VERSION 1 AND 2
For the last three months I've been experimenting with floating islands in our big pond.
Some pine boards were the first test pieces, they were used in a construction project. I set them afloat when I discovered they were covered in ants. I left them floating in the pond because the turtles and ducks liked climbing on them and floating around in the afternoon sun. Eventually these boards became so water-logged they are no longer able to support an animal, the boards are scheduled for removal.
This led to the construction of our first larger island project made from a used pallet that came to us filled with concrete blocks. The pallet was stuffed with pool noodles for extra floatation and set adrift. It was an immediate success, almost all of our wading birds and ducks loved the floating pallet.
Pool noodles have proven to have a short life as floatation devices, I'm not sure what happened to them but they were severely eaten away and shrunken after a month of exposure to pond water.
The decay and subsequent sinking of the first pallet island led to the construction of a second model which was very similar to the first. The second island was just like the first with the addition of pine boards on each side to provide boarding ramps for turtles and ducks plus a piece of plywood on top to make it smooth. This island also proved to be very popular with the ducks and our large heron named Huey. The anhinga also likes to ride this island. Just like the first pallet island it began to sink after the pool noodles were exposed to the water for a month.
ISLAND VERSION THREE, THE BOAT - OCTOBER 15, 2018
The third version of the island project much more closely follows the design of a traditional boat-like barge water vessel. The interior is design is intended to be dry. A combination of pool noodles and empty water bottles is used for additional floatation buoyancy. These are all held in place by four cans of sprayed-in construction foam. The pool noodles (nine total, cut in half) are contained inside the brown center section.
For the third version of the duck island I constructed a ring made of 2x4 pressure treated wood. Using corrosion resistant construction screws I attached a half-inch sheet of pressure treated plywood for the vessel bottom.
In the center of the vessel hull is a package of pool noodle pieces that are wrapped in a thick contractor trash bag and sealed on top to prevent water entry. This package of pool noodles is very light weight and displaces quite a bit of space in the hull.
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| WATER BOTTLES EMBEDDED IN CONSTRUCTION FOAM |
Around the hull interior my beautiful partner helped me glue in water bottles we collected for the last couple of weeks. These are glued in with construction foam and fully foamed-in to prevent them from moving around. Additionally I'm hoping the foam will help displace water should the vessel leak.
All of the joints and seams are sealed with 100% GE Silicone, the good stuff. All the joints were aged for over 48 hours before exposure to water.
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| THE TOP LID IS HALF-INCH PT PLYWOOD WITH TWO COATS OF KILLZ ON BOTH SIDES |
The entire island is painted with two coats of latex based Killz to help seal in the pressure treated wood and to prevent rot from long term exposure in the pond.
The anchor points are sealed with silicone on the inside and the outside, stacks of washers help hold the eye bolts in place and seal the hull from leakage.
I planned on anchoring the new island with two anchors to hold it in position but upon reconsideration I've decided to try a single anchor point and allow the island to swing around it.
The anchor is a 16-pound model I bought at a local sporting goods outlet. I'm testing 3/8" poly anchor rope to connect the anchor and the island.
I purchased two anchors but will start with one at first to test the island for floatation, leakage and general construction integrity.
DUCK FUN
It is such a great feeling to look out and see little wild ducks and birds of all shapes and sizes landing on the floating island and enjoying our big pond. It's so much more than just a big bowl of water, it's a universe and home to all manner of fresh-water fish, frogs, turtles, snakes and birds.
