This page may give you ideas for designs or devices that may help with your oyster gardening.  Mesh bags and the Taylor Float (shown at the upper left) have been the most popular devices for oyster gardeners. If you are having trouble raising and cleaning your Taylor Float, try the more compact Flip Float introduced by the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Co., LLC.  Or check out their blog for more ideas http://chesbayoysterco.blogspot.com/. 

Or if you want to set your bags on the bottom, or suspend them underwater with a rope, try the Delano device shown here (see article in the Spring 2009 Newsletter). The second photo is a bottom cage, suitable for a high energy location with a hard bottom, or where you want your oysters out of sight.  The third photo is an alternative flipfloat, which uses a premade float with UV resistant material.  The bottom cage and the alternative flipfloat are available at the Bay Oyster Co., or they will advise you on how to build your own.

Click here for a "pdf" document describing the interesting work done by Julian Cox (MOG).

One more idea for those struggling to get their Taylor floats up for cleaning, if they are fortunate enough to have a boat lift.  The bottom picture shows how you can modify a boat lift with 2 inexpensive galvanized rails available in the fencing section of your home store (i.e. Home Depot).

Click here for the slide show presented at the Spring 2009 Oyster Fairs.

 

 

 

Delano Device (click for design document)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bottom Cage

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternative Flip Float with Preformed Floats

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boat Lift Rails

 

 

 

Click here for more information about Brian Wood's Lift shown below.