How to Build a Tire Tube Bamboo Raft

Gypsy Wilburn 2009

Bamboo and tire tube rafts are a favorite improvised watercraft throughout Asia, Africa and South America, where they are a necessary form of transportation. They serve as a workplace for agriculture, aquaculture, bone and shell fishing and for harvesting ores from the mud along riverbanks. They can also be used for leisure on local ponds, lakes or rivers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

15 to 25 8-foot-long bamboo poles, depending on available diameters 3 6-foot-long bamboo poles 10- to 15-foot long bamboo pole Fully inflated tire tubes Rope Sharp knife Improvised anchor Natural fiber mats
15 to 25 8-foot-long bamboo poles, depending on available diameters
3 6-foot-long bamboo poles
10- to 15-foot long bamboo pole
Fully inflated tire tubes
Rope
Sharp knife
Improvised anchor
Natural fiber mats

Step 1

Bamboo pole layout.

Lay down the 6-foot-long bamboo cross members first. Lay the 8-foot-long bamboo poles on top of the cross members as shown in the diagram.

Step 2

Wind rope around each pole.

Lash the bamboo together using overhand knots as shown in red in the diagram.

Step 3

Tire tube placement and lashing.

Lash the tire tubes to the bamboo as shown in the diagram.

Step 4

Attach a rope for anchoring or mooring your bamboo tire tube raft.

Step 5

Use the longest piece of bamboo as a push pole.

Tips & Warnings

Anchors may be improvised from a 10-pound or larger chunk of metal or stone, or from concrete mix poured into coffee cans, with a bent piece of rebar as a handle. Use inexpensive Asian grass, sisal or bamboo mats as floor coverings and shade covers. According to Keystone Educational Productions, 2-inch-by-4-inch boards are stronger and make a more durable raft.

According to Keystone Educational Productions, 2-inch-by-4-inch boards are stronger and make a more durable raft.

Always wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices when using your raft.

Resources

US Coast Guard: Wearing Your Life Jacket

Article Written By Jane Smith

Jane Smith has provided educational support for more than 11 years, served people with multiple challenges for 26 years, rescued animals for five years, designed and repaired household items for 31 years and completed a three-year metalworking apprenticeship. Smith's book, "Giving Him the Blues," was published in 2008. Smith received a Bachelor of Science in education from Kent State University in 1995.

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