Until now, big and tall people haven’t fit well in a DIY Packraft, but that problem has been solved with the new Skeena XL, which I designed for Kenneth Dagfinrud, who had previously made three other DIY Packrafts for himself and his family and was looking for one that would better accommodate his height and weight of 190 cm (6’3″) and 120 kg (265 pounds), plus a large backpack full of camping gear.
After constructing the Skeena XL, Kenneth wrote, “The size is perfect for me (190 cm 120 kg). I think the speed and tracking is better in the Skeena XL than my Atlin 145, maybe because the raft sits higher in the water (because of my weight). The build was just like the Skeena 120, no problem with the size and without zipper.”
The Skeena XL’s internal cockpit is 161 cm (63 3/8″) long, 42.5 cm (16 3/4″) wide, and the tubes are 31.5 cm (12 3/8″) in diameter. That’s 15% bigger all around than the Skeena 140, which was previously the largest Skeena. The finished weight with a new wider seat and backrest is just 3051 grams, or 6.73 pounds.
In addition to fitting larger people, the Skeena XL might also be a good choice for someone who wants to paddle with a medium to large size dog, a child, or an unusually large amount of gear. Look for it soon in the DIY Packraft shop!
Thanks to Kenneth for building the prototype and for sending these fantastic photos!
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