The only thing that matters is size. You could carry a horse around as long as it fit in your inventory. Which I have yet to post a picture of.

Edit: Ok. I generally went with what was wanted.

Picture 1

Picking up a solid looking board from the ground you try to hit the snake with it. You swing once, and miss. You swing again, it dodges. You swing once again, and hit it right on the head. It is now lying inside the barrel, asleep.

Inventory

You now have a board!

Picture 2

You pick up a longer board and attempt to push the burning wood out of the way so you can get to your chest. You manage to do so, exposing fresh, unburned wood beneath which then catches on fire. The flames are now twice as thick, and much much hotter. You don't think you'll be able to find a board long enough to try it again.

The gold chest is not actually an item. It is simply a place to put small things that won't attach to the plate. Such as coins, crystals, or hair...

Go down to the coastline and fill the barrel with water to put out the fire.

Only enough so she can carry it.

I agree fill the bucket full of water.

Picture 1

You head over to the coast so you can fill the bucket with water. You see a boat tied to the end of a dock. Sadly, the dock is in a bad state of disrepair and you can't go out on it. You also see a lidded box on the ground.

Picture 2

You take the barrel and lean over to fill it. As water rushes in the snake slides out and shoots out into the water. You had forgotten it was even in there. Oh well, not much you could have done with it anyway. At least you can put the fire out and get to your chest now.

If you have a board in your inventory and you pick up another, does it take up more space or is it just "board x2"?. Either way, pick up the other board on the ground, then go put out the fire. Perhaps check the box on your way to the fire.

Open the box. Also use the other plank in the picture and lay it and the one in your inventory on the dock, over the gaps, perpindicular to the rest. Then get the lantern and the oar from the boat. Also take the planks of wood with you when you come back to the shoreline.

I like what you are thinking and had the same thought before I noticed something. There are three planks missing in the dock and counting the one by the box she has two. There are more planks back at the house. The reason I said take the board instead of use it was to just get all the boards at once (assuming the inventory is a "board xN" system and not that each board takes up space) and then come back and fix the dock. Also, this could be one of those games where you need to find a hammer before you can fix/build and it could be in the chest.

Lay the boards lengthwise (Like Sentinal said, perpendicular), side-by-side so they are wide enough to walk over. Then you don't have to go all the way back. Either way lets go get to the chest first before going for the boat, seeing as we don't need the boat right now, Aye?

I say go get the chest first and then worry about the boat.