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(Gumotex in Europe = Innova in USA)
(“Helios” is no longer produced; the “8” side-tubes exist on the Gumotex/Innova Safari, and the kayak is stiff enough to surf 1m50 waves)
Hi Matt,
First, congratulations for your so exciting website! Hey, nice idea to ask us the question! These are my needs thus:
Definitely, a 2-person flat-water packraft, but not as the Alpacka Explorer 42 (I own it) which is too short. No, a long 2-person packraft, with side tube parallel with each other: that allows each packraft-builder to choose the length of his own packraft by adding a central piece with the length of his choice (as Jed already said). For instance, I’d need at least 3m50 to go on the sea, > 300m from the side (French laws)… and put a fatbike without taking off wheels. (Is it a lightweight inflatable kayak? a very long packraft? No matter the name…)
Matt, You wrote: “I’ve been working on a two-person packraft design for a while now, but I’d like to avoid the floppy side-tube syndrome that people complain about in the manufactured two-person packrafts. How much of an issue was this for you, @lynsg? I know you found the length an issue for comfort as well (it not really being long enough for two people to stretch out). Should I go ahead and release a typical two-person model with the inherent flaws, or should I wait until I can improve on the industry-standard design?”
The floppy side-tube should be an issue, but not too much in flat waters. I think wind from side is a bigger issue with a long packraft!
To avoid the floppiness of the lateral tubes, maybe we should build them like “a 8” and not “a 0” (I speak about a “cut view” of the tube). I have several Gumotex inflatable kayak: two of them are similar by length (Solar and Helios) and pression; but the Helios is “8” and the Solar is “0”; and the Helios is less floppy. (Moreover, a “8” profile give more space inside.). More difficult to build, but a DIY website is for persons who love that, isn’t it ?!
Maybe a whole inflatable mattress should add stiffness (if tubes are in the length). And that give a mattress for the campsite! And that allows self-bailing which is a great confort in ocean or grade-2 whitewater.
I resume: a 2-person packraft, customizable in length and in width, with 8-profile lateral tubes, self-bailing, and inflatable mattress!!