A Boat in the Woods · video

What this video covers

Joshua frames the roof of a boat shed using a homemade crane truck — a pickup fitted with a 25-foot gin pole and chain hoist — to lift pre-built trusses into position over a row of shipping containers.0:06 Work spans 10–12 August 2026, and covers 21 trusses in total.Watch The lifting sequence requires repositioning the truck for each truss, notching the plywood gusset to centre the hook, raising the truss slowly to avoid snagging existing framing, then climbing onto a container to fasten the rafter to the top plate and add temporary bracing on both sides.0:29 A drill attachment speeds the chain hoist winding.0:14 On 11 August, one truss sits too low at the bird's mouth cuts despite plumb cuts measuring dead-on at a 4/12 pitch and rafter lengths accurate to within a sixteenth of an inch; the lesson drawn is to measure the critical width across the assembled rafter on the ground before lifting.8:46 The final truss goes up on 12 August, preceded by the traditional topping-out ceremony — a white pine bough nailed to the last piece.12:56 After all trusses are set, Joshua dismantles the gin pole piece by piece off the truck.15:39 Next steps are permanent bracing, blocking, breaking ties, and strapping.19:10

More from A Boat in the Woods

Hurricane Ties, Bracing, Turning the Truck into Scaffolding - No. 46Aug 2026I Built My Boatshed's Roof on the Ground… Now How Do I Lift It? - No. 44Aug 2026Huge Progress on the Boat Shed - No. 43Aug 2026Learning to Weld So My New Boat Shed's Roof Doesn't Fly Away - No. 42Jul 2026

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