-
Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Packing gear inside your packraft in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 6 months ago
Thanks for posting this, Bruce! It’s amazing how much gear you can store in a packraft’s tubes. If you don’t have to carry everything far, there’s no reason not bring those luxury items because as you say, the packraft will handle better with some weight in it. Cheers!
-
JesseW became a registered member 3 years, 6 months ago
-
pmccain became a registered member 3 years, 6 months ago
-
Bruce started the topic Packing gear inside your packraft in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 6 months ago
I’m not much of a backpacker now that my back is as bent and can’t carry a load. Packrafting, however is great. I don’t have to hoist the craft onto the car rack. It inflates at a whim. And, unlike my decades of whitewater canoeing, I don’t feel like I need full rowing rig raft support to carry the kitchen sink. I can fit it all in my packraft.…[Read more]
-
Bruce replied to the topic Correct seat placement in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 6 months ago
In my experience, having outfitted numerous solo whitewater canoes and kayaks, and from talking to the most experienced of the local packrafters with more whitewater skills than I (Class IV WW Solo Canoe) the most efficient paddling seat location is as far forward as possible. This allows one to paddle with the modern kayak stroke.
Ideally the…[Read more]
-
john-john became a registered member 3 years, 7 months ago
-
Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 3 years, 7 months ago
Inspired by bikerafting, the Atlin’s wide bow creates a stable and buoyant platform for carrying large loads.
For more information about the Atlin, watch the one-minute intro video below and check out the […]
-
Hey Matt, I’ve been hoping you would make this design.
-
Great! I spent a lot of time on it, so I hope people like it 🙂
-
-
So, apart from the extra load carrying capacity, what are the main benefits? Am I right in thinking it will actually be easier to put it together, due to the design of the bow? What water rating would you be happy to say it could handle, Class III? And does the slightly stronger tube material negate the need for the wrap around bottom fabric that is on the Telkwa?
-
Whitewater handling will depend on what you pack and how you pack it – a large, top-heavy load is inherently unstable. The main benefit of the Atlin compared to the other models is that it’s more stable with a large load on the bow because it’s wider there, so (all else being equal) as it tips sideways in the waves it’s less likely to capsize because of its wider stance. Whitewater capability depends more on the paddler than the packraft, so I don’t normally give ratings (I have a page in the FAQ about all the confounding factors) and it’s still the spring thaw here so I haven’t had a chance to paddle in anything other than lakes and a fairly gentle river… I can tell you it makes for a lousy icebreaker though (but it’s still fun to ram the ice at full speed to see how far you can get). The construction time/difficulty is about the same as the Skeena – there’s one less tube-to-tube seam, but there are three long seams instead of two. Durability is also similar to the Skeena – the Telkwa’s wrap-around floor is still in a class of its own.
-
Thanks for the reply, considering I have a lot of shallow rivers in my area, I think the extra floor strength of the Telkwa is probably still a better option for me.
-
-
-
-
Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Convertible Spray Deck option in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
Pretty much, yeah.
Alpacka used to use wide velcro (and maybe still do on some spray decks) but people complain about water getting in through the velcro.
You can buy “waterproof” (more like water-resistant) zippers of various lengths on Amazon and elsewhere. Some of them even have a heat sealable TPU coating on one side. Remember you’ll need a…[Read more]
-
Damo replied to the topic Convertible Spray Deck option in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
I assume an extra long TiZip would be very expensive and a heavy duty YKK zip would not be waterproof. Velcro could be an option but it wouldn’t stand up to a wave dumping of water in a class 3+ river.
-
Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Convertible Spray Deck option in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
Hi Damo – yep, it’s definitely doable, I just don’t offer it as an official option because I haven’t found a reliable zipper supplier. Cheers
-
manbugle became a registered member 3 years, 7 months ago
-
Damo started the topic Convertible Spray Deck option in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
Hi, can the spray deck be installed with a few modifications to allow it to be removed/stored. I was thinking maybe 2 long zips along the sides allowing you roll it up, and then adding a velcro flap at the rear to hold it in place when in use. I noticed another member installed a similar option, but it looked like he designed and installed a c…[Read more]
-
Damo replied to the topic New users say "Hi" here to prove you are not a Spam Bot in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
New user, just waiting on Pre-Orders to become available again. I already own 2 Anfibio Packrafts and I am interested in making my own for a comparison. Located in Tasmania, Australia.
-
Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Correct seat placement in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
Greetings! Great work on your Skeena!
I’m not sure if the seat position will have a noticeable effect on the directional stability, but for comfort, my recommendation would be to start with it as far back as possible and then lengthen the tether if you want to try moving it forward. If you use the stock backrest then you will need to place…[Read more]
-
ruciomena started the topic Correct seat placement in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 7 months ago
Hi! This post seeks to answer the following question: in which position should I install the inflatable seat in orden to maximize packraft’s directional stability?
-
Damo became a registered member 3 years, 7 months ago
-
steviek became a registered member 3 years, 8 months ago
-
mttgilbert replied to the topic An Inflatable Drybag that fits through your zipper. in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 8 months ago
This looks like a cool idea, I’m going to try and make one. Bruce, if you’re still around, do you have any feedback on the concept after use?
-
Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Easy bow bag from scrap fabric in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 8 months ago
Awesome idea! Thanks for posting!
-
MARCOGMCAT became a registered member 3 years, 8 months ago
- Load More
