Update of the Cabin Set-Up

Photos to Update the Latest Cabin Set-Up - 2017

Stairs up from the beach.
Due to erosion the bottom of the stairs was extended in 2014.

The latest version of the first cabin built in 1998.

Fitst

The propane tank is on the back side of the first cabin, to be turned off when leaving.

I built the "New" cabin in 2002. It was designed in AutoCad with every piece of lumber dimensioned, cut and labeled. The pieces were assembled as a kit on-site. All painting was completed at home.

Typical Design Drawing

Typical Bill of Materials with Detailed Dimensions and Labels for Every Piece of Lumber

The "New" Cabin, built in 2002

Both Cabins

Stairs to the new cabin

New cabin (Cabin 2) in front. Old cabin (Cabin A) in back.

Propane on the front porch of the new cabin, to be turned off when leaving

Propane stove and oven in the new cabin

Two pilot lights under the stove top must be lit by hand or you will die.

One pilot light in the broiler must be lit by hand or you will die.

Water manifold on a stilt under the front of the old cabin.

Water from the spring comes in from the left.

Water to the cabins, fire pit ,etc. goes out to the right.

This water has creepy crawly things in it.

Disconnect the incoming water (left side of manifold) from the manifold when you leave,

otherwise the water in the manifold freezes and cracks the manifold.

Water system Y-valve near the back stilt of the new cabin

test

At the manifold, shut off the water to the new cabin.

When you leave, open the Y-valve to drain the water out of the new cabin.

That way the water will not freeze and burst the pipes in the cabin during the winter.

The beer cooler - spring water gurgling into a bucket

teste

The fire pit.

There is a garden hose here that should be used to douse the fire when done roasting marshmallows.

The Gift Shop is open 24/7.
Thursdays are Dollar Days - all gifts are $1.00

Building a Remote Cabin

In 1998 I built my third cabin in a remote wilderness. The new site is accessible only by boat. It was quite an adventure, combining camping, boating, boat building and cabin building...

We answered an ad in the local paper, for a parcel of land 4Sale. We toured the land and it didn't take long to decide to buy it. 

First we established a camp, as a place to live while we built the cabin.

We brushed an access lane, and built stairs up the bluff.

I designed the cabin and estimated the materials to be purchased and hauled.

We discovered that the materials were too many and too heavy to haul effectively with my boat. So, I had to build a freight scow.

I designed the scow, assuring that I had the needed displacement to haul over 5000 pounds worth of building materials.

Then I built the scow. I employed simple wood-framed, plywood-sheathed boat building technics. Since the life and usefulness of this scow were limited, I used cheap common lumber

We loaded the scow with lumber, towed it across the bay and up the fjord to the cabin site. Towing the scow had to be accomplished at late-night, when the day breeze slowed and the water calmed enough to tow. We towed at 5 to 7 MPH and it took 2 to 3 hours to tow the scow one-way.

There, we beached the scow and waited for low tide.

At low tide, we built an aerial tram to lift the lumber, from the beach, up the bluff to the cabin site. The lumber was pulled up the tramway by hand.

It took two of these trips to get all the materials delivered. Each trip delivered about 2500 to 3000 pounds of lumber.

First I built the foundation. Below-ground all-weather wood 6x6 posts were sunk. But, I could only dig thru 2 feet of peat before I hit bedrock. So, lots of cross-bracing was needed. Due to the slope, the posts in back are cut-off at the ground level while the posts in front are as high as 6 feet above ground.

Then we built the first floor deck

Then we built the two main walls

Then we installed the roof.

I built the last gable-end wall and installed the windows

With the door installed, the inside is sealed from the weather. I built a sleeping loft and installed a bunk bed.

A small woodstove provides just enough heat to take the chill off of the air in the summer mornings and evenings. We can finally stop sleeping in tents and stop eating at picnic tables.

It is the end of August and winter will soon be here. The cabin is sealed from the weather and heated just enough to be comfortable in spring, summer and fall. Maybe next year I'll finish the outside and paint it. But, for now, we'll just enjoy.

It is not much, but it is warmth and shelter in God's country. It is far from the rat race and our only neighbors are huge spruce trees, knee-high ferns, spawning salmon, curious seals and care-free sea otters. And clams, more clams than you'll ever want to dig