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I recently used Seattle Fabrics 200D TPU coated Oxford https://www.seattlefabrics.com/56-58-200-D-Heat-Sealable-Coated-Oxford-2950-linear-yard_p_44.html for a few accessories since I’m based nearish to Seattle and they sell in small (0.25yd) increments. I found that it is air and watertight, but Matt’s fabrics are still definitely the best in terms of workability and feel, with what seems to be a more substantial TPU film than the Seattle fabric. I also experienced more shrinkage while welding the Seattle Fabrics oxford, even when tacking it in place. Nonetheless, it was perfectly acceptable for small projects, and could be a good option for US-based folks. For bigger projects, definitely go with the DIY Packraft fabrics; they remain the best.
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It has now been a couple of weeks of dialing in my Skeena! I’ve used Matt’s awesome all-around platform to create a more whitewater-savvy self-bailing boat with a backband, full-length inflatable floor for stability and edging, and a foot pillow. I’m super happy with how the boat has performed thus far in my local whitewater park and a few river trips in up to class III water, and I’m excited to push it further as I progress my paddling ability. Currently building one for my girlfriend, and the welding definitely goes a lot smoother the second time around. Maybe I’ll post a more detailed build report once I get the second raft done, but for now I’ll share a few photos.
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Here are a few more photos of the setup. 6 holes on each side of the stern, and 3 on each side towards the bow. As you can see, the first few holes in the back are reinforced with patches of extra seat/floor fabric, with flaps cut into them for drainage without letting in excess water. Since I am mostly paddling high-volume rivers right now and I’m not too concerned about snagging the bottom, I haven’t gotten around to doing this to the rest of the holes. When I do, I will probably also redo the existing reinforcements and flaps to make them look cleaner. For the floor, I basically just traced the seat fabric, and then extended the straight lines all the way to where the foot pillow (reshaped inflatable backband) sits. The baffles are 2in tall and spaced every 15cm (woohoo mixing units). The valves are from an old sleeping pad. The inflatable floor sits under the tubes and pushes down and tightens up the little bit of slack in the floor fabric to create a bit of an edge on either side for secondary stability in addition to displacing more water and allowing a self-bailing setup to be less sluggish. Let me know if y’all have any more questions, or if you’d like more detailed how-tos on how I made the floor, foot pillow, backband, or self-bailing holes. Thanks!
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