am man, after all, and exchanging money for a 100% seaworthy craft is the devil.
However I am interested....

Macy

Loobz wrote:

But but... I wanted to build one. I am man, after all, and exchanging money for a 100% seaworthy craft is the devil.
However I am interested....

You could use it as an escape vessel.... :cool:

Loobz

Jesus, im still laughing! Thats brill , lol, an escape vessel. Hahahaha.
Escape from the seamonkeys!

patrido

Loobz wrote:

But but... I wanted to build one. I am man, after all, and exchanging money for a 100% seaworthy craft is the devil.
However I am interested....

http://www.glen-l.com/ do a vast array of boat building kits and plans. I bought the plans for a catamaran a few years ago, but it never saw the light of day

You have 3 main options in terms of life jackets... a 50N buoyancy aid, a 100N buoyancy aid, or a gas inflatable life jacket.

Most dinghy sailors like myselft use a 50N as it's not bulky and doesn't get in the way when you're racing. Beginners courses usually insist on 100N, and the same for kids. A 50N will **help** you swim/float while you hold on to something, but if you're knocked out cold, you're screwed as it will NOT keep you up on it's own. 100N jackets are much more buoyant, and have buoyant collars that will keep you face up in the water if you're knocked out. No swimming or effort required to stay afloat.

Big boat sailors tend to use gas inflatable jackets, which are either manually inflated (not unlike the ones on a plane), or have a hydrostatic automatic inflation - which if you fall in, will inflate automatically. Either type is fine, if you expect to never be in the water, but while you experiment with boating, you might be taking a duck a few times. Each time it inflates you have to replace the gas cannister, (and fold the jacket back inside itself). You also have to get it serviced once a year.

You can buy any of the above in any boat chandlers. Where are you based? I might know one nearby. The Lidl one looks like a 100N, and if it complies with the relevant standards, then it should be perfect.

Btw, if you take this project on, you must keep a diary complete with pictures

Loobz

Id say if I do build a raft (think Huckleberry Finn) it wont be anything that comes out of a box complete with instructions.

Thanks for advice on lifejackets by the way. Nice info.

Lidls gear looks good. Any difference between the two boats for 39.99? One holds 40kgs more, however the other is pictured with oars. Oars can come in handy for propulsion and direction of your craft.

patrido

Loobz wrote:

Lidls gear looks good. Any difference between the two boats for 39.99? One holds 40kgs more, however the other is pictured with oars. Oars can come in handy for propulsion and direction of your craft.

If u look at the specs they're virtually identical apart from the max weight - both specify 152cm alu. paddles, even though they're not pictured in the "Atlantic" set. Never go out in a boat without at least a paddle of two even if u have an engine or sails - wind dies on occasion and so do engines

flocker

Loobz,

blocks of polystyrene might be useful if you still wanted to go the DIY route.

There light weight, cheap and dont soak water. You could use your creative skills and fashion them into a custom designed hull.

flocker

As a follow up to the polystyrene idea why no build a house on water not a raft.

www.epsmolders.org/3-float.html

edmund_f

maybe something along the lines of

http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1981_March_April/How_to_Build_a_Raft

the polystyrene is a very good idea, easy enough to come by if you have a friendly chat with the foreman on some building site?

would be worried about trying to use anythign inflatable on a home made boat, whatever you use to attach it to the frame could puncture it after some time in use?



my personal opinion would be for some sort of catamaran, simply made up of two large polystyerne pontoons, tied together with some sort of deck. ice and stable, and if the whole thing comes apart you have two handy life rafts left over

something to think of is how much poly you will need, for a 100Kg (probably about 3 pallets of wood) boat and 2 passangers (70kg each) you will need to displace about 240 liters of water, which would mean 2 pontoons of polystyrene about 1000x500x250 fully submerged (about 3' 3"x 1' 7" x 10")

then for safety make them 2-3 times bigger than that

calculations and assumptions (feel free to correct)

assume 1l water = 1kg
assume 1m^3 = 1000Kg
assume weight of polystyrene is 0


1x.5x.25 = .125m^3

= 125kg bouyancy

x2 pontoons = 250Kg bouyancy

flocker

Hi Loobz,

l'm intrigued by your idea of the raft and the great location. With the good weather we are having did you go for Lidl route and our out on the lake soaking up the sun, or did you abandon the idea and just go for liquid refreshment in a pub???

Loobz

At the moment,

1) My dad is building a shed and landscaping every minute he has. So if he sees me building a raft instead of giving him a hand he will crack up So, I will keep the ideas mentioned here 'on file' for not too distant future reference.

2) Not getting the Lidl dinghey cos Im counting my pennies due to holiday, 21st and other things over the next few weeks.

