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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Seam Grip Adhesion? in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
The “Seam Grip +WP” is the same product that used to be called “Seam Grip” and you’re right – I just checked and “polyurethane” doesn’t appear anywhere on the new tube or packaging.
Most of the content on this site was written before they changed their product names and messed everything up, so I’m going back to add “+WP” everywhere Seam Grip is…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Seam Grip Adhesion? in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
Hmm, yeah, that’s a problem. The “+SIL” stuff is “silicone tent sealant”, and will only stick to silicone coated fabrics, not polyurethane. It used to be called “SilNet,” but I guess they changed the name to “Seam Grip+SIL” for some reason. I will add a note to the instructions warning people not to confuse the two. Unfortunately I think you’ll…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Seam Grip Adhesion? in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
Interesting… what brand is it? I haven’t seen this with Seam Grip before (or any of the other McNett/Gear Aid polyurethane products), but I have seen it with all the other seam sealants I’ve tried, which is why I recommend the Gear Aid stuff.
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 3 years, 10 months ago
The American Packrafting Association is hosting an online whitewater packrafting skills clinic called, “Boat, Don’t Float” presented by Mark Oats.
I’m not associated with Mark or the APA, but it looks like a […]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Not Sealing Seams? in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
I used to only seal around the places where the seam strips intersect with the floor, but in spite of my best efforts I always ended up with at least one leak that I had to track down, and finally I decided that for me (and most people) it is worthwhile to apply seam sealer to the inside of all the seam strips.
Because you have a zipper, it won’t…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic HELP – Too hot iron – back side of double sided TPU floor melted in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
When figuring out the temperature and timing, I find it helps to hold the iron in one place and count out five seconds, then remove the iron and roll (or press) the spot as it cools. Then check underneath for melt-through before ripping the weld apart to see if it’s bonded fully. If five seconds isn’t right, try six (or four, etc.). If no amount…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic HELP – Too hot iron – back side of double sided TPU floor melted in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
Hi Blair, it sounds fine to me. If it is 1000D then you should be able to get a good weld without permanently altering the appearance of the fabric – just move a bit faster. It takes some practice to get the timing right. Cheers
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic First seams – how to tell if it’s good? in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
I see them now – it looks like your iron might be a bit too hot, but it’s hard to tell in the pictures. I don’t normally see the woven fabric get shiny like that. (What I see doesn’t look like a problem though.) The fabric shouldn’t melt at all, just the TPU. Lowering the temperature a bit will also reduce the chance of it melting through to the…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic First seams – how to tell if it’s good? in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
Hi – your pictures didn’t seem to work (I just see an “image not found” icon), but from what you’ve written it sounds like it’s probably fine. I designed the seams to be way more than wide enough, so even if they’re not perfectly sealed they will be strong enough, within reason. Cheers!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic UL T-Zip placement in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 10 months ago
Haha, no worries!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 11 months ago
Fantastic! Thanks for posting!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 11 months ago
Thanks for the tips, and excellent idea to use the double D-rings!
I’ve gotten to the point where my new packrafts will hold air indefinitely, but I’ve built way more of them than you and my first couple of attempts leaked way worse than yours, so it sounds like you’ve done a great job. You could try to track down where the air is coming from…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic HELP – Too hot iron – back side of double sided TPU floor melted in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 11 months ago
Hi – it doesn’t look too bad; I would probably just spread a bit of Aquaseal over that area, or seal a scrap of tube fabric over it if you don’t mind the look of a bit of yellow there (it’ll be on the bottom of the packraft, so not visible when in use).
It could be the temperature is too high, but it looks good elsewhere, so maybe just avoid…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) started the topic Buy & Sell in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 12 months ago
Post your packrafting-related items for sale here (e.g. packrafts, PFDs, paddles, drysuits, helmets, backpacks, etc.).
If you are posting a DIY Packraft kit for sale, indicate the model, color, size, whether or not it includes an airtight zipper, date of purchase, how much work has been done, whether or not anything is missing, and if you are…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 3 years, 12 months ago
Beauty!
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Ukulele Dry Bag in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years ago
Thanks for posting this, Layla! It looks really good!
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Matt (Admin) wrote a new post 4 years ago
I have just finished editing a “highlights” video from the 30-day solo packrafting/hiking trip I did this past summer, so if you’re interested in seeing what that trip was like, please check it out.
I’m also […]
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Fantastic! I was inspired by other people, so I hope my journey inspires others too!
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What a great video. You skills at “seeing” the right thing to shoot are second to none. I love the close up shots of the moss, spider webs, ferns, pine boughs and the way you capture the light coming through the trees,. The panoramic vistas are breathtaking. Your “little planet” panorama of you traversing the rocky crag was scary and evoked my fear for you at that point. You did a lot of hiking carrying the camera pole! Great job! Great trip!
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Thanks, Ken!
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Haha, that is wonderful! Thanks 😀
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Dear Matt,
I’m deeply impressed by your trip – what an adventure! And your documentation is awesome, and very useful too. I admire the (huge amount) of work you’ve invested to make your dream become a reality, and to show us how beautiful it is out there in the nature. I really hope that some more people will be inspired to leave their comfort zone, and to go out and to see this by themselves. Life can be so beautiful. All the best to all of you, and kind regards
Ruedi from Oeko-Travel Org and Biber-Boote in Switzerland-
Thanks, Ruedi! I hope someone will be inspired by me in the way that I was inspired by other people.
