Field expedient WATER CRAFT?????

Two points here, both learned by swimming experiences in lakes and rivers (having parted company from my Old Town canoe); heavy objects like canoes filled with water or large logs (already mentioned) make terrible flotation in moving water. They have a habit of getting up-stream of the swimmer and then pinning you to a rock, tree or whatever and giving you your first and last lesson in the awesome power of water.
Secondly packs and gear full of precious survival gear are not worth drowning for, kind of defeats the object IMHO, and it's amazing how things snag up or get washed up a little further down the shore or riverbank (I prefer looking for barrels and Bergens rather than people)

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"I'm arm'd with more than complete steel - The justice of my quarrel." Christopher Marlowe
 
Two points here, both learned by swimming experiences in lakes and rivers (having parted company from my Old Town canoe); heavy objects like canoes filled with water or large logs (already mentioned) make terrible flotation in moving water. They have a habit of getting up-stream of the swimmer and then pinning you to a rock, tree or whatever and giving you your first and last lesson in the awesome power of water.
Secondly packs and gear full of precious survival gear are not worth drowning for, kind of defeats the object IMHO, and it's amazing how things snag up or get washed up a little further down the shore or riverbank (I prefer looking for barrels and Bergens rather than people)

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"I'm arm'd with more than complete steel - The justice of my quarrel." Christopher Marlowe
 
For quick and dirty transportation I would make a two-log raft. Get two logs about 4 feet long each. Connect the logs together with a couple smaller pieces of wood about 3 feet long. Basically make an open rectangular structure that has heavy logs on two sides connected by poles across the other two sides. You can lash the poles together with any cloth, string, rope, fibre, etc. The proper spacing between the logs is such that you can fit between them with your arms over them.

For short travel you use this structure much like an inner tube. You get in the middle with your legs in the water and propel yourself by kicking with your feet. If you need to support yourself even if you are asleep you will need to further bridge the gap between the logs. Cloth would work well. You can also attach a couple more cross poles across the bottom of the structure. If you need to stay dry you should make a full raft.
 
Hi,
in the army we were taught to make a poncho floating device which was used to get your gear dry across the water. We still had to swim (can get cold). We would spread a poncho or a tarp on the ground, put our ruck and gear and the clothes in the center. Then we would fold it rectangular to a package, stuff it with grass, leaves etc. put the weapon ON TOP, attach a empty canteen with paracord or similar so as to have a buoy(sp?) if the floating device ever should sink, and then would cross the river or lake.
My two pfennigs worth..
 
I also have used a poncho raft! A really good poncho (preferably GI issue old style rubberized!) and poncho liner are really versatile! They will provide you with shelter and a roof over your head. With them you can be pretty comfortable down to about 30 degrees!
I swam the Chagris river in Panama with a poncho raft! Nothing got wet at all!
 
Plainsman :

ACTUALLY, humans are the the only living creature on Earth that are born WITHOUT the ability to swim!!
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When born human babies will naturally walk if supported. This however is rarely if ever practiced and so it never develops. As for swimming, not all animals can do it for the same reason not all people can. I have had moronic friends drown their dogs as they assumed they could swim and just threw it in to "get it used to the water". Dogs like humans can be afraid and drown.

Fred :

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?
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All the time when I was younger. No backpack but fully clothed. It is more difficult of course but far from impossible. One very incorrect idea is that your clothes will make you sink. They actually do very little of this, they make it harder to move but that is not the same thing. Most swimming courses offer advanced classes in which you have to do this sort of thing.

-Cliff
 
When appropriate, we show folks how to make Turkish "canoes" with the material in the Maxi kit and willow stays. We also show how to use trash bags as quickie rafts or flotation devices. A good 4mil "contractors" trash bag will easily float several hundred pounds.

Last year, just for Sh*ts and giggles I made a raft from a trash bag and floated the Middle Fork of the Payette.... trailing a six pack. The only problem was it was a zero pack when I got back to the cars 4 hours later
smile.gif


Ron

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