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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Deciding between Telkwa, Skeena, and Ultralight in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 1 month ago
Thanks for your interest in a DIY Packraft kit 🙂
For your intended use, an Ultralight would suffice, but for more peace of mind the Skeena would be better (I think a Telkwa would just be extra weight and bulk).
I used the shortest (120 cm) Skeena on my recent 30-day trip and it was more than tough enough for use in the lakes, class 1-2 rivers,…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic bowl for curved surface in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 1 month ago
I recommend using something with a radius slightly smaller than the tube you’re working on.
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 1 month ago
Since I announced there had been a delay in the fabric manufacturing process, a number of you have asked to be notified when the Skeena, Telkwa, or 2-Person packraft kits are back in stock.
I’m delighted that […]
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Yes, unless something else goes wrong the new fabric should be here sometime in December.
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Every year I pack in to a an alpine lake for some fishing. Its about ten miles in. Im in my 50’s now and concerned about weight in my pack (the knees and back arent what they used to be). I really love the skeena but am wondering if the ultralight is a better option for an aging packer. Youve paddled in both, so which raft would you take for some high altitude fishing?
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Hi Scott, either option would work. Alpine lakes often have sharp rocky shores, so when I take an Ultralight I have to be a little more careful and be willing to get my feet wet when transitioning between the land and water. The heavier Skeena fabric is more durable so that isn’t such an issue. A rod holder would probably be more secure in a Skeena (search “fishing rod holder” in this site’s search bar to see how to incorporate one into the packraft)… I probably wouldn’t attempt to build a rod holder into the Ultralight. If you’re just drifting and casting that’s not a problem, but trolling isn’t easy in a packraft without a rod holder.
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Hey Matt, I’m really excited to make a DIYpackraft. Any idea update to when fabric will come in?
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Awesome! It’s looking like early February now.
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Thanks for the update!
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I couldn’t post in the introduce yourself section for some reason so I’ll just comment here.
I assume there is a bit of a backlog of orders. So I signed up for email notification in the hopes I can scoop up acouple Skeenas when material arrives.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic An improved tie down in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
It kind of depends on whether or not you think you might want to add a spray deck sometime in the future – if not, strap plates directly under the bike frame tubes would probably work best – but they would likely interfere with the placement of a deck, so if you think you might want one in the future, I would use the loops. Hopefully that makes sense.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Alternative to airtight zipper in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
Very interesting – thanks!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic An improved tie down in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
I’ve been using Type 2 attachment points at the rear of my cockpits to tie in the seats, and that has worked really well. I orient the hinge line perpendicular to the packraft’s center line so the attachment point can swing freely forward and back.
I’ve been using the Type 3 attachment points for perimeter grab lines and for attaching my backpack…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
Thanks for posting – the pink ukulele makes a great hood ornament!
Thanks also for the feedback about the seat. This is a common refrain, so I’m in the process of redesigning it to make it easier for people to assemble without leaks.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
Thanks for the pictures and the details about your experience putting the kits together – it looks like you did a great job!
I have certainly tried to improve the construction methods and instructions since version 2, so it’s good to know I’m on the right track. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Alternative to airtight zipper in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
Very interesting – I look forward to reading some reviews to see if it works as advertised!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Trouble sealing seam strip to floor junctions in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 2 months ago
Hi – one thing to keep in mind is that these areas are invisible on the inflated packraft, so don’t be reluctant to spread the Seam Grip or Aquaseal onto the tube fabric there, as any discoloration will not be noticeable. A thin layer spread wide should do the trick, especially if you have a zipper in your boat and are able to apply it to the…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 2 months ago
I have returned from my 30-day hiking/packrafting trip and I look forward to sharing the details of this fantastic voyage with you, but first I have a large backlog of emails to respond to and plenty of work to […]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 3 months ago
It looks great! And thanks for the note about the time!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 3 months ago
I am embarking on a solo packrafting expedition for several weeks. This is the trip I have been dreaming about for many years, and it’s the reason I started making packrafts in the first place, so in a very r […]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 3 months ago
Beautiful!!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 3 months ago
This is just a heads up that tomorrow will be my last trip to the post office before I leave for my month-long packrafting trip, so today is your last opportunity to purchase a fabric sample pack, valve, etc. […]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Heat Sealing Que in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 3 months ago
Looks good to me!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic TPU orientation in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 3 months ago
There’s no step in the DIY Packraft kits where that’s required, but in theory you could use a hot air welder.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 4 months ago
Thanks for showing us, Christian! Your packrafts look great and it is good to know about the hot air soldering station – your seams look excellent!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic TPU orientation in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 4 months ago
Sorry for the confusion – I guess I need to make this clearer somewhere (or maybe several somewheres).
The lighter fabrics (e.g. tube fabrics, seam strips, inflation bag fabric) are coated with TPU on one side only, and the woven fabric is exposed on the other side.
The heaver fabrics that are used the in packraft floors are coated with TPU on…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years, 4 months ago
As mentioned in a previous post, I will be away on a packrafting trip for the month of August and so I will not be processing orders during that time. Because it takes a couple of weeks to make a packraft kit, I […]
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Have a great trip!
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Thanks, Ken!
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Sure! I’ll send you an email.
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