Floß

Floß, or raft, is a simple, buoyant watercraft constructed by binding logs, planks, or other flotation materials together to form a flat platform. Traditional rafts rely on logs laid side by side and lashed with ropes, producing a hollow deck protected by the flotation of the timber. The vessel typically has no rigid hull and is propelled by poles, paddles, or by the current. Rafts have been used for transport, fishing, and logging throughout riverine regions worldwide.

Construction and materials vary: wooden rafts of logs or planks, reed rafts with a wicker skin, and modern inflatable or pontoon rafts used for recreation and rescue. In forestry operations, rafts were historically used to move timber downriver; today rafting is common in tourism, sport, and river-traffic management. Safety and navigation depend on balance, lashings, and appropriate supervision on waterways.

Floß is also the name of a municipality in the Free State of Bavaria, Germany.