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Turtle Platform
A floating turtle platform is simple and easy to build. It costs less than $15. The float provides waterfowl with a safe place to rest and dose. Turtles and small reptiles can easily climb on board to bask in the sun's warming rays. The float is a flat 4" high box partly filled with foam floatation. It is supported from below by two plastic buckets. Small steps on the sides provide easy access for turtles and reptiles. Building it is easy if you follow a few simple steps:
Gathering the materials.
You will find a list of materials at the bottom of this text.
Most of the material can be found at any lumber yard or home
improvement center.
You can save time cutting the lumber by taking advantage of a
yard's one-free-cut-per-item policy.
When you buy the 4'x8' (122 x 244 cm) sheet of plywood, ask the
yard cut it at 42" (107 cm.) for the deck (A). The remaining
54" (137 cm) section will become the bottom (B).
Cut two of the 4" fence boards to 40 1/2" (103 cm) for two of
the sides (C). Cut four of them to 47 1/2" (120.7 cm) (D, E and
F).
If the lumber yard is willing to rip boards, ask them to rip
two of the 47 1/2" (120.7 cm) fence boards at 1 1/4" (3 cm).
You can use them to make the turtle steps (E and F).
If you buy the sheets of polystyrene foam at the lumber year,
have them cut three times, once across at 46" and twice
vertically at 39" (Enough for two floats).
For the lifting floatation, obtain two 5-gallon plastic buckets
and their covers from a commercial painter or a restaurant.
Building the box.
Start by assembling the sides of the box.
Construction is easy if you use a corner clamp to hold the
sides in place while you screw them together.
1. Overlap the boards (C+D) as shown below.
2. Secure the boards by driving a screw from the long
board (D) into the end grain of the shorter board (C).
Use an electric screw driver and two 2" (50 mm)
galvanized self-tapping deck screws at each corner.
Initially, assemble the box upside down.
1. Place the plywood base (B) on top of the box (C+D).
Make certain that the sides are square to the plywood and
that the 6" (15 cm) overhang is distributed equally on both
ends of the base.
2. Secure the plywood (B) to the sides (C+D) with 1 1/4"
(35 mm) galvanized self-taping screws every 6" (15 cm).
This will keep the foam from escaping, so make certain
that you put the screws every 6" (15 cm). There should
be 30 screws in all.
3. Turn the box right side up.
Floatation.
The platform is supported and stabilized by a combination of
lifting and balancing floatation. Lift comes from two
inverted 5 gal plastic buckets (P) below the float.
When an inverted 5-gal (19 l) bucket (P) is filled with air,
it creates 40 lbs (19 kg) of lift. Balance is controlled
by the sheets of foam inside the box. Each 27 cubic inches
(1000 cubic cm) of foam creates 1 lb (1 kg) of lift, so it will
take about 120 lbs (60 kg) of ducks, turtles and alligators to
sink the platform.
1. Lay the 39" sheets of foam inside the box. You will find
the that foam is too long to fit neatly inside the box.
2. Trim the foam to fit with a "hot knife", a soldering gun
or a table saw.
3. Make certain that the foam does not fill the box to the
very top. There should be an air gap between the top of
the foam and the underside of the deck (A). The air gap
helps prevent the plywood from rotting. In addition, the
spacers between the foam and the plywood deck (A) support
the deck and keep the foam at the bottom of the box where
it will work to balance the platform.
Place the spacers on top of the foam. Ensure that the
spacers will hold the foam firmly against the bottom of
the box. If this is not the case, add additional spacing
material.
4. Secure the top deck (A) with 1 1/4" (35 mm) screws spaced
every 6" (15 cm).
5. Turn the box over so it is upside down.
Turtle Steps
The turtle steps are secured to the 6" (30 cm) wings.
1. Hold the shorter step (E) to the outer edge of the wing
with a clamp. Secure the step to the wing with 1 1/4"
(30 mm) screws. Space the screws every 6" (30 cm).
There should be 9 screws.
2. Secure the inner step halfway between the outer step and
the face of the box (D) with another set of screws. You
can space the screws every 12" (30 cm). There should be
5 screws.
Bucket Covers
1. Place the bucket covers (Q) on the cross centerline of the
base (B). Make sure that the tops of the covers will face
down into the water.
