I Built a Floating Pond Dock!

I spend a full week at the off grid cabin in the woods and build a dock to park my kayak on the trout pond. Nature's Pond Care Conditioner: www.naturespondcare.com/produ...
We use ash, cedar, and pine for most of the structure and siding of the small cabin.
We'll use cedar, pine, ash, maple, and whatever else we can scrounge up from the 30 acres around us. The aim is to avoid using as much store bought material as possible and keep the budget reasonably low.
Originally we set a budget of $1000, but that included the use of a frame from an old camper trailer. As we build, the budget will remain flexible in effort to produce a cabin that we are proud of and one that will last a long while, be comfortable, and sleep real human beings.
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"Self-Reliance" is an 1841 essay written by American transcendentalist philosopher and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. It contains the most thorough statement of one of Emerson's recurrent themes: the need for each individual to avoid conformity and false consistency, and follow his own instincts and ideas. This channel will approach self reliance from a modern perspective. and will focus on various build projects using modern amenities, and tools to build a completely self reliant lifestyle.
Many people ask me where I am from and where I film my projects. I am from Northern Ontario, Canada, and live in an area where off-grinding is easy because I have lots of land to build on and experiment with different buildings and materials. Everything I do is to try to be more self reliant, and to depend less on others. But that doesn't mean I don't like working together with other people on projects. Knowing people who have skills is part of being self reliant, and trading skills is a great way to get more things done!

[@atx598]

We all need a friend like Don. Best type of person in the world

[@hamzzz1176]

I think it would be awesome if you created a map of your property in an artistic way like wall art - potentially using wood or something. You could keep adding to it too as you build more structures

[@J.sh_CDN]

I like this, maybe cut a log into cookies to make stepping stones to one place, maybe a shorter distance do a whole walkway solidly built from cookies, with smaller cuts fitting on between. Other walkways could be planes wood planks like a dock, or even just wood chips with a border around like wood planks for little stumps along the side. Only problem I see is how often they seem to be taking heavy equiptment still around the sites and such, you wouldn't want to make a pathway that could be destroyed by the equiptment driving over it

[@jaymeswheeler]

Hemlock dock don. My favorite dumpling

[@ianperman4561]

Don has super strength!!!

[@ModernSelfReliance]

He sure does.

[@praisegod4538]

1:17 - Who is that? Good job on the dock build!

[@bartman64]

The amateur wood worker in me can’t get over how beautiful that hemlock was

[@ok_tim]

My first time seeing Holden in a while, he's huge now, my goodness. Didn't even recognize him.

[@bobbyk6585]

Eager to watch the construction of the waterfall/filtration project.

[@WagonLoads]

If you stuff those plastic water containers with rigid core insulation, they would be nearly uncrushable... Next option would be expanding foam insulation...

[@d.t.olalee6758]

Such a beautiful natural green colored water! Lol!

[@Talonthir]

If you press on the sides of an English muffin towards the center the muffin will separate without pulling it apart.

[@katecardinale8881]

That’s how I say English Muffin too. Especially early in the morning! Great to know I’m not the only one who talks to myself in silly voices. ❤

[@happilyamused3829]

Was completely with you when you tore the muffin apart and only buttered one side but lost it when you flipped the eggs they taste so much better when they are runny. Oh well each to their own great video

[@SuperPenguin5495]

genuinely jeleous. You're living the dream. What am i doing with my life

[@artfx9]

Eat shi

[@charruza]

That hemlock really was a beautiful wood. Amazing that it was laying on the forest floor for years!!!

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

You woke up with your hat and glasses on your head 😆that lumber is mean, awesome salvage. You did show us the jeep. Can roll disaster mode off grid🐸🍺🔪🔥

[@patrickheavirland3599]

Good morning from Minnesota USA! Great episode!

[@madmex2k]

My 1st thought when you put the two halves of the totes together was its going to need to be sealed up. Get some of that Flex seal. It comes in buckets like paint cans, and you can paint it on, seal up that crack somehow.

