Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Enlarging our Log Boom

The log boom before.
Over the last two years we’ve undertaken several major projects to improve the quality and safety of our float cabin.

Our most recent improvement project was to add more logs to the protective log boom on the south side of our cabin. This boom protects us from wind waves and wakes from passing boats.

Swells break on their outer surface, calming the water that enters the area next to our cabin.

Moving the logs with our tin boat.
When we bought our cabin, the boom was only two logs deep. Over time, we added a new log here and there.

But this fall, we added two complete rows. Now we have a substantial barrier to make our floating home safer.


A local logging company was selling old boom logs that had been used to corral and move logs on the ocean.

John poling the logs into place on the boom.

When they were no longer useful for that purpose, the retired logs were dragged up on shore where they dried out and became more buoyant.

Wayne and John chaining the logs together.
We went together with another cabin owner to purchase and share the logs.

Our good friend John helped us with the installation.

Each log was towed into place and attached with chain to the neighbouring log. The result was a boom of logs linked together both lengthwise and crosswise. That way they float as a unified group.

John and Mike secure the anchor to the boom with heavy rope.
The last step was to drop an anchor to hold the logs away from the cabin. Our barge and our good friends John and Mike came in handy for that step.


The log boom after, more substantial and safer.
Now when the wind blows, or the boats roar, we can float a little easier in our cabin up the lake. -- Margy

18 comments:

  1. I used to love log booms. For some reason they seem to be filed in the permanent-memories of my brain, not in pictures but in flashes of happiness.
    It's always fascinating to read about the evolution of your home on the water. I wish I hadn't missed so many posts, yours and everyone else's, due to health problems that robbed me of interest. But I'm back now, almost normal, except I'm easily flustered, and forget things easily.
    However, I hope to keep up with you and others on Our World Tuesday.
    All the best,
    K

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are a signature item of the coast for sure. - Margy

      Delete
  2. I am amazed with the beauty. So wish I could visit! You are amazing people!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We're just an airplane ride away. - Margy

      Delete
  3. Friends with a cabin up near Second Narrows have had Red-throated Loons nesting on their boom the last several years - maybe you'll get lucky too!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was think that when a female climbed up on our front log boom and rested there for a while. Was the Red-throated Loon up at Rod's cabin? - Margy

      Delete
  4. I did not know about booms. Interesting post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are used as protective barriers around floating cabins, and are also used to contain cut timber to transport them on the lakes and ocean. - Margy

      Delete
  5. Wow! I thougt it was photos of log driving, but this is something else!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are used for both purposes. Ours is more like a floating breakwater. - Margy

      Delete
  6. Very interesting to see the new additions to your log boom. I wonder how much your cabin rocks on the water - during big storms I mean.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There isn't much of an up and down motion. In the beginning we jerked back and forth in the wind quite a bit, but after two cables broke in a very strong storm, our friend John replaced them with tires in the middle as shock absorbers. That has mad a huge different in bad storms. Dropping the anchor on the side will help a lot to keep the logs away from our boats tied to the side of the cabin deck. - Margy

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the extra info - very interesting!

      Delete
  7. Very interesting project.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We got it done just in time for winter storms. - Margy

      Delete
  8. You live in a fabulous place. Glad to hear you will be safer in storms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wind is our only enemy. Rain and rising lake levels are no problem. - Margy

      Delete
  9. Great idea using the old boom logs to add to the safety of your cabin,

    ReplyDelete

We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy