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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Alternative sources for fabric and other materials in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 1 month ago
Hi Mike,
Most of the fabrics available are only coated on one side, except for the heavier fabrics in the DIY Packraft shop, and possibly some sold elsewhere. I used to have fabrics with PU coating on the other side from the TPU, but PU is not as good as TPU. You will find that most PU coatings are not airtight or waterproof and can rub off with…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 8 years, 1 month ago
This is just a quick post to let you know that the V3 DIY Packraft Deluxe (single) kits are now shipping.
I’m currently fulfilling the pre-orders, some of which were placed as far back as August, so please be […]
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, Review: Model Airplane Heat Sealing Irons 8 years, 1 month ago
I have used a 20W soldering iron and it worked fine – it sounds like that iron will work if the advertised temperature is accurate.
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 8 years, 1 month ago
For trip planning, it’s important to be able to estimate how much water you can cover in a given amount of time. You need to consider wind and current speeds, of course, (especially if you’re paddling in a river […]
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Anyone have any data on the speed of a 2 person packraft?
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The 2-Person model is constructed like the Skeena and the seat can be placed in the middle, but it is slower and more awkward to paddle because it is much longer and wider.
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Matt (Admin) and
Raimondas are now friends 8 years, 1 month ago -
Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 1 month ago
Awesome!! Thanks for posting, Jeremy!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 8 years, 2 months ago
Today I’m leaving town for a couple of weeks, but the new V3 DIY Packraft is pretty much ready to go, so kits will start shipping after I return on September 30th.
The new V3 packraft instructions are posted […]
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Hi Katie – for now the V3 is only available as a kit. I may offer plans at some point in the future, but probably not as I’ve had issues with people buying a set of plans and then trying to use them to make money. Thanks for your interest!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Ultralight DIY Packraft in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 2 months ago
Cool! Thanks for posting 😀
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Heat-sealing tools in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 2 months ago
Thanks for your review, Bruce!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 2 months ago
Great shot! I love seeing DIY Packrafts in what to me are exotic locations!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 2 months ago
That’s a big rubber duck 😀 Looks great!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 8 years, 2 months ago
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. […]
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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.
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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!
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Oh, good find – thanks!
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New DIY Packraft Design Available Soon (and a small rant) 8 years, 2 months ago
Hi Mark – I will be designing a V3 version of the Ultralight packraft, but it will be slightly different because it will not use double-sided TPU fabric, so it will take a bit longer.
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New DIY Packraft Design Available Soon (and a small rant) 8 years, 2 months ago
Thanks, Brian – that means a lot to me! Best regards
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, New DIY Packraft Design Available Soon (and a small rant) 8 years, 2 months ago
Hi Tim – it will be approximately 4 pounds. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 8 years, 2 months ago
Nikki’s parents were visiting over the holiday weekend and they wanted to try out the new packraft, so I took the opportunity to take a few pictures to share. You can see that the weather was much better than the […]
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, First Pictures of the new V3 DIY Packraft 8 years, 2 months ago
They are heat sealed together 🙂
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 8 years, 3 months ago
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Matt (Admin) commented on the post, First Pictures of the new V3 DIY Packraft 8 years, 3 months ago
Thanks, Eliot!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 8 years, 3 months ago
For the maiden voyage of the V3 DIY Packraft, Nikki and I spent the weekend visiting some glaciers!
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My favorite seat back, and the easiest, is a Crazy Creek folding camp chair. Not exactly a back packing item, but I can set a 2″ thick square boating flotation seat pad into the raft, top it with the crazy Creek chair and my daughter is up above the water and happy. Commercial versions that support the back and wrap around the hips are not popular among the hardcore here in Fairbanks. I bet Matt can develop something much better! The whitewater hardcore I know prefer a good kayak back band, supported with attachment loops or D-rings high on the inside of the raft. If using D-rings, they also attach their thigh braces to the same point. (I’m still looking for nice 1″ (25mm) aluminum D-rings, chrome rust, and the Titanium ones are a bit rough edged (DutchGear.com)). If using webbing one has to think through the connection so knees and back straps are connected and pulling against each other, not both building pressure on the side attachment patches in opposite directions.
Can’t wait to get my V3 built! Lets see, 1000D or 420D, that’s the question?
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