A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water.[1] It is usually of basic design, characterized by the absence of a hull. Rafts are usually kept afloat by using any combination of buoyant materials such as wood, sealed barrels, or inflated air chambers (such as pontoons), and are typically not propelled by an engine. Rafts are an ancient mode of transport; naturally-occurring rafts such as entwined vegetation and pieces of wood have been used to traverse water since the dawn of humanity.
Sketch by F.E. Paris (1841) showing construction of a native Peruvian balsa raft
Traditional or primitive rafts were constructed of wood, bamboo or reeds; early buoyed or float rafts use inflated animal skins or sealed clay pots which are lashed together.[2]: 15, 17, 43 Modern float rafts may also use pontoons, drums, or extruded polystyrene blocks.[citation needed] Inflatable rafts up to the 20th century used flotation chambers made of goat- or buffalo-skins, but since then have mostly used durable, multi-layered rubberized fabrics. Depending on its use and size, it may have a superstructure, masts, or rudders.
Timber rafting is used by the logging industry for the transportation of logs, by tying them together into rafts and drifting or pulling them down a river.[citation needed] This method was very common up until the middle of the 20th century but is now[when?] used only rarely.
Large rafts made of balsa logs and using sails for navigation were important in maritime trade on the Pacific Ocean coast of South America from pre-Columbian times until the 19th century. Voyages were made to locations as far away as Mexico, and many trans-Pacific voyages using replicas of ancient rafts have been undertaken to demonstrate possible contacts between South America and Polynesia.[3]
The type of raft used for recreational rafting is almost exclusively an inflatable raft, manufactured of flexible materials for use on whitewater.
Natural raftsedit
In biology, particularly in island biogeography, non-manmade rafts are an important concept. Such rafts consist of matted clumps of vegetation that has been swept off the dry land by a storm, tsunami, tide, earthquake or similar event; in modern times[when?] they sometimes also incorporate other kind of flotsam and jetsam, e.g. plastic containers. They stay afloat by its natural buoyancy and can travel for hundreds, even thousands of miles and are ultimately destroyed by wave action and decomposition, or make landfall.[citation needed]
Three Arks for a log drive on Pine Creek, in Lycoming or Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The left ark was for cooking and dining, the middle ark was the sleeping quarters and the right ark was for the horses. The arks were built for just one log drive and then sold for their lumber. The line of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway can be seen on the eastern shore: the mountainside behind it is nearly bare of trees from clearcutting.[4]
^G. & C. Merriam Co., Websters New Collegiate Dictionary, 1976, ISBN0-87779-339-5
^McGrail, Sean (2014). Early ships and seafaring : water transport beyond Europe. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books Limited. ISBN9781473825598.
^Smith, Cameron M. and Haslett, John F. (1999), "Construction and Sailing Characteristics of a Pre-Columbian Raft Replica", Bulletin of Primitive Technology, pp. 13–18
^Thomas T. Taber, III "Williamsport Lumber Capital", 1995, page 13
External linksedit
Look up raft in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rafts.
