Using Rafts to Cross Water Without a Boat

Place and Ride

A raft is a floating platform you place on water. Craft one first — for example an Oak Log Raft from Oak Logs using its shaped recipe — then carry it to the shoreline. Place the raft on the water surface and step onto it to cross.

Rafts work on any body of water: rivers, lakes, and open ocean. Unlike swimming, you stay above the surface, which keeps you dry and lets you carry items safely across.

Choosing a Raft for the Trip

Any of the ten rafts will get you across. Pick based on the wood you have on hand: an Acacia Log Raft if you are in a savanna, a Spruce Log Raft in taiga, a Mangrove Raft in a swamp, or a Bamboo Raft if you have harvested bamboo. The crafting recipe for each uses only that wood type, so you rarely need to travel far for materials.

Practical Tips

Craft a raft before you set out so you are not stranded at a riverbank. Keep a spare in your inventory for return trips. If you relocate your base, pick the raft up and place it again at the new water crossing. Because every raft is crafted from common wood, replacing a lost one costs only a few logs.