Discover how to build a survival trash bag raft with paracord in this educational video presented by Taro Movies Swiss Bushcraft and Survival. Need to get across water in a survival situation and have trash bags and paracord? Then build a survival trash bag raft with paracord.
If you’re like most people who spend time out in the wilderness, you probably have a few large black trash bags in your pack. These trash bags can be used to protect you and your gear from rain, make a sleeping bag, and as you will discover in this article, make a survival trash bag raft.
To make a raft you will need four large black plastic trash bags, five sticks that are longer than two of the trash bags side by side length wise, two sticks that are 6’-8’ in length, and SurvivorCord or WarriorCord. You want all of your sticks to have at least a 1 ½” diameter and 1’ extra on each side for the five sticks. Make sure they are trimmed of limbs and smooth.
Take your four trash bags, blow them up with air, and tie them closed. Place two of the trash bags side by side and place the two long sticks parallel on opposite sides of the trash bags. You want the trash bags to be near one end of the sticks.
Place your first short stick in front of the two trash bags a few inches from the end of the two long sticks, and your second short stick on the other side of the trash bags. Remove the trash bags, and move the second stick just a little towards the first stick. This will help hold the trash bag in place at the end. Tie the sticks together through shear lashing with paracord. If you are short on paracord you can use the inner strands.
Place the trash bags in the same fashion on the other end of the raft and set your sticks. Remove the trash bags and tie the sticks in place like before. Place the remaining short sticks equal lengths apart from the two ends and tie them into place using paracord.
Put the trash bags back into place and secure them with paracord, buy wrapping it around the trash bag and sticks a few times and tying it off. Be careful not to puncture any holes in the trash bags, otherwise the raft will not float.
Once all of your trash bags are in place and tightly secured, your raft is ready for use. If you have an extra small trash bag, you can create a paddle with a stick that has a y on the end. Just simple place the bag over the y and tie it into place.
