The Boonedocks Marina - Cabin Raising

Cabin Raising, May 15, 2003

We had hoped the cabin would be up in the air at the end of April, but the middle of May doesn't put us too much behind schedule. We're discovering that if you live in a county with a population of less than 16,000 or so, it may take a while to get things done. We're all sharing the somewhat limited number of tradespeople, after all. Mr. Collins' crew arrived at the Boonedocks mid-morning and immediately began unloading I-beams, blocks, hydraulic jacks, and the like.

The dockmaster had cleared a good deal of "stuff" from beneath the cabin long before Mr. Collins arrived, but a few things remained - like this salamander.

Once the ground beneath the cabin was clear, the crew began moving the I-beams into place.

Hydraulic jacks were placed at each corner of the house underneath the I-beams, and blocks were built around each jack.

Mr. Collins gave his full attention to the hydraulics when his crew informed him that it was time to raise the cabin a little more.

Each time the cabin was raised a bit, the crew quickly went to work blocking up the newly opened gap.

Mr. Collins, the dockmaster, and the crew make last-minute adjustments to wires.

That first step's a doozie!

Pretty soon, enough room has been made to walk underneath the cabin.

Before the job's done, everything must be level.

Fully satisfied that the cabin was level, the crew packed up as quickly as they had unpacked. When they were gone, the cabin reminded us of a treehouse.

Now that the cabin is up in the air, one of the next major tasks is to install new windows. Then comes the cedar shingles for the outer walls. Inside, we're installing a wooden ceiling and floors. The walls will get drywall with some built-in niches, the bath will be expanded and rehabbed, and the kitchen is being completely renewed. On the west side of the cabin (left in the picture) will be a deck. Some grading underneath, new landscaping, and a festive Open House, and we'll be all done and ready for the first guests.

The biggest unknown is what we'll call the cabin. At first, we vacillated - was it a cabin or a cottage. In the end, we decided that we liked a warm, woodsy cabin feel better than a seashore cottage feel. We're certainly shore-ish here, but one look tells you you're in the middle of forest. The interior will be decorated with woodsy cabiny antique store and fleamarket finds - a cross between north woods and fishing retreat. We'll have to come up with a suitable cabin-lodge-type name. The dockmaster says, "It's a Cab-age." Perhaps he's right.