[@PontiacKid2]

The place is looking amazing. It's also been cool seeing Holden growing up on both channels :)

[@olyman63]

Awesome show thank you for sharing. Dock turned out great. Good to see Don again. Have a great day

[@tonylyons5487]

So as I was sitting here in Delaware drinking my coffee watching my Sat morning you tube video and it just hit me I think it is only fair the Zach comes to your neck of the woods and helps you build something crazy it only seems fair but till then stay safe

[@nathansmith6914]

That's a very chilled duck

[@frankensteinracing3520]

If you find the tote pieces leak or don’t quite have enough floatation. Trying filling them with expander foam. Or polystyrene blocks. Foam is better as it won’t break up over time

[@dawnkangas2968]

Absolutely awesome the deck looks amazing

[@BenjaminKlahn]

@15:55 oh, I've done that with many miro flavors, it's fine. Not the best experience but not terrible either. The flavor is obviously very strong and chemical-y.

[@martygrove3986]

If you are intending to release the fish from your pond: Use lures with a single barbless hook. Wet your hand before touching the fish. Minimize handling. Keep the fish in the water to the extent possible. Most often, a fish caught with a single barbless hook can be flicked off without touching it. Keep any fish that bleed. The bobber rig and bait should only be used when you intend to keep the fish and cook it.

[@whiteboi1856]

Awesome video 👍

[@jordantrottier3882]

The water is so green.

[@larryhutchinson4271]

totes in American size are 275 or 330, so I believe yours is the 330 gallon one.

[@davodinkum9090]

i've always said fishing is 3% skill and 97% patience. awesome video as always mate, love ya chill attitude.

[@dcranch4820]

On a deep hooked fish you want to release simply snip the line off as short as possible. In time the hook will dissolve!

[@thomasmckay9878]

That wood is beautiful

[@RandysRides]

I don't eat breakfast...but the english muffins looked like a damn good lunch. Hemlock Dock Don was the full name of the character in sixteen candles, right ?? 👀 🤷‍♂

[@HDBrown-wc9xt]

I think you need to seal up your totes. Maybe use that Flex tape. But cool idea.

[@shnixter]

If you take a heat gun you can melt the #2 plastic together and seal them so no water seeps in. Also I would probably have put some spray foam inside, so once it freezes and cracks it won't sink. Just my 2 cents. Love your channel and your artistic and utilitarian ingenuity. And yes, you make me yawn.

[@christopherleblanc9599]

add stryofoam on inside of the floats too take up the volume so they don't flood again , normally foam get tore up by critters so its a negative , yet those plastic floats would protect the foam

[@TestingWithMike]

This video is off-the-grid!!

[@thebeardedhomesteader]

I need a sawmill for my channel one day but I'm leaning toward a woodmizer unless Norwood wants to mail me one lol

[@okay7325]

I would’ve use those to hydroponically grow your food. Using the ponds fish waste, and then the plant life would give back to the pond.

[@johnlmoring]

According to Thomas English Muffins. the holes are called nooks and crannies.

[@luckyedwards4870]

U've probably figured this out, bn it's just simple math, but ur dock should b able to support "approx", (more or less), 1800 lb's. As usual, fun and interesting, Kevin. 👍

[@SkidderKev]

pretty decent dock using those totes.

[@ModernSelfReliance]

I thought so... could be extended as required...

[@manfredbiefeld6727]

Just love the muffin story

[@KMaC-wt9lr]

For firewood..... or maybe a SHARK cage..??? 🦈🦈

[@kingrafa3938]

Another great build Kevin with Don on it.

[@dominicw.g3722]

As a englishman I approve of the muffin brekky

[@RiverbendlongbowsOutdoors]

Great idea 👍🏻

[@agent_evandrake8027]

15:04 Haha! We have actually heard about it in the Caravan Tree Cabin (That's personally what I call it) or the Spider Hole updates. I am fuzzy on which. But it's a neat setup you got!

