My 10' x 8' (overall) float uses 6 plastic barrels, 3 each spaced
inside 2 pipes made of 11 degree chamfered 1x6"x5' rough sawn #2
cedar. 13 boards in circumference, plus one more ripped down to about
3" wide to space pipe and barrels snug. Probably could get away with 4
barrels total, but then might need to use full pipe length boards
instead of staggering the 5' boards. They were cheap. The height in
the water is good for a 14' powerboat and a 29' sailboat. It is
stable.

Each pipe is held together with steel banding and includes gaps in the
boards for ladders, stowage, pet fish, spacer 2 x 4s, etc.

The 2 pipes are harnessed in figure 8 chains. The chains will soon be
held snug to the pipes with fence wire braces and threaded rod
tensioners, or possibly a few short staples. Fence wire braces corner
to corner will be added to stabilize pipes fore and aft.

The decks are 5' x 5'. 2 layers of the same 5' cedar, criss crossed,
nailed and clenched, with eye bolts at each corner.

The dock is held (pushed) offshore by an old lightning chewed aluminum
mast chained to a rock. The gangway is "T" sectioned, nailed up from 1
x 5s and a 1 x 4, with cross pieces at the ends.

The dock has been left out in the snow and ice, only floated up in
high water in the fall and floated down in the spring freshet. It is
being neglected to destruction. So far, 3 years and no signs of
failure. I expect the standard banding to rust out sometime in the
next 5 years. Rebanding the raft pipes will take about an hour,
provided I get it done before it all suddenly and completely
disintegrates. I may use stainless banding this time.

It was cheap, easy and fun to assemble. Can be muscled around myself,
if moved in pieces. It looks great!

I thought I sent this posting two weeks ago?

Terry K

On Jul 4, 11:48 am, Terry K wrote:
My 10' x 8' (overall) float uses 6 plastic barrels, 3 each spaced
inside 2 pipes made of 11 degree chamfered 1x6"x5' rough sawn #2
cedar. 13 boards in circumference, plus one more ripped down to about
3" wide to space pipe and barrels snug. Probably could get away with 4
barrels total, but then might need to use full pipe length boards
instead of staggering the 5' boards. They were cheap. The height in
the water is good for a 14' powerboat and a 29' sailboat. It is
stable.

Each pipe is held together with steel banding and includes gaps in the
boards for ladders, stowage, pet fish, spacer 2 x 4s, etc.

The 2 pipes are harnessed in figure 8 chains. The chains will soon be
held snug to the pipes with fence wire braces and threaded rod
tensioners, or possibly a few short staples. Fence wire braces corner
to corner will be added to stabilize pipes fore and aft.

The decks are 5' x 5'. 2 layers of the same 5' cedar, criss crossed,
nailed and clenched, with eye bolts at each corner.

The dock is held (pushed) offshore by an old lightning chewed aluminum
mast chained to a rock. The gangway is "T" sectioned, nailed up from 1
x 5s and a 1 x 4, with cross pieces at the ends.

The dock has been left out in the snow and ice, only floated up in
high water in the fall and floated down in the spring freshet. It is
being neglected to destruction. So far, 3 years and no signs of
failure. I expect the standard banding to rust out sometime in the
next 5 years. Rebanding the raft pipes will take about an hour,
provided I get it done before it all suddenly and completely
disintegrates. I may use stainless banding this time.

It was cheap, easy and fun to assemble. Can be muscled around myself,
if moved in pieces. It looks great!

I thought I sent this posting two weeks ago?

Terry K



sorry to ride a post.

only thing i would warn is make sure the barrels are not locked into
the dock.
if one gets a crack or hole in it its going to cause problems unless
it can fall out.
if it cant it will pull its section down as it fills with water.

Now this sounds like serious nonsense: Does the water entering the
barrel get heavier than the outside water, once it is inside?
Or was this the best a seven foot troll could do? Then try fuel filter
topics for the best results!


only thing i would warn is make sure the barrels are not locked into
the dock.
if one gets a crack or hole in it its going to cause problems unless
it can fall out.
if it cant it will pull its section down as it fills with water.

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:43:00 -0700, Chris_MdR wrote:


Now this sounds like serious nonsense: Does the water entering the
barrel get heavier than the outside water, once it is inside?
Or was this the best a seven foot troll could do? Then try fuel filter
topics for the best results!


only thing i would warn is make sure the barrels are not locked into
the dock.
if one gets a crack or hole in it its going to cause problems unless
it can fall out.
if it cant it will pull its section down as it fills with water.

naa im too dumb for that and i like to have dry feet.
fuel filters who needs fuel filters; a roll of papertowels and your all
set.

I will not respond to this stupid weft.

Pictures and plans on request.

Terry K

I found some floating dock options online and it looks like there are some professional options vs. Just using barrels. Look at www.cubedocks.com

On Wednesday, January 1, 2014 3:08:04 AM UTC-6, wrote:
I found some floating dock options online and it looks like there are some professional options vs. Just using barrels. Look at www.cubedocks.com

That's a pretty interesting website. I wonder how'd plastic barrels would do to make a cheap pontoon boat?