Float Removal

Float Towing and Hauling (including Mussel Scraping)

Complete In October each year

PROCEDURE

1. Tools & Supplies

From Home:
Powerdriver with Robertsons & Philips heads – to remove transition mats and boards
Rachet with 3/4” & 5/8″ sockets – to remove float and raft swim ladders
Square shovel – to clean mussels off ladders and dolphin rope
Long Adjustable Wrench & Long (non-flathead) screwdriver – to turn bolts off shackles
Hammer & Heavy Punch – to get connector pins out
Knife – for cutting rope if needed
Pliers – to remove cotter pins
Rubber boots
- Towing – for the 1 or 2 people accompanying floats to harbour
- Hauling – for entire mussel cleaning crew

In Chest on Wharf Patio:
Rollers – to move ramp along pier for winter storage
Long Ropes – to secure float chains & tie up floats at harbour
Plastic jugs – to store pins, screws, bolts, flanges, shackles

2. Prep & Tow Floats to Harbour

All but the last of the main tasks below can be done concurrently by different teams
RAISE RAMP
- Need 3 or 4 people on pier and two people on floats to assist
- Remove rubber mat from top transition and store on pier
- Secure Come-a-long to horizontal beam at end of pier
- Attach to Ramp about 2-5 feet from top end
- Raise Ramp slightly and remove pins and store in jug
- Raise Ramp further and pull end onto pier a few feet
- Insert first roller under Ramp on pier
- Secure Ramp and move come-a-long chain 4-6 feet further down ramp
- Pull ramp further onto pier and insert second roller
- Repeat until Ramp is on pier – and pull until 3/4 of ramp is on pier
PREP FLOATS
- Remove rubber mats on floats and spread out and leave on floats
- Remove transition boards
  - take one up on pier to use for leverage and to block end of pier when done
  - leave other on float
- Remove swim ladder, put bolts in jug, and clean off mussels
- Bring raft in (or let Erik do it), remove and clean ladder
- Store both ladders by watercraft
- Sweep off floats
DETACH FLOATS
- Secure rope around end of pier and tie to anchor chains at shore-ward end of floats
  - tie rope to the chain link connected to the shackle at each corner
  - tie rope to cleat and rail to secure shore-ward end of floats to pier while working
  - remove shackles, remove chain from shackles and let hang on rope, and replace shackles
- Loosen shackle on one end of big rope around dolphin at sea-ward end of floats
  - and clean mussels off it if possible (if not, clean during hauling below)
- When ready to tow:
  - tie raft close to shore-ward end of floats
  - remove the rope from shore-ward end of floats
  - remove shackle at sea-ward end of floats and pull big rope onto float
AT HARBOUR
- Erik will push floats onto shore
- Detach floats and replace pins and cotter pins
- Tie floats to land, especially if high tide is expected before Hauling
MUSSEL SCRAPING

PREPARATION

1. Check Tides

for a HIGH
- to enable easy ramp removal and to put floats on beach in Gibsons Harbour
- daytime on weekdays, include Sunday if needed
- volunteer work party required – to prep floats and pull ramp onto wharf
followed by a LOW – likely on the next day
- to remove floats from beach at Harbour
- during weekday work hours for truck
- volunteer work party required – for Mussel Scraping!
This is more challenging in the fall than the spring because the days are significantly shorter… and both towing and hauling/scraping need to be done in daylight !
Example: I scanned six weeks from late Sep to early November and found two possible windows (click each to display tide graph in new tab)
- Sun Oct 6 – 2pm – 14′ tide & Mon Oct 7 – 9am – 6′ tide
- Thu Oct 24 – 3pm – 15′ tide & Fri Oct 25 – 10am – 6′ tide
Updated Site URL = https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Gibsons-British-Columbia/tides/latest
- can only view next week or next four weeks – see example on Float Replacement page – but click on specific Day to enarge

2. Arrange Hauling: Gibsons Harbour –> Elphinstone Park

At LOW Tide, weekday work hours
Call (& Txt) Lonnie Allen: 604-740-1012
Example Text:
- Hi Lonnie. Tony here. Would you be available to haul our floats from the Harbour on Friday Oct 25 about 9:30am? Low tide at 9:37. We will arrange to unlock pillar on Headlands. Need to hold floats during loading so we can scrape mussels off. Thanks.

3. Arrange Towing: Wharf –> Gibsons Harbour

AT HIGH Tide, weekday work hours preferred but may be available otherwise (in daylight)
Once Lonnie is confirmed, Call/Txt Erik Hammond: 604-741-5493
In future, we could look at GWA member with an adequate boat to tow the floats instead, for greater flexibility and lower cost?

4. Organize TWO Work Parties

Promote Float Removal and Mussel Scraping Party via GWA email list
see previous emails for content
1. Arrange Towing
- provide day and time (an hour before Erik’s float towing time)
- need 5 or 6 able-bodied people to:
  - remove swim ladder on floats
  - remove big ladder from dolphin
  - pull ramp up onto wharf
  - detach floats (keep ropes on chains to haul up in spring)
2. Mussel Scraping
- provide day and time (around same time as Lonnie’s float hauling time)
- Ben (C-Tow) have large scrapers that they lend us each year

5. Arrange Access to Harbour

Email Tracey Hincks <thincks@gibsons.ca> (or call her at Town office at 604-886-2274) to ensure Headlands Ave will be accessible so we can get to the Harbour beach (e.g. no film crew)
Check pillar at end of Headlands Rd to see if it is unlocked. Note: lock chain broken at present (Oct 2021) – Tyler says they will eventually weld it back – but happy to unlock whenever needed
If locked, call Town of Gibsons: Tyler, Engineering Dept – 604-741-1089 or Penny, Infrastructure Dept – 604-886-2274 or 2210
Backup: Wendy (Parks Dept) – 604-886-8587
She will unlock at specified time (one hour before Lonnie arrives) or lend us the key

6. Project Lead

gather tools and supplies above
make arrangements above
meet Erik at Wharf
meet Lonnie at Harbour
get tools & supplies down to dock
lead work party – need firm clear leadership to avoid confusion and accidents

AB updated 16 Oct 2025

PROCEDURE

PREPARATION

Copyright