1942 Navy Balsa Life Float/Raft

[M1A1-1944]

I posted this in the New Finds/Acquisitions section if you would like to see all the pictures. When do you ever see one these, let alone completely intact. It is made of a balsa wood ring wraped in canvas that was painted navy grey. The canvas has really only two small holes and some of the tie off ropes have broken but only a few. The brass plate has the US Navy inspection stamping. The wood foor is solid but could use a treatment to preserve it, and the netting which suspends the wood floor is intact and strong. I'll find room to display it. I found a WWII pic of a couple stacked on a ship and read an excerpt from a story of a PT boat shipwreck survivor who spoke of "clinging to that balsa life raft". If anyone has a picture of one being used by shipwreck survivors I would really like to see it. Thanks for looking.

 

Ron

[The Meatcan]

that is a very cool and unusual find. Nice! That will make a unique display for sure :thumbsup:

Terry

[KeithL]

Very cool. Thanks for posting. I wouldn't mind seeing pics of how you displayed it too.

[chrissteino1]

I posted this in the New Finds/Acquisitions section if you would like to see all the pictures. When do you ever see one these, let alone completely intact. It is made of a balsa wood ring wraped in canvas that was painted navy grey. The canvas has really only two small holes and some of the tie off ropes have broken but only a few. The brass plate has the US Navy inspection stamping. The wood foor is solid but could use a treatment to preserve it, and the netting which suspends the wood floor is intact and strong. I'll find room to display it. I found a WWII pic of a couple stacked on a ship and read an excerpt from a story of a PT boat shipwreck survivor who spoke of "clinging to that balsa life raft". If anyone has a picture of one being used by shipwreck survivors I would really like to see it. Thanks for looking.

 

Ron

 

[chrissteino1]

Thanks, do you have any more on this? where can I see this one or another? I may make 1 or more.

[GITom1944]

Here is a link with some info about Carley floats. http://blog.charlesmccain.com/2010/10/carley-float-killed-more-men-than-it.html

 

The author apparently takes a dim view of them.

[chrissteino1]

Thanks, Any around for a restoration? Any condition.

[GITom1944]

I have no specific leads for you, but you may want to call naval museums such as http://www.ptboats.org/07-0-05-museum.html. Museums sometimes acquire items surplus to their needs that take up storage space. For instance, I've visited the PT Boat museum maybe half a dozen times over the past 25 years. This summer, I noticed they had a bunch of MK17 .50 cal mounts and SO type radar masts stacked beside PT-617 that I had never seen before. The worst that will happen is they'll ignore you.

[RustyCanteen]

They also came in a few different sizes and configurations. If you are trying to match one for the look of a specific ship, then you will need to be sure to find the right one.

 

RC

[chrissteino1]

Here is a raft on the USS Slater