Float Cabin Steel Anchor Cable Repair

Living in a float cabin is wonderful. Each day brings a new experience, some good, some not so good.

Pulling the broken cable and tires from the water.

While we were away, a strong November wind storm broke two of our cabin's 3/4" steel anchor cables to shore. One was a back-up cable, but the other was a critical link with tires in the middle used to dampen the cabin's movement during heavy storms.

The anchor cable broke at the cliffside connection point.

Cables rust over time and wear, especially at connection points. In this case, the cliff end of the cable separated.

The rusted cable attached to the tire "shock absorber."

Wayne and John hauled the broken cable and its steel belted tires up onto the cabin deck for repairs.  That took a lot of muscle and a well positioned pipe pole.

Grinding through the damaged cable.

The only way to remove the damaged cable was to grind if off. Then a new cable was wrapped around the tires and attached with heavy-duty cable clamps.

Wrapping the new replacement cable around the tires.

The next step was to lower the tires down to lake level.

Lowering the tires down to rest on float logs.

The tires rested on two float logs while John and Wayne used the tin boat to take the cable out to the cliffside anchor point.

The repaired cable and tires ready for reconnection.

When the connection was complete, John pull the tires back into the water so they could help our float cabin ride out the next windy storm.

Here is a video of the tire shock absorber in action.

You can see why it's a critical part of our anchoring system. -- Margy