Building A Raft

If you have a lot of supplies and equipment to transport across a river or if you want to travel downstream, but you don’t have a boat. A makeshift raft is the simplest way to go. The traditional materials used for raft building are logs, but you can use anything that floats or. Other materials like bamboo or tall grass can be used as well. The basic principle of construction is to make as little cuts as possible with what ever materials you're using. The point of a raft is to floats; If there isn't enough substance, or too many holes, your raft won't float. Making less cuts will also make the raft more stable when floating in the water. A makeshift raft should not be used on rivers with rapids. Rapids may break and tear up the raft or yourself. 

Know its time to build the raft. Making a raft is hard work and will take time. If you choose to build your raft out of logs, it’s best to cut down young trees. Smaller trees aren't heavy and are easy to find. This way you can accurately position and handle the logs without starving yourself. To make a stable raft, you need about twenty, eight foot logs, and they should be roughly four to six inches thick. You also need a large amounts of twine (rope) as well. If you don’t have enough twine, weaving vines, tall grasses, or even fabrics together will work as an improved rope.

Once the appropriate materials are collected, its time to build the raft. In an open area place four logs in a box shape, on the ground. Here you can lash the corners together by using the square lash, pictured below.

When this is accomplished, lay enough logs on the frame to fill the large square hole. (Note: you should lay the logs parallel with the logs already on top). To secure these logs to the raft we will tie two presser bars on top. This is done by tying one log to the frame, sandwiching the placed logs together, pictured below.

Know you can take your new raft for a test float and fix or tighten any problems if necessary.

In many wilderness areas, overgrown vegetation, animals, and rocky terrain make rivers, lakes, and oceans hard to travel on. With countless unseen dangers below the surface, keep in mind traveling on water is extremely dangerous, especially when using an improved raft. To assure your safety, insure your raft is stable and know the water you're traveling on. Extra materials like paddles and PFD's (Personal Flotation Device - Life Jacket) are necessary materials to have. Regardless how well you can swim, always wear some form of life jacket. A long sticks works well to steer the raft like a gondola. Finally, you should never venture on to water unless you're experienced or have no other option. It might sound silly, but this could be the difference between life and death. Stay tuned and remember to always be prepared.

Thank you, and please leave a comment, suggestion, or question down below.



Pictures:
http://www.survivalebooks.com/fig17-07.gif
http://www.bsatroop780.org/skills/files/Lashing.pdf