Building a Floating Net Platform for Lobster 'grow-out' Aquaculture

[jamesmusslewhite]

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Edited April 21, 2018 by jamesmusslewhite

[jamesmusslewhite]

   I can not stress enough just how important it is to insure all the nylon lashes are tightly wound and securely tied. During use there can at time be considerable stress on the framework, and the only thing that is keeping this frame together is those nylon lashings. Use a premium grade nylon line and hire someone who is experienced with working with bamboo as well as being experienced with lashing bamboo with nylon line. There is a science to it and only experienced boat builders know how to do it properly. I am fortunate that my brother-in-law is experienced at both skills and has the work ethic to do things properly and not cut corners. Those who read my thread on the complete boat rebuild project I completed a few yeas back will remember him as he built the 'Arthur 1' boat for me. Boat builders learn how to properly lash the outriggers together where they are strong enough to handle regular usage in the sea, where a failure due to spotty-workmanship  could be catastrophic.

   Here Ansong is working on one of the corner cross-braces, and you can see how all surfaces which can be lashed together are very strongly lashed together without exception. This platform has a short railing completely around its middle. This serves three primary functions: a) to attach the inner net enclosure to allowing the netting to be elevated at least 1 meter above the waterline, so if in case heavy wave action housed lobster will not be able to escape, as well as help with security. b) to help attendants working around the net enclosure as it allows them leverage when attending the stock, as it will allow them to sit on and lean against the top railing as they work; and the top railing will also help the attendants from accidentally falling into the net enclosure. c) It will be used to secure a shade-cloth canopy over the inner net enclosure. It is for this reason that the top railing must be so heavily braced and thoroughly lashed together.      

   As you see in this photo of the first corner that there are two up-right braces. The one on the right is the primary brave which is lashed heavily to the platform frame. This up-right helps to insure that even under heavy stress what the corners will neither twist or collapse.  The up-right on the left is used to support any weight which might be placed onto the top rail such as a attendants when working over the top of the railings, or my big butt sitting on top of the railing. 

   The above photo shows the up-rights in the middle of the railing. Two up-rights (right and left) are heavenly lashed to the platform frame, and the middle up-right is the support for the top of the railing to prevent possible sagging when under weight. (like my big butt sitting on it)

This photo is of the other corner which of course uses the same up-rights for the same reasons. But this corner does differ from all the rest as there is a ladder being installed in this corner so workers and myself can easily enter and exit the water inside the net enclosure. The ladder frame will be built in two sections because the bottom of the ladder will sit so closely to the waterline. There is a chance that this may cause the bottom of the ladder to rot more quickly which will require replacement sometime in the future. By building the ladder frame in two sections it will make this replacement far more easier, as only the bottom two steps will need to be replaced.   

while allowing the upper portion of the ladder frame to remain firmly lashed and supported to the framework of the platform. I have always believed that it is best to resolve a potential issue before it ever becomes an issue.

   Once the ladder was completed the whole frame was turned 180 degrees so we could actually test the ladder design. This was done by my actually jumping in the water and seeing if I could pull my big butt out of the water using the ladder. I was successful at said task though it required the whole bottom step and probably neither graceful nor pretty. (sorry no photos as to prevent possible trauma to readers) 

 

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[Balisidar]

Nice to see you writing about your project again James.  Seems like it's going well.  Fascinating subject and here's to your success when it's finally up and running 

[marine6357]

Yes great reading and I wish you all the good fortune in this endeavor.

 

[jamesmusslewhite]

   After the first day working on the railings we had added all the bracings, cross-braces and up-rights needed to complete the first side of the platform. We rotated the platform late in the afternoon so we would be prepared to start work on the opposite side of the platform frame early the next morning. By rotating the platform it allowed us to be able to work on the frame in the shallow water which not only made us more mobile at our tasks, but also us to better utilize leverage when cinching the nylon lashings. Doing so makes it much easier to duplicate the braces and up-rights need for this side of the frame. To add all the bracing, cross-braces and uprights to all four sides of the framework actually took three long days for my brother-in-law and myself to complete.  

   So it is early morning and were are excited to get the show on the road. Having completed the first side we had tackled any issue which had arisen and we had hoped to complete this side, and with luck at least temporarily lash in place the top-rails of the third and forth side of the platform frame. This was going to be a long, hot, sticky day but we were finally seeing the platform frame portion of this project getting near to completion. 

