Guide Crafting Rafts and Boats for Water Travel in Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the aspect of building holds significant importance for players. This becomes evident right from the start, even on the tutorial island known as the Great Sky Island, where Link awakens and must complete his tasks before setting foot in Hyrule. Throughout this island and beyond, players will find strong encouragement to engage in crafting and combining various elements to tackle diverse challenges.

One of the earliest challenges presents itself when Link needs to reach the In-isa Shrine, one of the four tutorial Shrines, with a vast lake obstructing his path. To overcome this obstacle, he must construct a raft equipped with a sail capable of harnessing the wind. Let's delve into how players can achieve this in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and also explore alternative methods they might employ to cross the lake.

Crafting Boats and Rafts​

To craft a boat in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, players need to become acquainted with the 'Attach' function of the Ultrahand ability, which Link acquires from Rauru early in the game. The 'Attach' ability enables players to connect a variety of objects, with a maximum limit of 21 different items that can be affixed together. When players first encounter the lake obstructing their path to the In-isa Shrine in the tutorial area, they'll notice a few sails and tree trunks intentionally placed nearby for newcomers to observe, cut down, combine, and construct a boat. While this might not be the most challenging "quest" in the game, it can take players a bit longer than expected.

The most common and stereotypical raft or boat that players are likely to create consists of three tree trunks joined side by side, with a sail on top. This configuration will serve well in almost every situation where Link needs a raft since there are typically trees available nearby for harvesting. However, in the rare circumstance where players can't find a suitable sail (even a vertical piece of wood can serve as one), there are plenty of alternative options that make use of different materials or even Zonai Devices.

Other Boat & Raft Options ​

In various situations in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, players may find themselves without a favorable wind for their sail, encountering slow winds, or needing a boat that can navigate against a current or around obstacles. In these instances, it becomes more convenient to rely on the Zonai Devices spread throughout Hyrule (rather than Sheikah technology, which is unusual), or gather them from Device Dispensers located in key areas on the ground and in numerous locations in the skies.

Here's a brief, though not exhaustive, table of items that can serve as sails and materials for the boat or raft's floor:

Sail Options:

• Zonai Wing
• Zonai Sled
• Zonai Cart
• Wooden Boards
• President Hudson Cutout
• Metal Plates
• Lava Slabs
• Stone Slabs
• Ice 'Boards'
• Korok Fronds

Floor Options:

• Zonai Wing
• Zonai Sled
• Zonai Cart
• Wooden Boards
• Tree Trunk Logs
• the 'Float' Shrine Balls
• Pre-Made Kayaks & Boats

While this list does not encompass every possible item that can be used as a sail or boat floor, it provides a general idea. In essence, anything that generates a 'gust' of wind when attached to a weapon and swung is likely to function as a sail. Similarly, objects that float in water can usually bear Link's weight as part of the boat's floor.