rafting logs

Quebecnewf · May 11, 2011, 07:10:42 AM

Start of a new thread to document my attempt to raft home to my mill the 400 logs I gathered up over the last 2 winters.

Distance to tow approx 11 miles. Speed I hope to make with logs in tow 2 knots.
Here is a Google pic of the planned route

As you can see some of the route is quite technical and requires working with the tides. Part of the area is dry at high tide so in order to get the logs you must go in with the tide put them in the water and come out on the same tide.

Quebecnewf

thecfarm · May 11, 2011, 07:18:20 AM

Hope you take more pictures for us. Sounds like you know what you are doing.

r.man · May 11, 2011, 07:36:37 AM

No roads in those parts Quebec or are you just feeling historical. Around here the log drives were always in the spring with the runoff pushing everything. Lots of small creeks, ponds and rivers still have stone piles and underwater timber leftovers from dams that held the water back to flood low areas to make the drive possible.

isawlogs · May 11, 2011, 07:54:32 AM

r.man,
No roads on shore over his way. Travelling is done by boat or air when the ice is out.

LOGDOG · May 11, 2011, 09:03:36 AM

Looking forward to pictures of the trip.

Magicman · May 13, 2011, 09:30:46 AM

I'm glad that you took the time to detail the route. It is not as I had visualized.

bandmiller2 · May 13, 2011, 08:50:51 PM

What are you planning to use for a tow boat?Is rafting still commonly done in your area? Frank C.

weisyboy · May 13, 2011, 10:47:46 PM

are the logs worth the time and effort, seams like a lot of trouble to go to for some logs.

but still very interesting, iv only ever seen logs rafted down a river with the current.

beenthere · May 14, 2011, 12:02:06 AM

weisy
Seems if he wants logs, he has to go to the trouble of getting them. Otherwise, he goes without logs and lumber.

So...I'd guess it is worth it to quebecnewf.

Ianab · May 14, 2011, 03:50:01 AM

Probably still cheaper than putting them on a truck and driving them 50 miles, especially if there is no road. ;)

Lash them together to make a raft, hook on a tow rope and start towing.

Piston · May 14, 2011, 04:47:38 AM

Trip sounds like it would be a lot of fun and an adventurous experience. Looking forward to the pics, also interested in the tow boat. ;D

SwampDonkey · May 14, 2011, 05:56:25 AM

Weisyboy, it's the only way to get logs to lumber up there unless you want to pay a fortune to boat the lumber up from the nearest town with a road into it. It's a very remote area. The Island is pretty much barren with shrub-like trees.

Quebecnewf · May 14, 2011, 06:26:21 PM

Here is the tow boat. It has a 120 horse JD diesel. 400 logs will be as much as I can tow I would think. I will work the tides. Logs will be in racks of 20 logs attached to a main line . We will come out with the falling tide which will bring us out of the bay at 3 or 4 knots. Coming across the bay will hope to get 2 knots. We will have to wait for good weather any wind and you will lose the tow. I know this because it has happened to me before.

Quebecnewf

PC-Urban-Sawyer · May 14, 2011, 07:42:47 PM

Quebecnewf,

My father-in-law (God rest his soul) would have said "L'rd Tund'rn Jezaz Bye, that's a wee bo't for such a grand haul..." And then he'd have taken another pull on the bottle of Screech.

Good Luck. Wishing you fair winds and following seas.

Be Careful!

Herb

logwalker · May 14, 2011, 11:13:03 PM

Didn't you used to sled those over the ice? How big is the prop on that boat?

Joe

Quebecnewf · May 15, 2011, 04:45:25 PM

We do haul logs on the ice but this year we were busy cutting my father's firewood and hauling that home. We did haul home around 100. Gas is 1.89 a liter here now so we will try to move them by boat. I can bring 400 logs home with the boat with about 10 gal of diesel. If things go as planned

The prop on the boat is about 20" 3 blade.

Quebecnewf

sgschwend · May 15, 2011, 11:27:50 PM

I would recommend setting up a small tow and going through the process with a tow you would consider easy.

I haven't towed logs before but I have towed docks about 100' long. They towed hard, I couldn't obtain 2 knots with 250 hp. I think what you will find is that a big prop matters too, not just horse power.

Should be fun. Let us know how it goes.

Quebecnewf · May 16, 2011, 06:24:04 PM

I have towed around 380 logs from about the same location a few years ago with no problem. Slow but steady. I also towed 200 logs from agreater distance to the west and they were all big spruce also with no problem. The west tow also involved crossing the mouth of a river. Total distance towed about 17 miles total towing time about 7 hours. It was a flat calm day so that helped.

Quebecnewf

Mooseherder · May 16, 2011, 06:34:02 PM

Bring the video.

;)

Jeff · May 16, 2011, 08:59:51 PM

Yea, we need a new favorite video from you, but it'll be pretty hard to beat this one you posted awhile back. ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGhfWrqLbEo&feature=player_embedded

customsawyer · May 16, 2011, 09:18:07 PM

I hope he drives boats better. ;D

Quebecnewf · May 16, 2011, 09:26:21 PM

Yes that was pretty wild. My good friend had an even closer call this winter. He took his camera back and set himself up and took apic of the final result. I will look for it and add it

Quebecnewf

Quebecnewf · May 16, 2011, 09:35:02 PM

Here is the pic he took of the close call. He fell a birch ( the one across his back ) as it fell he saw it was going strike this broken fir and pendulum on him . He dove to the side the birch took him in the back and crushed him to the ground . If he had dove 6 inches further ahead you can see what would have happened. As it was he was just badly shaken up.

Quebecnewf