But, one thing is for sure, we will sail that lake in something. Myself and a few mates went to the lake Tuesday evening. They hadnt seen it before and they couldnt believe it. They kinda think like me also, with the whole raft/boat idea.

Our main objective is to sail from the shore of the lake to the rather large island in the middle. Here, we will set up a tent, get out the Lidl beer and disposable barbecue and just have a laugh for the night. Cant wait.

Macy

I know it's been mentioned before about the safety aspect, but if that's a disused quarry you'd want to be extra careful.... Steep unpredictable drop off's mean it could be very deep very quickly. If it is deep, it'd also be very cold.

jman0

Get an inner-tube from a tractor wheel, they are huge.
Inflate it at any garage with an air hose.
If you are really adventerous you could attempt to make a net for the middle of the tube, creating a "floor" to sit on.

Edit:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1982_March_April/River_Running_Inner_Tubes
(btw that tube looks smaller than what i had in mind)

the_syco

Loobz wrote:

Our main objective is to sail from the shore of the lake to the rather large island in the middle. Here, we will set up a tent, get out the Lidl beer and disposable barbecue and just have a laugh for the night. Cant wait.

Things you need:

A long pole. I see a load of rock faces on the lake (top left), so you'll need something to push yourself away, if there is a current pushing you towards it. If this happens, try to row diagonally away, as it'll be easier (rather than rowing directly into the uncoming waves).

A long rope. Not only good for tieing your boat up, but also in case someone falls overboard. Also, a ring-bouy tied to the end of it is also a good idea.

Lifejacket for everyone, worn at all times when drinking. Seriously. Your on an island, with what looks like fairly steep sides. One slip when "taking a wee in the bushes" too close to the edge, and your f*cked. Also, just in case anyone goes for a "mignight swim", even if they can barely walk.

Baseball bat/big stick. Be prepared to defend yourself if somethjing pops up.

Infomation. Best to ask a local, as well, to ensure no-one lives there. You don't want to bump into a shotgun weilding farmer whilst pissed. Also, they may know a "few good places"/"places to be weary of". Most secluded spots attract couples, and drunken louts in the same ratio. The latter will be unwanted trouble.

A "good" phone. Ensure you have means of call 999 if all else goes to sh|t. Sh|t happens*, and unless you prepared, your f*cked

*Source: Murphys Law.

A very powerful torch. At night time, you won't be able to see 6 inches in front of you, if there is cloud cover. Also handy for looking for the drunks who thought a midnight swim would be a good idea.

=-=

Read "[font=georgia,century]BSA Property Smart[/font]" at http://www.scouting.org/pubs/gss/gss03.html as it contains a few things that you should be aware of.

fjon

jman0 wrote:

Get an inner-tube from a tractor wheel, they are huge.
Inflate it at any garage with an air hose.
If you are really adventerous you could attempt to make a net for the middle of the tube, creating a "floor" to sit on.

Edit:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1982_March_April/River_Running_Inner_Tubes
(btw that tube looks smaller than what i had in mind)

My dad built me a raft when I was younger, and that's exactly what he did. Two or four tractor tubes, tied (with that plastic rope stuff) to a large plywood board. Worked like a dream, and was put together failry easily.

flocker

Hey Loobz,

there is a Raft Race being held in Blackrock (Co. Louth) this Sunday. If l get a chance l'll check out the winning design and let you know......

Loobz

Thanks Flocker,

Keep us posted. If possible, take a few pictures.

Cheers!

30-6shooter

Sure, the island doesnt look that far in. Just throw on a lifejacket and swim to the feckin thing. Attach a rope to a tree on land and tie it the island, it`ll help you on the way back to land if you need a rest, just grab it.

Ps: Watch out for shopping trolleys.

Loobz

Ah id swim it alright, but what Im afraid of is getting the tent, barbecue, beer, food, torch etc wet.

hehe, hope nobody went to the effort of bringin a trolley up there. It would have to be brought up with a van or something.. Suppose if you were a serial shopping trolley maniac, you would manage id say.

Capt'n Midnight

That pic looks like an old quarry. This means deep and probably lots of junk dumped in it so don't even think about swiming unless the water is clear to the bottom.

flocker

Loobz,

a few pictures from the raft race,

the yellow raft was actually 6 plastic drums bolted together. The others were basically polyurathane and polystyrene 8 x 4 x 2 sheets swandwiched between plywood.

Didn't actually see the race these were taken Saturday, during free practice. So l have no idea which design was successful.

Loobz

Thanks Flocker. Looks like the Red Bull Soap box Race entries, cept no wheels!
I appreciate the photos, gives a good idea of what to look for in a raft.

30-6shooter

The rafts in them pics look like complete pieces of sh*it. Why dont you and you mates club together and buy a 2nd hand jet ski and race round the island every wkend.