Log rafting ( with short video )

[Quebecnewf]

Log rafting 2018 - YouTube

Short video showing my boat with a raft of logs ( 150) in tow . Took about 3 hours from the shoreline at the mouth of the river until we had them home at the mill . Nice calm day .




Logs at the shoreline next to mill

Quebecnewf 

[square1]

Can't figure out how to "like" a post using the mobile site so replying to "like" the video & pic.

[69bronco]

Always a pleasure to see your process! Thanks for posting..

[Magicman]

Thank you for the video & picture.  I always enjoy keeping up with your operation.   8)

[sealark37]

It is refreshing and interesting to see how it is done by others.  No worries about loading a trailer, overloading tires, or tearing up fences or lawns.  They do everything a bit different in the Maritime Provinces.  Thanks for posting.  We watch for more.         Regards, Clark

[Percy]

"Eyes the guy what builds the boat
Eyes the guy what sails her
Eyes the guy what catches the fish and takes em home to Lysa"
(Canadian thing ;D)


Really cool. Do you have to wait for the really high tide to get the logs off the beach/rocks? Its amazing how much work/stuff can be moved, just by working with the tides...  

[Just Right]

That is awesome.  

[samandothers]

As others stated,thanks for sharing your work process and methods.  I enjoying watching and seeing how you accomplish your sawing operations.

[Bogue Chitto]

Nice haul. You pull logs on bank or tide went out? 

[thecfarm]

Interesting!! Thank you. 
Are the logs lashed,tied together?

[SawyerTed]

It is refreshing and interesting to see how it is done by others.  No worries about loading a trailer, overloading tires, or tearing up fences or lawns.  They do everything a bit different in the Maritime Provinces.  Thanks for posting.  We watch for more.         Regards, Clark

+1 on what Clark said.  It really is interesting to see!  I'm sure the tow boat, maintenance, capacity etc presents its own set of challenges.

[Bruno of NH]

Great work

[Quebecnewf]

The main thing with towing rafts of logs is the sea condition and working the tides. 

The sequence usually goes as follows.

We enter the mouth of the river where the logs are piled from our cutting last winter when the tides is low but just turned to rise . This is a tricky bit because of the narrow channel at the mouth.

We then roll the logs of the river bank down onto the hard sand of the river edge .

As the logs start to float we tie them in racks of 20 and hitch them to the main line , one rack behind the other. 

This continues until the tide is high and turns to fall .

We then start the tow from the mouth of the river on the falling tide which helps us along as it sweeps out of the bay . 

The tow from the river to the sawmill site usually takes about 3 to four hours at an average speed of 3 knots . 

Once we arrive at the mill site we wait for the tide to finish falling . 

We then move the tow of logs parallel to the shore line . 

Wait for the tide to rise again and then float the logs onto the shore line as you see in the photo on the post . 

We then start to untie and haul up from the shore line with the skidding arch and ATV . 

There are 2 high and 2 low tides every 24 hours approx. One high tide is always higher than the other. These vary each day by a certain amount. Everyday each low and high tide is never at the same time as the day before and most , but not all days the lows and highs vary. 

We use tide charts and local knowledge of this to aid us . For instance if you plan your trip so that when you float your logs ashore at the mill site it is the highest tide in that sequence this means the logs will not be re floated by any following tides for a period of at least a week or so . 

This means , if you've planned correctly , and no storm comes up to make a storm surge your logs will be in no danger of floating away and you can take your time moving them to higher ground.

That being said , if there is any wind you will have to reschedule because you don't want to tow in wind and then your tides might not answer......

Easy see...

Quebecnewf