Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Walking the Plank

Our cabin floats away from shore on all sides. Steel cables 3/4" thick hold it in place on two sides, and a large log called a "stiff leg" keeps it away from the rock cliff. This allows the cabin to float in place and withstand heavy wind storms.

To get to shore, we have a gangplank to a transition float. This small secondary float supports our bridge to the adjacent rock wall. But when the wind blows, or speeding boats create wakes, the gangplank often falls into the watery gap. Now that I'm going to the cabin more on my own (Wayne and I are taking turns in Bellingham with Mom), I need to be able to raise the plank on my own.

Brainstorming has included everything up to an elaborate drawbridge, but I came up with a simple idea while stuck on the cabin float last month. A strong rope long in the middle of the plank will give me the leverage I need to get it up on the deck. Wayne came up with the other half of the solution. He tied the other end of the plank on the transition float. That way the cabin end might drop into the lake, but the other will remain in position on the transition float. This solution shows that two minds are always better than one. -- Margy

p.s. Doesn't Wayne's new redwood deck stain look nice?

4 comments:

  1. Yes it does. I love your float cabin. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. The deck stain looks gorgeous, Margy.
    I don't 100% understand the workings of moving the plank, but I've just realized something awful. I can't visit you up at the lake because I'm too clumsy to walk along that plank.
    Curses, foiled again!
    — K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

    ReplyDelete
  3. The 1st photo is such a nice composition too.
    I like the stain very much and you two are such clever engineering minds.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks Tracy and Tash.

    Kay - To enjoy the cabin you don't have to walk the plank. When Mom comes up the lake (at least when she used to) she got out of the boat and stayed on the cabin deck. The gangplank takes you to shore.

    Margy

    ReplyDelete

We welcome your comments and questions. - Wayne and Margy