Activity

In this case I would heat seal them in place as best as possible and add Aquaseal where necessary, and then reinforce the joint with an additional strip of fabric heat sealed on the outside of tube-floor joint.

Turn it inside out.

I tacked the 3 tube down using the cardboard tunnel, then turned the entire tube inside out and finished the seam.  I found this a lot easier than trying to chase bubbles and inspect the seam looking through the tunnel.  I thought I had a good seam until I looked it in the daylight and saw all the flaws.

With minimal o…[Read more]

I damage the TPU on one of my tubes where it is supposed to attach to the floor, can I use aqua seal to bound this piece where the TPU is damaged?

Hi Jordan,

That sounds like an epic adventure, and that’s the type of trip packrafts are made for! I’d use single-person packrafts with airtight zippers for internal storage… However, I strongly urge you to gain lots of moving-water experience and take a swift-water rescue course before venturing out on a remote, multi-day river trip. There’s…[Read more]

In this case, I think I would heat seal them in place as best as possible and add Aquaseal where necessary, and then reinforce the joint with an additional strip of fabric heat sealed on the outside of the packraft (overlapping the joint between the tube and the floor). I’d add the reinforcing strip after the seam strips were in place joining the…[Read more]

Hello From Fairbanks AK, I just finished my raft!

The long seams were tricky trying to reach inside those tubes.  If I remember right, my floor is 84″ long.  I’d say think it through before you proceed so you are sure you’ll be able to effectively seal those long seams from the extended tubes.  I had some persistent leaks there that I finally sorted out.

Don’t mess with the 3m stuff, I just us…[Read more]

Hey Derek,

Great build. I’m actually just starting on building my own plus-size voyageur, but even larger to accommodate two kids (about 100″ long).

Any other general tips you want to share? It sounds like sealing that inside tube seam during construction might be a good approach. I have loads of Aquaseal but none of the 3M stuff you…[Read more]

I just made my first purchase and i am pumped!!

Also not a bot

Hi!!!

I tried several different heat sealing tapes. Bonds to the PU coating was unsatisfactory so I gave up. I was also unable to determine if the film of tape chemically matched the TPU coating. My understanding is that plastic welding and bonding only works between two identical or compatible plastics.

Great to know the Big Agnes fits my Voyager. An interesting complaint packrafters made about using their camping pads for the floor of their packraft was sleeping on a wet pad. A solution is to put the pad under the tent floor!

Bruce

Fairbanks

I’m fascinated with your successful application of 3m 5200. I bought the slow sure version and had no luck getting it to cure. Great looking craft, love the photos!

Bruce

Fairbanks