Introduction: The Beverage Barge MK 2
When i was sitting on my raft today, i realized i had a problem. I was in the middle of the and my drink was all the way on the other side of the pool! What am I, a lazy american, to do? INVENT!!! After many days of careful planning (half an hour) the beverage barge, mk 2, was born.
Step 1: Gather the Materials
You will need:
- one noodle (make sure that the noodle is bigger then the can)
-one can (full preferably)
-one sharpie (the picture says a pencil but ignore that)
- four popsicle sticks (four for each barge)
-a kinfe (taller than than the can)
- a cutting board
-a hot glue gun (what craft would be complete with out one)
Step 2: Cutting the Huggy Thingy
This is the first part of the two part beverage barge
First mark a spot on the noodle using the can. There should be about a two inch overlap with the can and the noodle (see picture one or two).
Cut on the mark. (see picture three)
Next trace the can around the center of the noodle with the permanent marker (see picture four)
Now hollow out the center with the knife, this is hard not to cut thru the sides ( see pictures five thru seven)
Fit the can in the hole you've just made (see picture one)
Step 3: Cutting the Second Part
The bottom part of the beverage barge, the actual barge part
Measure out and mark about two can lengths on the noodle (see picture two)
Now cut on the line
Now cut the length that you just cut in half (see picture three)
Next Lay out the two peices you just cut side by side. (see picture one)
Now put the huggy part in the middle of the two noodles and trace around it. (see pictures four and five)
Cut the hole out that you just drew and put the huggie in it to make sure it fits, then take it out (see picture six)
Step 4: Making the Supports
Now were gonna construct the supports to hold it all together
This is the one simple step, glue the popsicle sticks as shown in picture one and let it dry
Step 5: Finished!!!
You've finished your very own beverage barge!!
The huggy part shuld fit rite into the barge part and not slip thru
Now you can float with your beverages!!!!
This is one of my frist instructables so please leave comments of how i could improve
Thanks!!
53 Comments
12 years ago on Step 5
Killer idea. did you cut the noodle in half because of tipping issues? I left mine full and just used zip ties to hold it together. no sticks or glue plus the center holes allowed me to put a tether on it since i'll be using it on a river
Reply 8 years ago on Step 5
Hey This is super. would you post a pic or tow on how to attach those zip ties, i'm a little slow sometimes and cannot quite figure out how they are attached/holding it all together. Did you attach two zip ties togehter? Thanks
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
tested it now and it is mostly stable. a sharp tap to either side will cause it to flip so I am thinking of either adding another piece of noodle to each side or perhaps a small keel of sorts to the bottom to dissuade tipping
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
tied a 1 5/8" steel ball bearing into a monkey knot which I then suspended from the bottom of the raft via a section of the rope and two fender washers. The ball bearing weighs more then a full can of beer and effectively lowers the center of mass below the water line making the raft very difficult to flip. It is now river ready. Dubbed the USS Pot-Valiant and her sister ship the HMS On the Lash for my British friend.
10 years ago
I would say put two more Popsicle sticks underneath the hole in the raft, just to make sure your drink doesn't fall through. Also, you could just make the raft and use the can coolers that you get for free in parades and stuff and just stick it in there
11 years ago on Introduction
5 stars.
14 years ago on Introduction
I made my barge into a Hookah Barge. It holds one drink and one hookah. I had a little issue with the glue, so I am going to try out some other glue recommended by someone. I made it a little more durable, because I took it floating down the Dan River in NC. It floated great, but when ever my tube got hung up on a rock, I would end up jerking the barge and then it would tip the hookah. Because of the top heavy all-in-one coal and tobacco holder, it would tip over the hookah. Other than that, it worked like a champ.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
brilliant
11 years ago on Introduction
Hi Guys!
Mass center should be under water level... Maybe like this :-)
13 years ago on Introduction
I'm thinking of trying this, but maybe cut a yoga mat material into a square and glue that to the bottom to hide the popsicle sticks and any glue that we don't want to be seen.
14 years ago on Step 5
lol awesome man i agree, a tether would be useful If the huggy part was too small or the hole in the barge was too big, you could just hot-glue it in place great 'ible! thanks!
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
The reason i didnt choose to glue the huggy part on is because then youd have to lift the entire float to your mout, kind of akward. This way, you only have to lift the huggy
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
See, I was thinkin you take the soda out of the huggy to drink it. Then you could glue the huggy to the barge w/o a problem, but I see ur point, that'd be pretty awkward lol
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
I added a coozie (huggy) to my barge. I glued it into the barge. I had no issues lifting the drink out of the coozie and having the coozie stay in place. However, at the end of the river trip, the coozie did come unglue. I would say that the hole was much larger than coozie and it was only glued in a couple of places, which led to it coming unconnected.
14 years ago on Introduction
thats a great idea now instead of paying 10$ for a raft w/ cup holders i only spend 2$.....1 4 the raft and 1 for the noodle
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
and 1 for the can your drinking!
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
good point.........
14 years ago on Introduction
Great Idea!! Made some tonight for a lake event tomorrow. I was even more lazy. Just wrapped a large zip tie around both ends and cut the hole in the middle. That way it will stretch to hold my favorite hugger.
14 years ago on Introduction
Congratulations for being featured on Lifehacker!
Reply 14 years ago on Introduction
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