Otter Island - Initial Impresisons & Anchor Setup

This is an initial review/early impressions of the Otter island Swim Raft/Floating Platform. I also a including some video of the anchor setup and other thoughts/impressions.

[@danieleizans]

Had a lot of trouble getting directions on the bungee part of this. Launching ours (green and tan) today. You’ve saved me a lot of back and forth with support. Thanks for your video.

[@nated2951]

Daniel, I’m glad to hear that. I just had to replace our bungies this year, as they were starting to fray. I expect they would have broken this year, so I picked up a set off amazon for about $25. We are still thrilled with ours, and it gets used every time the kids go in the water. I hope you have similar success with yours!

[@danieleizans]

@@nated2951 The dock company we bought ours from offered a second set as part of the kit. I took him up on it so we're ready to swap out if the river we live on is tough on it.

[@kobrien4547]

No diving...good luck! Thanks for the review. :-)

[@evejamieson2049]

Thank you for this. Wondering if you would still recommend it? Thank you.

[@beverlycarroll4645]

How is your otter island holding up?

[@debbieferri7426]

Hmm, Is it okay to dive off the raft in deep water?

[@lisaedwards287]

Thanks for the review. How is it holding up?

[@nated2951]

Lisa, it’s holding up very well. We bought the because we hoped it would last 20 years. We did have to replace the underwater bungees this spring, but that wasn’t a big deal. The Otter Island itself is in near perfect condition after many, many hours of rough waters and lots of playtime spent on it.

[@michaelborrelli2015]

Where can I buy this and how much?

[@thegoddessofrot]

In your opinion could two reasonably fit adults drag this onto/off shore some distance (30 ft or so) slightly uphill onto shore, over uneven terrain?

[@nated2951]

I would say they would need to be pretty strong people. It weighs 300 pounds. We have been able to move it from the shore down into the water with 2 people. Moving it up a hill would be a significant challenge. If you have access to a winch on an ATV or on a vehicle, it would be much, much easier. If you are able to make it work with two people, take a video because it would be impressive! I

[@lauralangenderfer6971]

How do you store in winter months?

[@nated2951]

Laura, we just pull it up on to shore. I prefer to cover it with a tarp, but it’s probably not necessary. We just pulled it out of the lake last weekend. It’s much easier if you have a vehicle with a winch.

[@debbieferri7426]

Hmm, is it okay to dive off the raft in deep water?

[@nated2951]

Debbie,
I think the safety would be completely dependent on your swimming area. If there are copious weeds and sharp rocks or other hard objects in your swim area, then no, it would not be safe. From the platform perspective, they say it holds up to 3,000 pounds, and I believe it. We recently had 5 adults on the raft, and it was as stable as could be, and there was no noticeable stinking due to the 800+ pounds of weight on the platform. My kids jump off of it with no issue, but overall, it depends on your particular swimming area. I hope this helps!

[@dangrenier8091]

Where is the drain plug located

[@nated2951]

Dan, it’s completely filled with foam. Since it’s not hollow, there is no way for it to take on water. 👍

[@heatherbuchanan2915]

How do you get the anchor out of the water to move the raft?

[@nated2951]

Heather, it’s somewhat buoyant once you lift it. I usually lay down on the raft and pull on the chain to lift the anchor. When we pull it out of the water, we hook up the winch on the ATV and pull it to shore that way. Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@heatherbuchanan2915]

Thank you for your quick reply. We recently bought a lake house that has a raft but we can’t figure out how to move the anchor in the water. The raft is still on land from winter. What is best way to place the raft out in deeper water? Previous owner left the anchor in the shallow water for the winter. We are new to all this fun stuff. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!

[@nated2951]

@@heatherbuchanan2915 That’s a completely valid question. I have my anchor connected to the raft with chains and underwater bungie cords. I put the anchor on top of the raft and then stand in the raft and use a paddle from a canoe or kayak to paddle the raft out to the location where I want the raft to sit. The I push the anchor over the side. Just make sure you have the chains connected to your raft first so you don’t lose the anchor. Once the raft is in place, I adjust the chains by reaching over the side. I hope this helps, and congrats on your new place!!

[@MsBuck4]

@@nated2951 You have been very helpful! Thank you so much. I greatly appreciate it.