Yesterday I made some changes to the back end of the DIY Packraft shop to make payments easier for people outside the US. The most noticeable change is that now prices can be displayed in your local currency, and you can pay in that currency so you won’t have those Read more…
I’m really pleased with all the great content people have been posting on the DIY Packraft Forum. It’s inspiring for me to see the pictures and videos of the packrafts you’ve made, and there are useful tips and ideas being posted there that wouldn’t otherwise be shared. One of the Read more…
This is just a quick update to announce that the TIZIP 50 cm SuperSeal airtight zippers are back in stock after a factory delay threw off the timing of my resupply, so they were listed as “backordered” for a little while. Now we’re just waiting for the fabric shipment to Read more…
Quincy made this awesome time-lapse video of himself making a DIY Packraft from plans and uncut fabric – 21 hours from start to finish, including a double-layer floor and airtight zipper! This proves you don’t need a fancy workshop to make a DIY Packraft 😀 Well done, Quincy, and thanks Read more…
You may have noticed the new valves that are now available in the shop in addition to the Boston valves, top-up valves, and small valves that were already available. These valves pop open and closed with a simple pressure-fit lid instead of a screw-on cap, which may seem undesirable, as Read more…
This is just a quick update to let you know that the new fabric shipment is finally moving again after the export Customs issue was resolved. Next stop: import Customs…
Good news – I have just heard from the manufacturer that they have sorted out the Customs mess. Now I am awaiting new tracking information for the shipment…
Below are patterns for making spray decks like the one pictured above, designed to fit Small, Medium, and Large V2 DIY Packrafts (and V2 plans). They can also be modified to fit the V3 DIY Packraft as well. This is a permanently-attached “whitewater” style deck that uses a separate spray Read more…
Aaarrrrrgghhh! Remember that bad luck I mentioned in the last post? Well, I have just been informed by the supplier that Customs thought the fabric shipment looked fishy because the cost listed on the invoice was much higher than what they see for normal fabric, so they took a look Read more…
Many of you have been waiting for the new fabric shipment to arrive – thank you for your patience! The shipment is now “in transit”. I originally gave what I thought was a conservative estimate of when the fabric would arrive (late March or early April), based on promises I Read more…
Have a look at this beautiful 5-piece DIY carbon fiber packraft paddle made by Andreas H. – pretty good for a first attempt, I’d say! It’s made from 20×18 and 18×16 millimeter carbon fiber tubing and 1 mm carbon fiber sheet glued with cyanoacrylate (“super”) glue and epoxy, and held Read more…
I’ve posted some guidelines here for people who would like to make an inflatable floor. My standard video+picture instructions aren’t up yet because I’m in the middle of moving to a new house, so if you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask. My response time is slower than usual because of Read more…
Check out the new top-up valves now in stock in the DIY Packraft shop. They’re lighter, more flexible, prettier, and cheaper than the older top-up valves – basically better in every way! They can also be extended to any length by adding flexible tubing between the valve and the flange. Read more…
Check out the pontoon boat my friend Tim of www.cubenmaker.com is making with the 210D heat sealable fabric! And guess what the weight is – only 11 lbs (5 kg) as tested, and probably closer to 13 lbs (5.9 kg) when finished. Tim has offered to send patterns and detailed Read more…
After a sudden increase in orders last month (thanks in large part to my new friends in Fairbanks, Alaska and Midway, Utah!), I have nearly run out of red, yellow, blue, and black 210D fabric. I have changed the status of these fabrics in the shop to “backordered,” and done Read more…
Several people have had trouble finding a suitable field repair tape, so I added my favourite one to the DIY Packraft shop. It’s similar to Tyvek tape, but it’s a different brand. You can learn more about it here 🙂
Here are a few pictures of the new spray deck! It’s made from 210D heat sealable fabric and a lightweight, collapsible aluminum tent pole. The total weight of the packraft, including the inflatable floor and spray deck, is now 2008 grams, or 4.426 pounds. Spray deck kits and instructions are Read more…
I’d like to add some green fabric to the shop to complement the red, yellow, blue and black fabrics there now. I’m curious if people like light green or dark green, earthy green or bright green, or maybe something in between. If you like a certain shade (or dislike one), Read more…
Some people haven’t been able to find suitable adhesives where they live, so I have added Aquaseal glue and Seam Grip seam sealer to the shop. I only ordered a small number of each, because I’m not sure how popular they will be, so if you want some you can Read more…
Several people have asked if it would be possible to make a self-bailing or inflatable floor using the double-layer floor option, and I have finished retrofitting my multi-colored packraft with an inflatable floor in just this way. The inflatable floor is a great success! It adds padding between you and Read more…
I just posted this new video to go along with the page I wrote about fixing leaks, which you can read here: Punctures, Leaks, and Repairs.
One nice thing about a packraft is that you can toss it in your luggage when you go travelling and then go paddling at your destination without having to rent a boat. That’s what I did this Christmas, when I visited Vancouver Island. Don’t be fooled by the sunshine – Read more…
Thanks to everyone who pre-ordered the TIZIP SuperSeal zippers! First there was a delay at the factory in Germany, and then the shipping took longer than usual because of the holidays, but I finally got the zippers from UPS yesterday and now I’m getting the pre-orders out the door. To Read more…
@tomi made this funny video of the first test of his packraft made from the DIY Packraft plans! Excellent work! You can ask @tomi about his experience by joining the forum!