Field expedient WATER CRAFT?????

P

Plainsman

Joined
Apr 5, 1999
Messages
1,167
Any ideas for this great and untouched topic!?!

I can barely keep from sinking and have a HEALTHY respect for any water that goes above my neck! LOL

Anybody want to give some ideas for people to cross some body of water, especially if swimming isn't a strong point!



------------------
Plainsman :)
primitiveguy@hotmail.com

You use what you have on you, then you improvise! :)
 
If its deep enough to warrant a raft, then better know how to make a solid one!

Anything that can go wrong will as I learned getting my training certificate for canoeing - in March! I can still remember vividly the snowflakes hitting the surface as I came back up..

Jimbo
 
Plainsman,

I can totally sympathize with you. I too am a non-swimmer. To me swimming is, "staying alive in the water!" I would probably avoid crossing water at all costs. If I was really forced to, I guess I would attempt to cross a narrow body of calm water by holding onto a log and kicking (as long as the water wasn't too cold). Otherwise I would try to build some sort of raft.
 
Learning to swim is the best solution since many times you don't have too much time to make something to cross the water. Many times, you end up in water unexpectedly, and you just have to swim or sink.
Other than that, if you carry a rope, you can always rig it to cross a stream or river.
 
Try a "poncho raft." My squad made one in the Army and it works. We took a two ponchos and two rucksacks with a basic load, which is about 35 lbs apiece. Lay out poncho #1 flat and center the rucks on it. Using cordage throught the grommets, pull the cord tight, tie it off and tuck any loose ends in, if any. Your rucks should be barely showing, if at all.

Next take poncho #2 and lay it flat on the ground as well. Take the rucks and flip them over on top of poncho #2. Use cordage through the grommets as with poncho #1. You should be able to turn your "raft" on any side and see no part of the rucksacks inside. After this we tossed it into a creek to test it and it floated. We pushed it under and it bobbed right back up. When we broke our raft down, only one of the rucks and had gotten wet, but no water got inside of it.

I would suggest putting the raft into the water more gently and making sure that the the cordage from the poncho #2 is facing up. That should help keep water from rushing in.

I have never tried just one ruck with one poncho but I don't see why that wouldn't work as well. A strong garbage bag could work in place of the poncho as long as you don't carry alot of pointy/sharp gear on the outside of your ruck.


[This message has been edited by Sgt. Fred (edited 02-10-2000).]
 
For emergencies, especially for non-swimmers, you can improvise
smile.gif
a flotation device from a pair of pants. Tie the leg cuffs shut and "scoop" air into the waist opening by slamming the pants down to and under the water, holding the waist like the opening of a bag. Hmmmmm...clear as mud. Anyway, the legs will inflate and provide a surprising amount of bouyancy. You grip the waist opening shut with your hands and pass an inflated leg under each arm. I was taught that in Boy Scouts years ago and was very surprised that it worked. Actually with this crew's improv skills anything could be used. Space blankets, ponchos, raingear, GARBAGE bags,water carriers (Camelbacks would probably do well), anyway you get the idea. Ever present cordage to tie the "bag" shut and presto!

John
 
As mentioned before...
Go to the nearest YMCA or college and take a class to
learn how to swim!!! Even if you make the
best raft in the world you can run into problems and get dumped into the water. Many
a person has been drowned just in that fashon
Thinking an inner tube or something that
floats will save them from sinking. invariably they get seperated or the aperatus
deflates. Even if the water is only waist or
chest deep there is a possibility of falling
down and having to swim out of it. BTDT.
Learning to swim will keep you calm and give
you abig confidence boost around H20. Less
energy expended. It would always be good
idea to use a log (dry) to help get gear
across especially if it's on the heavy side.
If it's freezing look for a natural or man
made bridge or make one your self if possible. Unless emergency plan ahead.

------------------
http://www.imt.net/~goshawk
Don't walk in tradition just because it feels good!!!!!
Romans 10:9,10
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 91

 
I have to agree with some other posters here, take a class and learn to swim as soon as possible. Having been born in the water, or so my father says, I do not truly understand the fear of water many people naturally have for it. If before you take a class you find yourself stranded in the water, do not panic (easier said than done) and remember the human body will float, and float the best when there is not movement.

Laying face down in the water with your arms extended shoulder high and bent up at the elbow you can float for a long time. A gentle kick with your feet and down push with your hands will push you up enough to get a breath of air. This is called the dead mans float and is taught in most classes. It would of course be best to practice before hand as you will sometimes slip benieth the surface when you come down from a breath before you resurface and settle down again. Do not lay on your back and float as waves can wash over you and enter your nose and mouth if open causing you to panic worse. You can lay like this indefinitly. You will be at a slight angle with your feet and hips lower in the water because of the oxegen in your lungs making your chest more bouyant.

If you are in a raft or boat and have been wetted, remain low in the craft trying to stay out of the wind as much as possible to reduce the cooling and possible hypothermic effects of the wind.


------------------
Lee

LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde

[This message has been edited by MichLee (edited 02-10-2000).]
 
Oh btw...

If you do proceed to build a raft make sure that you build it big enough so as to support your weight without submerging partly under the water, thus giving any innocent passersby the impression that you are walking upon water and that possibly you are under the impression that you are a deity of one form or another. This can hamper your efforts to be rescued because the person will probably do one of 3 things, 1. Not tell you where you are for fear of looking as if they are telling God where to go!. 2. Stay as far away from you as possible. 3. Throw a net over you, take you to an asylum (which does solve your being lost problem) and register you under the name of Jesus (which may seriously interfere with any futre attempts to purchase a handgun).