2. Secure the covers to the base (B) with screws.
3. Turn the float right side up.
The Anchor
1. Drill 3/8" (10 mm) or 1/2" (12 mm) holes in the centers of
the ends (B) of the wings between the turtle steps. One
hole is for the anchor and one is for additional floats.
2. Prepare the anchor. To prevent the rough concrete from chaf-
ing the rope (J), pass the rope through a piece of garden hose
(M) before looping the chafing guard and the line through
the concrete block.
Launching the floating nest.
You do not need a boat to launch the float. It can be done
simply and safely from the shore when there is an off-shore
breeze.
1. Secure the anchor rope to the float.
2. Place the inverted plastic buckets (P) under the float.
Submerge each bucket so it cups a tiny amount of
air. This will make it float near the surface.
3. Push the inverted buckets down into the water and slip
them into the inverted covers secured to the underside
of the bottom (B).
4. Blow more air into the inverted buckets with the tube (R).
Fill the buckets evenly until the edge of the float at the
bucket is just above the water. At this time the float
may tilt to one side. This is normal. The float will
become level after the wood absorbs water.
5. Tie the thin cotton string (K) to the concrete block.
6. Balance the anchor block (I) on the edge of the float so
it can be pulled over the side with a gentle pull on the
string. Practice pulling on the string to make certain
that it can pull the block off the float into the water.
7. Tie the other end of the cotton string (K) to the end of
the fishing line (L).
8. Push the float into the water and let the off-shore wind
blow it away from the shore.
9. When the float is over the point where you want to drop
the anchor, gently tug on the fishing line and pull the
concrete block off the float.
10. Now, pull very hard on the fishing line. The cotton
string should break at or near the concrete block.
Building your own floating platform takes about a day. After
it is launched you'll enjoy many days watching the waterfowl
rest, visit and eventually nest on the float.
If you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate to
contact me via email.
Ted Andresen
Materials.
Top Deck and Bottom cut from 4'x8' (122 cm x 244 cm) plywood:
Top Deck:
A 1 - 4' x 42" (122 cm x 107 cm) 1/4" to 3/8" (8 TO 10 mm)
CDX plywood (Select the cheapest CDX plywood)
Bottom:
B 1 - 4' x 54" (122 cm x 137 cm) 1/4" to 3/8" (8 TO 10 mm)
CDX plywood (Select the cheapest CDX plywood)
Box sides from 4" (10 cm) pressure treated fence boards:
C 2 - (5/8" to 1") x 4" (10 cm) boards 3' 4 1/2" (103 cm) long.
D 2 - (5/8" to 1") x 4" (10 cm) boards 3' 11 1/2" (121 cm) long.
Side steps ripped 4" (10 cm) pressure treated fence boards:
E 2 - (5/8" to 1") x 1 1/4" (3 cm) boards 3' 11 1/2" (121 cm) long.
F 2 - (5/8" to 1") x 2 3/4" (7 cm) boards 3' 11 1/2" (121 cm) long.
Foam Floatation cut from 4'x8' (122 cm x 244 cm) foam sheet:
G 3 - 46" x 39" sections of 1" (25 mm) polystyrene foam.
OR
G 4 - 46" x 39" sections of 3/4" (18 mm) polystyrene foam.
Spacers:
H Assorted 3 to 4' (1 m) strips of scrap wood 1/2 to 1"
(12 to 25 mm) thick wood sticks.
Anchor:
I 1 - 8" x 8" x 8" concrete block.
J 1 - length of anchor line that is three to four times the
maximum depth of the water.
K 1 - 6' of thin cotton string.
L 1 - Fishing reel with line.
M 1 - 2' of old garden hose.
P 2 - 5 gal. (19 l) plastic buckets (You can the white plastic
buckets that are normally discarded by restaurants).
Q 2 - Plastic bucket (P) covers. The covers will hold the bases
of the buckets (P) in position on underside the float.
R 1 - 4' section of any type of tubing or pipe for blowing
air into the inverted bucket.
Miscellaneous:
98 - 1 1/4" self-tapping galvanized screws
8 - 2" self-tapping galvanized screws
Tools.
Electric screw driver and a 'hot knife', table saw or
soldering gun.