Tom F. sent me this video and this link to a forum thread documenting the design and construction of a lightweight fishing float tube (a.k.a. bellyboat or belly boat) using heat sealable fabrics. Unfortunately the designer/builder, an engineer who posted under the name SHigSpeed, has died, but his posts live on. I wanted to share them with you in case you’re thinking of tackling a similar project; maybe somewhere down the line I’ll work on something similar myself, but I don’t have time at the moment.
Check it out!
5 Comments
Derek · July 9, 2025 at 10:20 am
Hey Matt, hope you are well! I’ve almost finished my packraft and getting very excited to seal it up. Im working on a very early V2 version that i’ve had waiting to build for some years now. I have some leftover fabric and was going to think up some plans for a float tube/belly boat for hiking in to alpine lakes. I tried following the link to the forum but looks like it may not be there anymore. Does anyone have leads on DIY float tube from the posts above or happen to have something saved? im curious about the sizing of the “U” shape specifically and how the seat was attached in that video
Matt (Admin) · July 9, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Hi Derek, that’s great! Too bad that site doesn’t exist anymore… I see that the page was saved in the Wayback Machine ( https://web.archive.org/ ) in 2015, but I didn’t bother to make an account and check to see if all the info is there.
I’m not aware of anyone else who has posted anything similar, but if you find something, please post a link in a comment here. Thanks!
Derek · July 9, 2025 at 2:20 pm
i’ve found the link through some digging: https://www.billkiene.com/forums/showthread.php?21680-SHig-s-Superlight-Packin-tube-Project/page22&highlight=superlight.
would be a fun project to try and replicate
Matt (Admin) · July 9, 2025 at 8:26 pm
Oh, good find – thanks!
Ron Samber · September 22, 2017 at 7:04 pm
Matt: AWESOME link to this man’s quest to build a 2 lb float tube. I read through all 22 pages of posts spanning 5 years of research and design. Fascinating stuff. We lost a good one when he died.