The cabin floats on large logs tethered together with steel cables, something like a raft, the float is then held in place with steel cables running from the float to shore. Over time the logs get waterlogged and to help the cabin stay afloat barrels are placed under the float. The barrels are filled with water, then sunk, then the water is pumped out and the barrels are filled with air. One barrel gives about 500 lbs worth of flotation...all the wrong terms I know but hey...I'm just there for the fun....
Over time the barrels loose air and once a year or so the barrels have to be topped up with air, for this a professional diver is needed. And this is where our customer comes into the picture. While talking to our customer about life in Powell River we found out he owns a float cabin and is also a diver. Being the super nice guy that he is...he offered to take a look at our barrels and top them up if needed. And that's exactly what he did, he topped them up. The cabin rose by about 2.5 inches and this will seem strange but it will continue to rise another inch or two over the summer because the part of the log that is now exposed to air will dry out and rise. He also told us that our logs are in great condition with many, many more years of floating life in them. Good news indeed.
And this is my wonderful dog, Seiko, our watchdog...that's my husbands quirky sense of humor...wondering what all those air bubbles are about....
3 comments:
What a wonderful place to retreat to. I am so envious of all the beautiful water you live near, be it the lake or the strait. It is really nice here in the high desert but I am a water lover at heart! Thanks for sharing your part of the world.
It's hard to understand just how important 2.5 inches can mean. We are hoping to get back some of the two inches we lost over the winter as the decks and logs begin to dry out. We've also taken one of our waterlogged decorative stumps and tied it in a place where it can go high and dry as the lake drops. It should dry out enough over the summer to give it some needed flotation next winter when the lake rises again and floats it free. Oh, the tricks of living on a lake. - Margy
What an absolutely beautiful place you have there. It must be wonderful to spend time there.
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