Overview
The Bamboo Raft is the cheapest and simplest water vehicle in Starsand Island. With a blueprint cost of just 400 Coins and a crafting recipe requiring only 10 Bamboo Strips, it is accessible early in the game. The Bamboo Raft is slow compared to powered watercraft like the Jet Ski and Speedboat, but it provides a functional way to cross rivers and explore coastal areas before you can afford better options.
The Bamboo Raft is also a required vehicle for completing Bruce's Flying Fish Sample quest, which is part of the Angler profession questline. Building one early ensures you are prepared when this quest becomes available, and the low material cost makes it a no-brainer first watercraft.
Quick Reference
Detail | Value |
|---|---|
Type | Water vehicle |
Blueprint Cost | 400 Coins (from G-Power Bike) |
Crafting Station | |
Speed | Slow |
Riders | 1 |
Fuel | None (manually propelled) |
Durability | Unlimited (no degradation) |
How to Obtain
The Bamboo Raft blueprint is purchased from Neona at the G-Power Bike shop for 400 Coins. This is the cheapest vehicle blueprint in the game. Once the blueprint is learned, it is permanently added to your Islandpedia, where you can review the crafting recipe and required station at any time.
Visit Neona at G-Power Bike (located on the main road south of the town center).
Purchase the Bamboo Raft blueprint for 400 Coins.
Gather 10 Bamboo Strips by processing Bamboo at a Cutter.
Craft the Bamboo Raft at a Worktable II.
Crafting Recipe
Material | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
Bamboo Strips | 10 | Processed from Bamboo at the Cutter. Bamboo grows near Cloudrest Lake and in bamboo groves around the island, particularly near the Panda House area. |
Bamboo is one of the easiest materials to farm in the game. Each bamboo stalk yields multiple Bamboo Strips when processed at the Cutter, and bamboo groves regrow quickly. A single harvesting trip near Cloudrest Lake typically provides enough material for two or three rafts.
How to Deploy and Use
After crafting, the Bamboo Raft is stored in your inventory. You can equip it to your hotbar through the backpack menu, then place it into water with the assigned hotkey. The raft can also be summoned from anywhere on the island using the Travel App on your phone, so you do not need to physically carry it back to a dock or parking spot.
To ride the raft, walk up to it in the water and interact with it. You will paddle forward using standard movement controls. There is no sprint or boost function on the Bamboo Raft, so travel is steady but slow. Steering is responsive enough for navigating rivers and small coastal inlets, but the lack of speed makes crossing large open water areas tedious.
Uses
Crossing rivers and small water bodies without swimming
Basic coastal exploration along the island's shoreline
Reaching offshore fishing spots near the coast
Completing Bruce's Flying Fish Sample quest as part of the Angler profession
An affordable early stepping stone before upgrading to a Sailboard, Jet Ski, or Speedboat
Limitations
The Bamboo Raft is designed as a starter watercraft and has several important limitations that make upgrading worthwhile as your income grows:
Slow speed: The raft is the slowest water vehicle in the game. It is faster than swimming, but significantly slower than the Sailboard, Jet Ski, and Speedboat.
Single rider: Only the player can ride the Bamboo Raft. NPC companions and pets cannot board it.
No deep-sea access: The slow speed makes the Bamboo Raft impractical for reaching deep-sea fishing zones. Use a Yacht rental or craft a Jet Ski for ocean exploration.
No sprint function: Unlike the Jet Ski and Speedboat, the Bamboo Raft has no boost or sprint ability.
Comparison with Other Watercraft
Vehicle | Blueprint Cost | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Bamboo Raft | 400 Coins | Slow | Cheapest water vehicle. Good for early river crossing. |
1,300 Coins | Medium | Wind-powered. No fuel cost but faster than the raft. | |
45,000 Coins | Fast | Powered watercraft. Best mid-game ocean vehicle. | |
175,000 Coins | Very Fast | Top-tier water vehicle. Requires Worktable III. |
Upgrade Path
The Bamboo Raft is a temporary vehicle intended for the early game. As your Coin income grows through farming, fishing, and selling at the Merchant Ship, plan to upgrade through the following watercraft progression:
Bamboo Raft (400 Coins): Your first boat. Handles rivers and short coastal trips.
Sailboard (1,300 Coins): A meaningful speed upgrade. Requires 10 Hardwood Plank, 10 Carbon Line, 5 Flannel, and 5 Linen to craft.
Jet Ski (45,000 Coins): Fast enough for deep-sea trips. Eliminates the need to rent Yachts for ocean exploration.
Speedboat (175,000 Coins): The ultimate watercraft. Can also be purchased pre-built for 350,000 Coins from Neona.
Tips
Build the Bamboo Raft as soon as you have access to a Worktable II. The 400 Coin investment pays off immediately through quest access and river crossing.
Bamboo is easily farmed near Cloudrest Lake and the Panda House area, making crafting materials readily available.
You can summon the raft from anywhere on the island using the Travel App, so there is no need to carry it back to a specific location after each use.
Plan to upgrade to the Sailboard (1,300 Coins blueprint) once you have the materials, as it provides a noticeable speed improvement for coastal travel.
Do not attempt deep-sea fishing trips with the Bamboo Raft. The slow speed makes the journey impractical. Rent a Yacht at Starsand Port or craft a Jet Ski instead.