Skin on Frame Raft

[djwkd]

Just to tell you about my newest project.

OK, so in the back yard i have an old wicker shelf that is pretty big. What im thinking of doing is covering it with tarp and filling it with floatation. Then, on the top i will add a wooden deck. Doing this gives me 944lbs buoyancy without factoring in the weight of the bottles, or between 609lbs and 761lbs with factoring in the weight of them (between 40lbs - 50lbs per sqr foot), which is more than my previous idea.

The name of this glorious craft will be "The Bottle Basket"

The site for this is here------------------------------------------------------
http://raftbuilders.webs.com/thebottlebasket.htm

[gonzo]

What kind of floatation? And anyway, why are you building such a contraption, is it to join the raft club?

[djwkd]

No, gonzo. I am building it because i want to build a raft. No other reason. (Actually, also because i dont have the time/resources/money to build an actual proper boat, and i am amazed by rafts.)
Type of floatation - Bottles, polystyrene, anything i can get my hands on.

[marshmat]

Sounds almost as 'redneck' as the "pontoon boat out of 55gal drums" that comes up every few months, djwkd. You'll be laughed at by the guys in proper teak-trimmed $500k yachts.

But it sounds like it will work, and it sounds like you'll have fun with it. So I say, give it a try!

[djwkd]

thanks for the advice :)
The frame and all the stuff on it is finished, im just waiting on collecting bottles until the hull is full. This could take another couple months yet.
But, yeah, thanks for the advice! :)

[djwkd]

Almost finished filling with bottles. Considering filling with two part foam afterwards. I understand that, with the 2 part foam, it will be very difficult to replace bottles that have taken on water or been crumpled (by the pressure of water) - so i need to know - will this be worth my while?
I understand that, when surrounded in foam, very few would take on water, but is the latter still a concern?

Thanks again, Dom.

[djwkd]

I have decided also to add one or two outriggers that fold in by means of a weird...rig...thing...(Will post a pic below).

These are made of milk bottles glued to a flat piece of wood (eg. plywood).
They will be 42" long (4 bottles) each, and should provide about 210lbs of buoyancy, 420 for the two. That's about 50%, right?

Anyway, i know outriggers are supposed to be something like 160%, but these aren't :).
Will they be OK?

http://raftbuilders.webs.com/photos/outrigger%20sketch.jpeg

[djwkd]

Have also now found out what the draft will be with just me - between 1.15 and 2.4 inches. Is this a good draft? Or is it too shallow/too deep?


EDIT: This is JUST for my weight, not the weight of the boat. I've just thought then, that this is probably inaccurate, as the boat on it's own must, logically draw some kind of draft?
Can anyone help me here?

[djwkd]

Ok, it's done now. And I had to skip out the outriggers, because, in practice, I couldn't attach them in a way that would make them adjustable. Will post photos on the site soon.

[jonr]

You could simplify and get rid of the wicker. That would be a highly compartmentalized inflatable raft. Then go further and tie all the bottles together and get rid of the tarp. Not sure what to call that.

[djwkd]

A floatilla? Too late, now, anyway. All finished :)