Log Raft

[corndog-44]

How many here have made their own log raft?

Making a log raft is hard work and takes some time. My first log raft took me about 8 hours and then it didn't hold up in the creek for long. Then when it's built and done it's job it has to be taken to pieces again. How hard can that be?

[trax]

A bunch of older guys that I grew up with sort of (they wouldn't usually let me hang around with them) used to go out to this small lake we all hung out at and we'd cut logs and lash them together, etc. It would take the better part of the day, but we'd wind up with a raft that we could pole across the lake that would hold 6 to 8 kids and it was a nice gentle lake

[Sarge47]

How many here have made their own log raft?

Making a log raft is hard work and takes some time. My first log raft took me about 8 hours and then it didn't hold up in the creek for long. Then when it's built and done it's job it has to be taken to pieces again. How hard can that be?

Never did, but always wanted to. Remember what I wrote on anther Thread about the Mark Twain novels?

[RobertRogers]

Yes, I have tried and its difficult - maybe not a skill you can just take from a book and use when you suddenly need it.

I know it can be done, the starving Robert Rogers of the famed Rogers Rangers made a raft and floated down the Connecticut River after his raid on the Saint Francis Indians in 1759.

[Baxter]

i'd like to try one day, but i'm not really around any lakes when i go out in the bush... must find new location with lake...or a big deep pond.....maybe a large puddle.... bathtub?

[FVR]

Never made a log raft, but when I was young and stupid, up on the Delaware, we would ride iceburgs for short distances. They would bump into others and we would just hop from one to another.

Looking back, one slip, and I would not be here typing this.

Later in life we would take my duckboat kayak out on the river, dodging iceburgs and hunt ducks.

Freak'n amazing I'm still here.

[trax]

i'd like to try one day, but i'm not really around any lakes when i go out in the bush... must find new location with lake...or a big deep pond.....maybe a large puddle.... bathtub?

Where you located Baxter?

[Baxter]

i live in brampton ontario, i usually go up north around barrie/lake simcoe area to practice. and if i travel a little further north and i'd bump into wareagle

[MCBushbaby]

The proper way to make a log raft is to align your large logs parallel to each other for the length of the craft you wish to make. I wouldn't extend too far beyond twice that of the log length (making a long, narrow raft) but with outriggers it would work. Then lay some long, smaller-diameter logs perpendicular and on top of the logs you just laid. You'll want to take your cordage and "twist-wrap*" the large logs on the bottom. Do this in the middle as well as the two ends. This will keep them from moving away from each other.

Now you'll want to strengthen the base so it doesn't feel like walking on a bog. Tie the long, perpendicular logs to the log base already tied. I generally do a spiraling wrapping motion the length of the support log. Each twist will circumnavigate the support log, reach between two logs in the base, and encircle each log of the base at least once until you reach the other end of the support log. Kind of like tying two fingers together with string, but with many fingers 90 degrees from a single. NOTE: It doesn't have to be a log, per sey, but a long straight stick of wrist-diameter would work fine.

Now your raft is rigid. Depending on how tightly you made the weaves, it should be rigid enough to gently flip the raft without any damage or disfigurement. This is what you'll want to do anyways as the support log should be on the bottom and the flat base on the top.

At least this is how I was taught. Other styles are out there as well.


EDIT: Alternatively, I found this on a google search trying to find a picture of the wraps I was describing: http://www.bobdenver.com/On_the_Radi...ld_a_raft.html
This design requires more cutting and shaping, but saves you a ton of cordage.

*twist wrap - basically, take your cordage around the outermost log and wrap it once in cordage, give the cord a half-twist and do the same on the adjacent log. Continue this until you get to the final log and tie off.

[trax]

those were excellent instructions mitch.

[trax]

i live in brampton ontario, i usually go up north around barrie/lake simcoe area to practice. and if i travel a little further north and i'd bump into wareagle

Carefule you don't bump too hard, he'll get Norm to bump you back. You're in a great place to practice wilderness skills. A lot of what I read from our southern neighbors really makes me grateful for the huge wilderness areas that are still available to us in most areas of Canuckistan.

[marberry]

i tried making a birch bark canoe once , took bout 10 hours and i had to cheat (use modern sealants) worked fairly good after i fixed all the leaks but only survived about 10 minutes on the actual river. far to much work in my opinion but some people really enjoy making rafts / canoes so spending 10 hours wouldnt rly be a problem for them.

[Beo]

Log Raft
You can make a raft using any dry, dead, standing trees for logs. However, spruce trees found in polar and subpolar regions make the best rafts. A simple method for making a raft is to use pressure bars lashed securely at each end of the raft to hold the logs together.
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Taken from this site, yeah the site your on.

[Two Rivers]

Another good method if you dont have cordage or time to make it, and you DO have a hatchet or pack ax is to cut 2 , 4 to 6 inch diam. green saplings to length and hew both sides of each to a wedge shape. The dead raft logs can then be notched. Notches being wider at the bottom about the same size as the saplings. These wedged saplings can then be pushed or tapped through the notches. This creates a dovetail joint that is very strong. Since the saplings are green they wont swell much where as te raft logs after a while will swell to tighten the joint even more making the raft even stronger with time.Takes no more time to build as a lashed raft and will be much stronger. You may still lash these at either side if you have some cordage if you wish for another measure of safety.