Forum Replies Created
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Replies
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Mountain Equipment Co-op has several paddling jackets/pants combinations, as well as one-piece drysuits to choose from – that’s probably your best bet in Canada (though I haven’t used any of them). One has a spandex collar, which sounds intriguing.
I took a gamble on a no-name drysuit I found on Amazon a few years ago for a ridiculously cheap price and it works well enough for me. It’s not available anymore though, and it doesn’t have the features you’re looking for.
I’m not familiar with that product so I can’t recommend it. I recommend Seam Grip+WP, Aquaseal, or Aquasure (all made by Gear Aid).
Yep, that sounds about right (see the “Note” about sealing different fabrics together on the Heat Sealing page). You don’t need to join 450 to 450 in any of my designs, so don’t worry about that. Cheers!
I think that would work fine, but I would probably just apply the sealant to the outside of the seams. It looks pretty good (glossy) if you let it cure fully before getting them dirty (if it’s at all tacky it’ll pick up dust).
Beautiful work, Christian – they all look flawless!
Thanks for the feedback about your experience with the Ultralight fabric, too.
Happy paddling!
Hi! I’ve increased the seam width in the kits to 30 mm based on customer feedback, but I haven’t tried any wider than that. I think it should be fine to go wider, but only up to a point (because the tubes meet at an angle and the seam strips have to mold to them).
Also, I’m not sure if you’ve been adding seam sealer to the inside of the seams, but since I started doing that I haven’t had any leaks.
Cheers
I’ve fixed the broken link – thanks for bringing it to my attention. Just send me an email if you’ve ordered and want to get your password early 🙂
Hi Barbara, this is the only failure I’m aware of, and it’s a good lesson for us all: https://www.diypackraft.com/forums/topic/packraft-failure-near-drowning/
The least stress will be near the tip of the stern, so you could try there. Wherever is convenient should be fine though.
I don’t know what fabric you’re using, but assuming you’ve tested the welds and you’re satisfied they’re strong, then if you’re careful to avoid leaving any gap where the two pieces meet then it should work out fine. You can’t heat seal a fabric patch over Seam Grip though (or to the inside of the tube fabric, for that matter); instead, I would use Aquaseal to cover the area, both inside and out (Aquaseal is more viscous than Seam Grip so it’s better for patching tiny leaks).
Looks good from here (see the “note” on the Heat Sealing page about sealing different fabrics together).
It’s nylon.
I haven’t made one, but the easiest way would be to fold a circle or rectangle of fabric in half and seal the edges together. Add a top-up valve for inflation/deflation, and add at least one attachment point by sandwiching some floor material into the edge as in this seat: https://www.diypackraft.com/construction/how-to/seat-bottom-assembly/