We had hit our work goal the evening before so we were able to start on the railings of the 3rd and 4th sides of the platforms early the next morning. This of course still required adding all the rest of the bracings, cross-braces and uprights but we felt it was doable. We had nice weather and we were motivated

   My brother-in-law also needed to get back to his own nets in Dinagat Island so he could attend to his own lobsters. Some readers may remember my thread showing how we built our last lobster hut in Cabunga-an, Dinagat Island. His wife was staying on the lobster hut shown in that thread, so she could tend to their lobsters, while Ansong was helping me build this platform frame. He had caught enough fish which allowed him to travel from Dinagat Island and stay with us as we worked on the project, but he needed to get back before the fish and shells ran out. This was one of the driving forces which had us both working at such a pace so the project would be complete before he left for home. 

   It was cool to see the frame finally coming together after all the sketches and revisions, and the straw models I crafted to test and verify that the design was actually sound. To actually be able to finally see the actual platform floating there had a certain sense of satisfaction. I had been waiting patiently for the time to come when I could actually build the prototype. 

   I still will have to apply 1-2 gallons of marine epoxy to the bamboo frame. This is because the bamboo used is a thin-walled bamboo which can and will crack as it dries. The marine epoxy will seal and bond the long crack lines in some spots, which will prevent water from seeping into the bamboo lengths. This will help extend the life of the bamboo by minimizing potential accelerated decay of the bamboo due to water saturation during long rains, but the epoxy will also aid in the overall strength of the platform over the next couple of years that it will be in use.

though it is extremely light weight the platform is very strong and will be quite durable. It is possible that I may build another just like it this time next year. Two men have built this bamboo frame in less than two weeks and now that we have figured out exactly how to construct this design, it will be possible to shave a few days off the construction time. I have free access to the needed bamboo so the biggest expense is the 55gallon plastic drums, labor, nylon and the various mooring ropes and lines. So if one is built each Spring than I could keep two unites in constant operation and can retire a unit every two years, and simply recycle the 55gallon plastic barrels and use them in the replacement unit.

   This platform still needs 10 additional long bamboo lengths for each side which will be the actual walkway (40 pieces in total) and the various netting to make the different net enclosures and the shadecloth needed for the canopy. Those items are presently being collected, even as we speak, and should make for some interesting reading in the weeks to come as each of those tasks are tackled. 

    

 

 

[OnMyWay]

16 hours ago, jamesmusslewhite said:

I can not stress enough just how important it is to insure all the nylon lashes are tightly wound and securely tied.

Love reading about your projects James!

What is the technique they use to get those tight and secure?  It seems like the nylon would be hard to work with when the final tie off comes.

[jamesmusslewhite]

22 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

Love reading about your projects James!

What is the technique they use to get those tight and secure?  It seems like the nylon would be hard to work with when the final tie off comes.

   Excellent question and one which will be covered in detail in the following post.

[jamesmusslewhite]

   I think it is important to discuss the lashing and the 'cinching knot' which is used in the middle of each lashing. It is this cinching knot that gives the lashing its true strength. The lashing needs to be as tight as possible to insure the bamboo framework has the strength needed to withstand the stresses of day-to-day usage. The primary tool used to tighten both the lashing and the cinch knot is either a hammer or a strong stick (without sharp edges).

   The hammer or stick is used to tap the wound nylon line together and straight and used as a lever to tighten the lashed nylon lines as the lashing is being done. The wooden lever is particularly important when tightly cinching the 'cinch knot' in middle of each lashing (between the connected bamboo lengths). The nylon line is simply wrapped around the handle or stick allowing the lashed nylon line to be pulled tightly. The most important part of the lashing between two lengths of bamboo is the cinching knot in the middle of the lashing. It is this cinch knot which provides the real strength to the lashing.

   Once the lashing has been tightly wound around the two lengths of bamboo it is time for the cinching knot. This is done by wrapping the line a few times in the middle of the lashing. Then the line is twisted several times around itself as it is being wrapped together. By wrapping the nylon around itself it will tighten together as it is being lightened by the lever action of the hammer handle. As the nylon is cinched the middle cinching knot tightens on itself, and when completed all that is needed is to tie an end knot to insure the cinching knot will not loosen in the future. In the photo below I placed yellow arrows to show some of these cinching knots. Wherever two lengths of bamboo are lashed together there will be a cinch knot, and each one needs to be cinched tightly as bamboo tends to shrink a little as it continues to dry and these lashings are the only thing holding the bamboo frame together.  