------------------
Lee

LIfe is too important to be taken seriously. Oscar Wilde

[This message has been edited by MichLee (edited 02-10-2000).]
 
If you're a non-swimmer, become a swimmer. If you're hiking and come across a large body of water that you MUST cross, are E&E'ing or something simular you can build a poncho raft with just your ruck or backpack if you have one. Just make sure you have the inside of your pack waterproofed, ie Army issue water proof bag, extra heavy LAAARGE garbage bags. You can provide extra flotation by stuffing it with shrubbery(sp?). Colapsable water canteens are great too. Of course this technique is not designed for floating across lake Erie. Any field expedients flotation device that you make is just to kkep your head obove water until you get to the other side. use the current to help you float, don't fight it and paddle/ kick until you get to the other side.

Good luck

------------------
Walk softly and carry a big stick. TR
 
Is there such a thing as a NON-SWIMMER?

We can all swim, only some of us do not know it. If you take swimming lessons, you will definitely learn to swim faster and better, but surely you don't need someone to teach you how to float and swim accross a few meters of water!
Have you ever seen an animal that does not "know" how to swim and is in danger of drowning? Are we inferior just because we understand the concept of drowning so we are afraid of it?
 
ACTUALLY, humans are the the only living creature on Earth that are born WITHOUT the ability to swim!!

All humans MUST be taught how to swim. All other animals can do so as soon as they are born.

As to everybody being able to float, NOT!

Now back to the TOPIC! I asked about FIELD EXPEDIENT WATER CRAFT for EVERYBODY'S benefit, not swimming lessons, I guess I'll have to leave extra comments out.

Plainsman

[This message has been edited by Plainsman (edited 02-12-2000).]
 
HM: I like the bull boat idea!
smile.gif
I've seen something similar mentioned before, but forgot all about that one. I wonder how strong that could be made? One could also use some small logs on either side to aid in flotation...

Great idea!
smile.gif


GREAT LINKS HM! Thanks!
biggrin.gif



------------------
Plainsman
smile.gif

primitiveguy@hotmail.com

You use what you have on you, then you improvise!
smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Plainsman (edited 02-10-2000).]
 
To add to what squatch said, I read in the paper about a Marine falling off a carrier in the Gulf that survived for 2-3 days before being rescued by using his pants as a flotation device.

Also to add to the bull boat theme, there is another story of two men using Visqueen (which is a type of plastic) and spruce boughs/driftwood lashed together for a frame crossing from island to island in Alaska's panhandle to safety. Not the open ocean but very daring in such a fragile craft. The point to everyone is always to be creative and improvise.

--------------------------------------

Hope I am not restarting this tangent on your thread Plainsman, but I just had to comment.

To those of you who might think swimming is panacea, when was the last time you tried to swim with all your clothes and gear on? I've done it and it is as much a skill as swimming is. I barely made the 15-20 meters I had to swim with clothes and gear, and that was in a swimming pool with no snags or current and lifeguards close by. Just some more food for thought.

[This message has been edited by Sgt. Fred (edited 02-11-2000).]
 
Plainsman,
I find that most people over look the natural materials smaller than logs to build rafts with. Here using reeds and rivercane is much better than logs. They can be cut much quicker and since they are hollow with air pockets inside they float much higher in the water. I believe lots of tribal people in South America use them for full time boats.
Some weeds and other plants float great also.

I don't especially care for rafts made of ponchos or garbage bags. They are great in theory but always seem to get torn open by a rock or snag. Down in the low country traveling cross country is impossible without crossing rivers so I've got a little practice at it.
 
Originally posted by squatch:
For emergencies, especially for non-swimmers, you can improvise
smile.gif
a flotation device from a pair of pants. Tie the leg cuffs shut and "scoop" air into the waist opening by slamming the pants down to and under the water, holding the waist like the opening of a bag. Hmmmmm...clear as mud. Anyway, the legs will inflate and provide a surprising amount of bouyancy. You grip the waist opening shut with your hands and pass an inflated leg under each arm. I was taught that in Boy Scouts years ago and was very surprised that it worked. Actually with this crew's improv skills anything could be used. Space blankets, ponchos, raingear, GARBAGE bags,water carriers (Camelbacks would probably do well), anyway you get the idea. Ever present cordage to tie the "bag" shut and presto!

John
Click to expand...

Squatch,

Were you in the Navy? When I was in the Navy we had to learn how to do this while treading water. You slip off you bell bottom dungarees, tie a knot in each leg, and swing them over your head from behind your back so that the legs fill with air, and climb on board between the two legs. It works. Tough to do with loose pants but the bell bottom dungarees made things a lot easier.

------------------
Hoodoo

No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Lao Tsu
 
I'm with Plainsman on this one.

'Just learning to swim' is not worth a damn if you have a heavy pack with survival gear and must cross a body of water to assure your rescue or survival.

Might I suggest the book 'Jungle Snafus and Remedies' for real worl info about the number of deaths incurred during military conflicts due to drowning.

Cresson Kearney, the author, and I have had long conversations about this very issue and it's covered extremely well in his book.

If you can't improvise flotation, then it doesn't matter how good of a swimmer you are, unless of course you want to leave your gear behind.

------------------
Randall's Adventure & Training
jeff@jungletraining.com

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top