[@KTUBE1770]

Can you do a tour of the property/ all your structures?

[@davidreid8353]

Love watching your videos Kevin, but you need to put a disclaimer on your videos if Chris is going to appear!

[@richardwhite4277]

between the grain bin gazebo, the cube, the sauna. the shower. the cabin, and the pond you have a great compound going on. also the eyeball looking ball that you moved in from the tripod

[@susanbell2771]

Nice to see Dot and yes I agree the gate and bench are brilliant and will last

[@donnie2533]

Great video

[@rogermckinnon5738]

What no puppy dog in the jeep today 😂

[@Tarkov.]

Sounds like an Osprey to me.

[@TioMostFrio]

Have you ever considered extending your porch and enclosing from bugs?

[@KerriGilpin]

You and I have very similar breakfast choices. I’m very picky about my English muffins and eggs. It’s probably obsessive. And yeah, I definitely yawned.

[@lethaleefox6017]

I worked in lumber mills for decades that cut Douglas fir and Hemlock... the Hemlock was popular with the Japanese market... never really confused it with our local Western Red Cedar... the Douglas fir has also been called false hemlock and the needles on both are more like firs than pine... single needles rather than in clumps like pines... Tsuga and Pseudotsuga do appear enough alike in the forest for a novice to confuse them, firs and spruce, also being similar but easier to tell apart by needle shape. "Cedars" in general tends to be a very confused term that mostly relates to the smell of the wood. The classic Cedars tend to have long needles like pines Western Red Cedar and Alaska Cedar tend to have needles more like scales in adult trees, the seedlings of Western Red Cedar start out with first leaves more like firs or Douglas fir... I get them sprouting like weeds in flower pots...

[@greatgooglymoogly1980]

Ducktape Fort 😁

[@KingDaveth]

1:16 well that's spooky :P

[@bbouc40254]

coming together nicely

[@gabrielmatthews1671]

Good Luck Loch

[@gabrielmatthews1671]

I Wiersdalien

[@gabrielmatthews1671]

We walk on water

[@gabrielmatthews1671]

Lake Wier

[@yunussuleman9690]

wow the floating docking is very good and you and Don work good well done.

[@erikcarey215]

Love watching you!! I've been totally off grid for 2 years now poor don!!

[@tenaciousbeep1802]

Unrelated but Id like to see you visit America again. You get so happy seeing the prices of tools. Come and stock up!!

[@gailclark3133]

Cool

[@user-bi6sx7ul3o]

Must be followed this shed building guid

[@captaindavidkusterer3155]

Good.morning Keven,when you were Sachs helping him win hi pirate pontoon I remember you said, that you were not a water guy that you were a woods guy. you should have maybe given Zach a call. These floats have to be water Tight.and Sealed... If you get one edge un-even just a little they will take on water. Once you have built them into your dock . ,and should they fill with water , they will weigh a ton trying to get them out of the pond Me I would sink 4.legs into the mud truss the legs together for stability, level the dock and pin or bolt the two together . just saying my 2cents PS- love the cabin

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Going on just over a month no issues that I can see. If you watch the entire video you can see they did fill with water when launching. Just take the clam shells apart and poof floats again..

[@66bigbuds]

Make them a fishing dock, and they walk on the grass.

[@ryangrissom3532]

So did Rachel ( I hope I spelt it correctly ) enjoy Kevin being gone in Maine so much she kicked him out to the woods?

[@ellengerald9763]

I think you put the float pieces together you should have flipped it over the other way to put the boards on. That way you'd have had more of dry side on the plastic.

[@desert-walker]

Cool😊

[@Real_Shit_With_J]

Still should add a tiny boat house.

[@grnlntrn3283]

Yay Don!

[@katefrost8274]

To row those totes smoothly, you need to study the coracle method of propulsion!! xx

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Sounds like it's from the Matrix...

