Jamie

Hi
I have found it useful to place a pen mark at 10cm intervals along the edges of the seam joints that are about to be sealed. That way you can match up the two pieces of fabric quite easily by aligning the marks on each piece of fabric as you go along and ensure that both ends of the seam are perfectly aligned.
I am also finding it easier if I…[Read more]

Here’s an alternative to a Boston valve. Works well with the inflation bag adapter (see my earlier post). Good airflow, and the valve creates an airtight seal. Only weighs 11g.

Cut the top off a carbonated drinks bottle, just below the flange. Sand the bottom flat.

Sandwich between a couple of discs of nylon with TPU coating on both sides,…[Read more]

I’ve been playing around with different materials for a way to secure the inflation bag to a Boston valve. The best material I have found is some plastic from a spiral bound folder. It is flexible but fairly rigid, and virtually in breakable. With the hole cut to the right diameter, it  just pushes over the thread of the Boston valve without…[Read more]

Just wondering what paddles are recommended for the DIY packrafts?

thanks.

Hi

Here’s a suggestion for an inflation bag that I’m working on. The bag is made out of cuben fibre (this stuff is expensive but super light and strong; I had a rectangular scrap left over from a previous project). The valve solution I have come up with is this: a rubber disc/washer about 2mm thick, with the diameter of the hole roughly 20mm, and…[Read more]

Hi

just an idea I thought I’d share to see if anyone had tried this out….

instead of fitting an airtight zipper, I was thinking of installing an opening either on the side or a seam of the packraft, with a tube of fabric (basically two rectangles sealed to each other on two opposite sides to form a tube, then seal one open end of the tube to…[Read more]