Heart of the Raincoast by Alexandra Morton

Author:Alexandra Morton
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781771511803
Publisher: Touchwood Editions
Published: 2016-04-11T16:00:00+00:00

The women’s concern over dishes turned to terror when the lashing holding their float together broke in several places. The logs fanned out and the entire house tilted as it began to slide into the water between the logs. Billy was constantly looking back at the houses and while “Grandma’s” house was hidden behind his own, the angle of the roof told him all he needed to know. His mother, wife and daughter were in a house that was slipping into rough water.

He made the only move available to him; he turned to run with the waves into the protection of Owl Pass. Once the waves and float were moving in the same direction, there was far less stress on the lashing and the weight of the house held the float from fanning out completely. In the calm of Owl Pass Billy was able to get some ropes around the float and they were underway again. That fall, when it was time to move north Jae went to Vancouver and didn’t return until her house was safely tied up for the winter.

How to Move a Big Rock and Use it as an Anchor (essential information for the prospective floathouser)

You look along the beach at low tide and find a rock the right size. To make a good anchor, a rock should be about three tons, which is about three feet by four feet. You have to make sure it is loose and not stuck in the mud or sand. When you find one, drill two holes in it and put in a U-bolt. To make the bolt permanent take some sulphur powder and heat it up. It will melt. You pour that into the holes. Sulphur is one of the few things that expands when it cools and it will hold your bolt fast in the rock.

Well, now we have the rock and the U-bolt in it and we have to get it to the site. Tie a heavy anchorline to the rock. If you use a rope for this it is best to put a boomchain on the bolt first and tie the rope to the chain. This stops the rope from wearing on the rocks. Next, you will need a big log or a couple of smaller ones. Tie a short line to the U-bolt. It has to be strong enough to lift the rock, so use 1½ inch or bigger. When the tide comes in a bit, float the logs over the rock and tie the thick short rope around them as tight as you can. Now wait for the tide to rise higher and this will float the rock. As soon as it is free from the bottom you can tow it to the drop site.

Securing two boomchains in a floathouse tie-up.

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA MORTON

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