[@TouhaiDensetsu]

@@ModernSelfReliance Now you know kung-fu

[@samach]

The volume of the float is approximately 0.378 cubed meters. The buoyant force provided by the float when completely submerged in water is approximately 3704 Newtons. In terms of weight, the float can support up to approximately 833 lbs (378 kg) while being completely submerged.

[@_moving_mountains]

What about adding a bio filter system from Aquascape? I think that would keep the pond healthy more of the time. Greg Whitstock The Pond Guy on KZbin.

[@ModernSelfReliance]

We are working on that as we speak.

[@brendag2891]

Is that why it looks so green on video? (I know they have been working super hard on filtering etc. I just don't remember exactly)

[@csehszlovakze]

more manly fishing method: dynamite 😂😂😂

[@pyeitme508]

Wow

[@skullotenframe3842]

Kev, great job on the dock. You shoulda grabbed some totes from Fowler. Will you have a haul video showing all the stuff you got in Maine?

[@paulsammis3775]

should have filled the plastic totes with spray foam!

[@laurieedeburn2449]

water plants will fix the pond

[@robertadkins2632]

Butter one side cheese on the other mmmm😋😊

[@ronaldcline1235]

Hot glue pieces of light shield back together.

[@greatgooglymoogly1980]

Yes! You made me yawn! 😂

[@mcbnj]

I swear whenever you put out a digging a hole video it's always followed up by a banger. At least you make up for it

[@russellwatters5891]

Personally, ya'll do a bang up job with your projects, it never ceases to amaze. Hemlock is a beautiful wood, I'm not sure about using it to build with, I never have. Love what ya'll are doing 😊

[@stanleykeith6969]

Kev, Great job on the dock, what if you had used Silicone to seal the two totes together to keep the water from getting in. Also cut another one higher to make it thicker and put it under the dock to raise it up, higher in the water.

[@Mr.X-Texas]

If the plastic totes don't work out, you could always buy a CLOSED CELL sprayfoam kit and fill it! kzbin.info/www/bejne/an6WnHiwmZZmnbc

[@bigdsperformance]

You're supposed to use a fork to separate your English muffins.

[@ModernSelfReliance]

That works too.

[@artfx9]

A FORK? Ladida, Mr. Frenchman.

[@lucymorgan8859]

Dag!!! Kinda jelly.. I've been tryina get my hands on some of those IBC totes for a while, now! Where did you get them? What are they going for up there???

[@ModernSelfReliance]

$100 a piece. But sometimes when you are in the right place at the right time you can pick them up for free.

[@TheBBodyBuilder]

Did you not see the dude walk past your window when you were making coffee?

[@pipesmoker67]

👍

[@jimgriffiths9071]

Silly not to secure the end with some posts.

[@ghomerhust]

yes, you made me yawn. how dare you. hahah this was a fun one! as a nerd with 4 decades experience, a single is a die, multiples are dice, and since they come in many styles with different number sides, those are called polyhedral dice. the more you nerd. bald eagles DO sound like sea gulls. the movies and media dub the sound from a HAWK when they show a bald eagle. also, bald eagles often scavenge to eat instead of hunting.

[@TheDanAge]

the totes are going to fill with water and sink in time.

[@ModernSelfReliance]

Going on 6 weeks now and still a-ok..

[@TheDanAge]

@@ModernSelfReliance give it time

[@mgammons8161]

What is that strapped to your arm?

[@corvuschromatic_G-69]

(1:17) - (1:19) Was that a ghost that floated across your window🤯🥶😬👻❔❕❔

[@ModernSelfReliance]

I think so

[@7LeagueShoes]

PLEASE! Put the net in the water before you try to put the fish in it. Don't try to put the net around the fish. Pull the fish into the net. If you keep the net out of the water until you try to catch the fish with it, the moment you put it in the water the fish will panic some more and make it difficult. It's easier to net the fish this way, and it's less stressful on the fish if you might release it.

[@Skiddols]

Bald eagles do not sound like they look. They do sound like a seagull now that you say that lol