Advice on Raft/barge/ferry from lumberyard material for occasional 6 mile trip

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Randall Brower, Apr 27, 2020.

  1. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Randall,

    Thanks for your response.
    More information is revealing itself.

    It sounds like you might be getting frustrated.

    Originally you said hydrodynamics didn't matter.
    I would think it hugely important with a 4 - 7 knot river flow.
    But you are primarily empty upstream, loaded downstream.
    Good to know.

    It would appear using logs is not an option for you.

    RB: "I need help with how wide, how long and how deep should the 4'x8' floats be (12" 16" 24")."
    I don't understand this question. How many floats?

    RB: "If the concern is stability loading, offloading and while on the water, should I go with 12" floats under the entire structure or deeper ones in catamaran style or all the way around?"
    I would suggest catamaran style but that too depends.

    RB: "Which design is easier to push the 6 miles up the Yukon against 5 to 8 mph current? It will pretty much always be unloaded going upstream, loaded floating back to the village. How much resistance will there be with the square floats?"
    That depends what speed you want going upstream.

    "Would it be worth the considerable cost and time to build a false hull just to make it slip through the water more easily or could I just do a curved bow upfront to break the water?"
    Probably not.

    What have you been doing for transport up until now?

    I don't know your layout, the bulldozer sounds a bit useless due to location and terrain.

    I am stumped (no pun intended).
    A one day build it is not and a landing barge is too expensive.
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
  2. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    Built in one day?
    Not.
     
  3. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    So you have a sawmill available to you.
    This is making less sense all the time.

    What is the budget?
    And what is the time budget, one day?
     
  4. BlueBell
    Joined: May 2017
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    Location: Victoria BC Canada

    BlueBell . . . _ _ _ . . . _ _ _

    From your pictures, I'm guessing no one is moving trucks up or down the river where you are.
    There may be a reason for that.
     
  5. DogCavalry
    Joined: Sep 2019
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    Location: Vancouver bc

    DogCavalry Senior Member

    Randall, you can have what you want, with the classic caveats, quick, easy, or cheap. Pick 1.
    I'd suggest you get a decent design; there's folk on here can do a reasonable design just for fun.
    Build it yourself. Do a proper job. Forget 1 day, because that's not possible even with a log raft. More likely a few weeks. Preserve the hell out of, and keep and use it for a decade, so the time investment doesn't sting so bad.

    Or do the same but pay someone like me to build it for you.

    As far as pushing it upstream, 8 mph is a pretty respectable top speed for a heavy displacement boat, which this certainly is, so hydrodynamics is very important.

    The TL: DR is, you can have it, cheap, but not quick or easy.
     
  6. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Why take the vehicle to a location with no road? Seems having the vessel adequate to carry the vehicle's cargo would be the simple solution. An atv at the house could transfer the cargo from the boat to the house.
     
  7. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Next question: Can you safely keep the truck at the road 6 miles upstream or is there too much mischief?
     
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
  8. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Are you upstream or downstream from Tanana and are you on the same or opposite bank? Thinking of shore power.
     
  9. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Also, the lower the COG, the less width needed. Keep the length for buoyancy and streamlining.
     
  10. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    I still wouldn't go under 15' beam with vehicle aboard.
     
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  11. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    What sort of large cargo is it, if I may ask? Can it get wet? Must it be kept dry? Can it be moved with a flotation collar towed by a jonboat?
     
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  12. hoytedow
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    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

    Silly questions maybe but I am trying to help
     
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  13. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
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    gonzo Senior Member

    Lowes is not a good supplier of boatbuilding materials for the proposed service. The OP is hung up on buying from a supplier rather than focusing on a solution to the problem.
    Solution 1: Guard the raft and prevent natives from burning it. Cheapest and simpler
    Solution 2: Write an SOR that does not have a particular lumber store as a constraint. Follow the different solutions to the requirements and then make a decision on design and materials.
    In my opinion, if logs are not to be used, a steel barge is the best option. Steel is tough and relatively cheap. It can also be easily repaired in the field.
     
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  14. Rumars
    Joined: Mar 2013
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    Rumars Senior Member

    The only thing more hilarious then the one day build is imagining a wooden frame with styrofoam dock floats and a big vehicle on top going safely down a fast flowing river.

    Now seriosuly, the wood is free, the sawmill and bulldozer is available, all that is lacking is a bucket of HDG screws, a few gallons of 5200 and ellbow grease.
     
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  15. DogCavalry
    Joined: Sep 2019
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    DogCavalry Senior Member

    I'd get a pallet of PL premium, but I'm funny that way. But what is 5200?

    Right. Definitely PL. 5200 costs 4 times as much.
     
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