2p Raft Seating Alternative

[mttgilbert]

I’m just a couple tube sections in to my 2p Packraft and I’m thinking about the seats. I know the tubes are taller and that seems to be the basis for the canoe style seat kit that comes with it. I got the 2p model specifically to have a packraft large enough to fit me, my dog, and my pack (maybe a bike too). I will likely never have a paddling passenger on this boat and would prefer to paddle from the center, or slightly off-center anyway.

I read through the “How To – Back band, Thigh Strap, Spray Deck” article and like the style of back band described there. I’m thinking of making basically the same seat that’s detailed in the Skeena/Telkwa instructions (I finished one of those last Fall). The biggest change I’ll make to the seat is to make it taller by about 2.5″. I can wait until the raft is complete and check the general fit of the Telkwa seat before deciding on final dimensions for that piece.

I know supplies are limited at the moment and I think I have enough material from the seat kit that came with the raft. Has any one done this already and described it somewhere? Any feedback on sizing the seat, or modifying the shape of the seat? Any general feedback or considerations I should be aware of?

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[Matt (Admin)]

I think you’ll find the width of the 2-Person packraft to be as much of an issue as the seat height, and after testing the idea of a kayak-style seat you might change your mind. When paddling solo with a large/heavy load, I actually prefer to sit on the rear tubes because it’s narrower there and you have better visibility and control.

[mttgilbert]

That’s interesting, do you actually sit on the convergence of the two tubes in the stern or is that where you’re wedging the seat? Are you using a traditional kayak paddle or a canoe style paddle?

[Matt (Admin)]

I either sit on the tubes or on a seat slid all the way back, depending on what else is in the packraft and how it all fits. Solo in the 2-Person, I use a kayak paddle – the longest one I have. If I was paddling with another adult, I might choose canoe paddles because it’s less annoying (you don’t smack paddles if the person in the rear stops paying attention). I’ve done a lot of canoeing and kayaking, so both paddle types feel natural to me, but you might prefer one or the other. Solo, a kayak paddle will be more efficient.

As a point of comparison, the 2-Person packraft with weight in it handles more like a canoe or a double sea kayak (i.e. not very manoeuvrable), while the single-person packrafts handle more like river kayaks (you can turn on a dime).

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