 

[OnMyWay]

35 minutes ago, jamesmusslewhite said:

   I think it is important to discuss the lashing and the 'cinching knot' which is used in the middle of each lashing. It is this cinching knot that gives the lashing its true strength. The lashing needs to be as tight as possible to insure the bamboo framework has the strength needed to withstand the stresses of day-to-day usage. The primary tool used to tighten both the lashing and the cinch knot is either a hammer or a strong stick (without sharp edges).

   The hammer or stick is used to tap the wound nylon line together and straight and used as a lever to tighten the lashed nylon lines as the lashing is being done. The wooden lever is particularly important when tightly cinching the 'cinch knot' in middle of each lashing (between the connected bamboo lengths). The nylon line is simply wrapped around the handle or stick allowing the lashed nylon line to be pulled tightly. The most important part of the lashing between two lengths of bamboo is the cinching knot in the middle of the lashing. It is this cinch knot which provides the real strength to the lashing.

   Once the lashing has been tightly wound around the two lengths of bamboo it is time for the cinching knot. This is done by wrapping the line a few times in the middle of the lashing. Then the line is twisted several times around itself as it is being wrapped together. By wrapping the nylon around itself it will tighten together as it is being lightened by the lever action of the hammer handle. As the nylon is cinched the middle cinching knot tightens on itself, and when completed all that is needed is to tie an end knot to insure the cinching knot will not loosen in the future. In the photo below I placed yellow arrows to show some of these cinching knots. Wherever two lengths of bamboo are lashed together there will be a cinch knot, and each one needs to be cinched tightly as bamboo tends to shrink a little as it continues to dry and these lashings are the only thing holding the bamboo frame together.  

 

I can tell the many years of experience went into those lashings and knots!

I have a hard time tying the nylon strings onto my grass trimmer!  However, my yard guy replaces them in 1 minute!

[jamesmusslewhite]

54 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

I can tell the many years of experience went into those lashings and knots!

I have a hard time tying the nylon strings onto my grass trimmer!  However, my yard guy replaces them in 1 minute!

   For many years I owned and operated a full-service residential/commercial landscaping and grounds maintenance company in North Houston, Woodlands, Kingwood/Atascocita and Humble areas which maintained well over 150 properties a week. These properties were primarily large estate homes, apartment complexes, subdivision model homes, business parks and a dozen McDonalds. Commercial gas trimmers were used to trim all bed edges and concrete edges of the lawn areas, as they would not damage curbs and sidewalks, so we chewed through a lot of trimmer cord quickly. We used the heavy bump-fed heads which used the thick #105 line which is actually wound in both directions inside the bump-fed heads, so I can fully appreciate just how aggravating what a seemly easy task can sometimes actually become.

   Most will probably look at the photos in this thread and think that just anyone can lash nylon to bamboo, and for the most part they are right. But to lash a frame that could be pounded by waves, bumped by boats and have workers climbing all over it takes far more skill than one would imagine. Now those who fish have a far more appreciation of just how difficult it is to lash, tie and knot nylon line an be; as it is usually the reason for all those ''the big one that got away'' tales. That is why I stated earlier that it is best to get someone who is experienced with working with traditional boat outriggers and with bamboo.

   I am fortunate to have a brother-in-law who is an experienced second-generation traditional boat builder who has worked with bamboo all is life. He built my last boat which I wrote about in my boat building thread. Nylon is not even his preference as he refers the a particular fiber from a local vine which grows in this region, but it would take a lot of time and effort to gather enough to do this project. Nylon it tough to cinch and even tougher on the hands as it must be kept taught at all times while lashing, and kept even tighter when working on the 'cinch knots' because you must keep the line taught at all times when working on the lashing. I merely helped to try to keep the line taught and would feed the line back to Ansong so it would be easier for him, and even then my hands would cramp and blister.   

   Now I live in the middle of fishermen and I was amazed how many of these locals would come sit just to watch attentively at Ansong as he was working on the lashings and the bamboo frame. It is a skill that looks real easy until you do it yourself. Ansong makes it look easy only because he spent years developing the craft. All those lashings and only one time did the nylon line actually snap on him while being cinched tightly.