What an enthusiastic group of builders we have this week!
We jumped straight into tool training and some group agreements after a beautiful walk on the Noquemanon trail. During the tool training, we repaired a sawhorse and assembled two new ones. We also disassembled a few leftover projects from previous weeks including a slide, a pirate ship and an anchor box.
After tool training and snack, the week's project was revealed. The challenge was to build a raft that could carry everyone from the put-in on the Dead River to the rope swing further upstream (approximately 1/2 mile.) There will be several challenges involved including moving the raft from the warehouse to the put in, as well as figuring out how to propel the boat through the water. We headed out on a short field trip to scout the put in and route we would travel to the rope swing.
Along the way we found this beautiful garter snake.
....then we were back to the workshop to start sketching out ideas.
We used milk crates to lay out the size and shape of the raft's deck.
After lunch, a swim and many deliberations, we finally came to consensus. It was decided that we would build a rectangular raft with floats in each corner. It would be powered by a water wheel located in the center of the raft.
Three work teams were assembled: a waterwheel team, a deck framing team, and a materials scavenging team.
An old speed boat proved useful for scavenging useful parts to tie off ropes and secure an anchor. An old bottle of Hawaiian Tropic suntan lotion, as well as a bottle of Country Time lemonnade from 1999 was found. "Wow, That's OLD!" gasped many surprised young builders.
Tomorrow, our creation takes shape!