Raft

Raft

A raft is any flat floating structure for travel over water. It is the most basic of boat design, characterized by the absence of a hull. Instead, rafts are kept afloat using any combination of buoyant materials such as wood, sealed barrels, or inflated air chambers. Traditional or primitive rafts are constructed of wood or reeds. Modern rafts may also use pontoons, drums, or extruded polystyrene blocks. Inflatable rafts use 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. This method was very common up until the middle of the 20th century but is now used only rarely.

The type of raft used for recreational rafting is almost exclusively an inflatable boat, manufactured of flexible materials for use on whitewater.

ee also

*Lifeboat
*"Raft of the Medusa"
*Thor Heyerdahl
*"Raft" by Stephen Baxter

External links

* [http://www.worldofboats.org/collection/view/98/19 World of Boats at Eyemouth ~ Australian Reed Raft]

* [http://www.captainfletch.com/projects/boats/barellraft/barrelraft.asp Homemade Raft Plans and Photos of Rafts]
* [http://www.floatingneutrinos.com/ Neutrino Raft - vessels made from scrap]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • raft — raft1 [raft, räft] n. [ME rafte, beam, rafter < ON raptr, log: see RAFTER1] 1. a flat, buoyant structure of logs, boards, barrels, etc. fastened together; specif., one used like a boat as in an emergency or in shallow water 2. a similar… …   English World dictionary

  • Raft — Raft, n. [Originally, a rafter, spar, and fr. Icel. raptr a rafter; akin to Dan. raft, Prov. G. raff a rafter, spar; cf. OHG. r[=a]fo, r[=a]vo, a beam, rafter, Icel. r[=a]f roof. Cf. {Rafter}, n.] 1. A collection of logs, boards, pieces of timber …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • raft — [ raft ] n. m. • 1985; mot angl. ♦ Embarcation gonflable insubmersible manœuvrée à la pagaie et utilisée pour la descente des rapides (⇒ rafting). ● raft nom masculin (mot anglais) Radeau pneumatique pour la pratique du rafting. raft n. m.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • raft — [rɑːft ǁ ræft] noun a raft of something a large number of things: • There has been a raft of new laws aimed at giving better protection to children in the past few years. * * * raft UK US /rɑːft/ US  /ræft/ noun [C] ● a raft of sth Cf. a raft of… …   Financial and business terms

  • Raft — Raft, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Rafted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Rafting}.] To transport on a raft, or in the form of a raft; to make into a raft; as, to raft timber. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Raft — 〈n. 15〉 schwimmende Insel [engl., „Floß“] * * * Raft, das; s, s [engl. raft, eigtl. = Floß, zu: rafter = (Dach)sparren, aus dem Anord.]: 1. schwimmende Insel aus [Treib]holz. 2. Schlauchboot, mit dem Rafting betrieben wird. * * * Raft, das; s, s… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • raft — Ⅰ. raft [1] ► NOUN 1) a flat buoyant structure of timber or other materials fastened together, used as a boat or floating platform. 2) a small inflatable boat. 3) a floating mass of fallen trees, ice, etc. ► VERB ▪ travel or transport on or as if …   English terms dictionary

  • Raft — bezeichnet: ein Rafting, mit dem ein Fluss, gewöhnlich schwereres Wildwasser, befahren wird. in der Zellbiologie Lipid Rafts, Cholesterin reiche Lipid „Inseln“ in Plasmamembran Leaflets. Raft ist der Familienname folgender Personen: George Raft… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • raft — [ra:ft US ræft] n [Sense: 1, 3 4; Date: 1200 1300; : Old Norse; Origin: raptr large piece of wood, rafter ] [Sense: 2; Date: 1800 1900; Origin: raff mixture of things (17 19 centuries), influenced by RAFT1] 1.) a flat floating structure, usually… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • raft — [ ræft ] noun count 1. ) a simple flat boat made by tying long pieces of wood together a ) a small light boat made of rubber or plastic 2. ) a flat structure that floats on a lake, river, etc. that people can swim to and lie on a raft of INFORMAL …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Raft — (r[.a]ft), obs. imp. & p. p. of {Reave}. Spenser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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