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Amazing! Loved it!
I was confused as to why that woman told you you couldn’t enter the lake via the river. If you stayed either on the river or below flood line of the river banks you have full right to do so (Canadian Navigable Act).I have a similar tent (zpacks) – 3 person version though (2 dogs and a wife requires more space). Might get the 2 person as we sometimes travel separately.
I have a gossamer gear backpack instead of the zpacks backpack which is super comfy and only a tiny bit heavier.
I think I’ll work out some smaller loops to hike/paddle or bike/paddle out of your bigger adventure.
Matt are you still living on the island or are you in Smithers like your business says? Love the island. I’ve tried to get to Smithers 3 times and failed (long story) but one day – good backcountry skiing and mtn biking there! Always looking for new places to play.
Thanx again for sharing your adventure!
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Thanks! I do indeed live in Smithers!
That river is probably one of just a few in Canada where that law doesn’t apply – the river is part of a First Nations treaty settlement area, and in the treaty’s fine print it does clearly say that the river is included in the private property. I wasn’t aware of it beforehand (it’s not marked on any of the maps I have), but I did confirm it afterwards. If someone was planning to do a similar route, I would recommend seeking permission in advance, or simply going straight from Alberni Inlet to Nahmint Lake via the Nahmint River valley to bypass that area entirely. There’s a big log jam in the Henderson River anyway, so it’s not an attractive route.
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Matt how did you like paddling the Nimkish River? I lived in Port McNeil for a year (many many moons ago) and it was one of my earlier rivers I explored. The upper part was easy but there was one tiny tiny canyon that had an interesting needle drop but at flood level was actually was nasty. The lower part as it comes into Woss has a cool waterfall to drop at lower water and during flood a weird wave. I know you didn’t paddle the lower part as you described you got out before hand but did you do the tiny canyon? How was the run down to where you got out? Also how did you enter the Nimkish – we used another feeder creek as I recall. I’m asking because you had gear with you in a pack raft so I’m curious to how you found the run.
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Loved it! It’s a beautiful river. I paddled in from Vernon Lake via the Sebelhall River, which was nice, aside from the log jams. There’s a bridge over the Sebelhall, so maybe that’s where you started too. I did paddle a beautiful little canyon lower down, but walked around the boulders/ledge leading into it because with the low water level it looked a bit too sharp. I had to walk several short sections of the river where it widened out over gravel bars because of the low water level – August probably isn’t the best month to paddle the Nimpkish (bit it’s still mostly doable). I’m working on some more videos that will show more detail.
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OK I goofed. I looked on google maps and have things upside down. I’ve paddled two sections of the Nimkish – the part below Woss via Woss River into Nimkish (that was the easy section). The part above and into Woss we entered via Davie River which, combined with the waterfalls made for a more advanced paddle.
So did you paddled the part after Woss? You finish at Nimkish lake but I use to climb up a ridiculously steep bank way up to a bridge on the fsr to avoid the flat paddle of the lake.
I’m intrigue though with the upper Nimkish now. Likely would be fine with a bike on a packraft for the most part to do all of the Nimkish river (skipping the falls for certain). I’ll have to read back on your trip and see what else I could add to make an interesting bike raft trip loop.
Sorry for getting my info mixed up.
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Yep, I paddled below Woss as well (you can see my entry and exit points on the maps on write-up page). There’s almost no traffic on the roads parallel to the river, so any loop in the area would be good for bikerafting.
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Nice and inspiring! It also make mi curious about what kind of cameragear you use on your trips? I would also be interested to know what kins of riggs other pacraftbuilders use for mounting cameras when you are not shooting with a drone. Would it be a thing to have in mind before starting to assemble a diy-pacraft?
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Thanks! I used a 360 camera on the end of my trekking pole to film the paddling – no drone or other rigging required. For more information, there’s a link to a complete gear list (including camera gear) in the post above.
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I didn’t change anything, I just weighed it without the seat.
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic DIY Packraft Photos in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 1 month ago
Great job, and thanks for posting!
To answer your question about the potential benefit of sewing the seams, I have done lots of destructive testing on the tube-to-tube seams used in the DIY Packrafts and the fabric around the weld always fails before the weld does – in other words the ironed seams are stronger than the fabric tubes – so while…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Designing a packraft with flat seams? in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 1 month ago
The short answer to your first question is “yes,” and the short answer to the second question is “no” – you could make a packraft with only flat seams, but that would be stretching the definition of “packraft”… something like the Klymit LiteWater Dinghy is about as close as you can get.
That Anfibio packraft you linked to has a flat seam around…[Read more]
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Matt (Admin) replied to the topic Trouble sealing seam strip to floor junctions in the forum DIY Packrafts 4 years, 1 month ago
I don’t see any major problems here – it sounds like you have a small hole that needs to be plugged with seam sealer. Try to remove any foreign objects that might prevent the sealant from filling the gap between the fabric layers (I’m not sure what that white stuff is) and then apply more Seam Grip/Aquaseal on the spot that is leaking and the…[Read more]
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