Rafting on the Drina River (1951) - BH Film - Official chanal
World of Boats (EISCA) Collection ~ Australian Reed Raft
World of Boats (EISCA) Collection ~ Brazilian Jangada
Homemade Raft Plans and Photos of Rafts
Neutrino Raft – vessels made from scrap
Types of Whitewater Rafts
January 08, 2024
raft, other, uses, disambiguation, raft, flat, structure, support, transportation, over, water, usually, basic, design, characterized, absence, hull, usually, kept, afloat, using, combination, buoyant, materials, such, wood, sealed, barrels, inflated, chambers. For other uses see Raft disambiguation A raft is any flat structure for support or transportation over water 1 It is usually of basic design characterized by the absence of a hull Rafts are usually kept afloat by using any combination of buoyant materials such as wood sealed barrels or inflated air chambers such as pontoons and are typically not propelled by an engine Rafts are an ancient mode of transport naturally occurring rafts such as entwined vegetation and pieces of wood have been used to traverse water since the dawn of humanity Traditional raft from the 1884 edition of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Contents 1 Human made rafts 2 Natural rafts 3 Image gallery 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHuman made rafts editFurther information Pre Columbian rafts nbsp Sketch by F E Paris 1841 showing construction of a native Peruvian balsa raftTraditional or primitive rafts were constructed of wood bamboo or reeds early buoyed or float rafts use inflated animal skins or sealed clay pots which are lashed together 2 15 17 43 Modern float rafts may also use pontoons drums or extruded polystyrene blocks citation needed Inflatable rafts up to the 20th century used flotation chambers made of goat or buffalo skins but since then have mostly used durable multi layered rubberized fabrics Depending on its use and size it may have a superstructure masts or rudders Timber rafting is used by the logging industry for the transportation of logs by tying them together into rafts and drifting or pulling them down a river citation needed This method was very common up until the middle of the 20th century but is now when used only rarely nbsp Lumber rafts on the Peter I Canal Early 20th century picture by S Prokudin Gorsky Large rafts made of balsa logs and using sails for navigation were important in maritime trade on the Pacific Ocean coast of South America from pre Columbian times until the 19th century Voyages were made to locations as far away as Mexico and many trans Pacific voyages using replicas of ancient rafts have been undertaken to demonstrate possible contacts between South America and Polynesia 3 The type of raft used for recreational rafting is almost exclusively an inflatable raft manufactured of flexible materials for use on whitewater Natural rafts editIn biology particularly in island biogeography non manmade rafts are an important concept Such rafts consist of matted clumps of vegetation that has been swept off the dry land by a storm tsunami tide earthquake or similar event in modern times when they sometimes also incorporate other kind of flotsam and jetsam e g plastic containers They stay afloat by its natural buoyancy and can travel for hundreds even thousands of miles and are ultimately destroyed by wave action and decomposition or make landfall citation needed Rafting events are important means of oceanic dispersal for non flying animals For small mammals amphibians and reptiles in particular but for many invertebrates as well such rafts of vegetation are often the only means by which they could reach and if they are lucky colonize oceanic islands before human built vehicles provided another mode of transport citation needed Image gallery edit nbsp Three Arks for a log drive on Pine Creek in Lycoming or Tioga County Pennsylvania The left ark was for cooking and dining the middle ark was the sleeping quarters and the right ark was for the horses The arks were built for just one log drive and then sold for their lumber The line of the Jersey Shore Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway can be seen on the eastern shore the mountainside behind it is nearly bare of trees from clearcutting 4 nbsp Raft carrying visitors to Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland about 1960 nbsp People on the raft in Estonia 1944 nbsp Raft used to bridge vehicles at Citarum River Karawang West Java Indonesia nbsp Rafting on the Dunajec River at Pieniny about 2005 2010 nbsp A woman using a raft to transport her daughter and goatsSee also editFloating island Great Raft Kon Tiki L Egare II La Balsa and Las Balsas Lifeboat Pre Columbian rafts Pumice raft The Raft of the Medusa Thor Heyerdahl Poon LimReferences edit G amp C Merriam Co Websters New Collegiate Dictionary 1976 ISBN 0 87779 339 5 McGrail Sean 2014 Early ships and seafaring water transport beyond Europe Barnsley Pen and Sword Books Limited ISBN 9781473825598 Smith Cameron M and Haslett John F 1999 Construction and Sailing Characteristics of a Pre Columbian Raft Replica Bulletin of Primitive Technology pp 13 18 Thomas T Taber III Williamsport Lumber Capital 1995 page 13External links edit nbsp Look up raft in Wiktionary the free dictionary nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rafts Rafting on the Drina River 1951 BH Film Official chanal World of Boats EISCA Collection Australian Reed Raft World of Boats EISCA Collection Brazilian Jangada Homemade Raft Plans and Photos of Rafts Neutrino Raft vessels made from scrap Types of Whitewater Rafts Retrieved from https en 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