Self Bailer and Outfitting Discussion for Packrafts
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- Опубліковано 29 бер 2017
- I made this video at the end of 2015/start of 2016 so now it is very out of date. I wanted to show the differences that self-bailing and thigh straps could make. Back then NO company other than Feathercraft and Aire made self-bailers. Fortunately multiple companies now make production model self-bailers that come with thigh strap systems. It has been great from my perspective to see such boats introduced onto the market as for most people doing their own conversions is problematic. For further discussion around the pros and cons of self-bailers and WW decked-boats see: the following Facebook page: / 1086691728061147
There is also some discussion/comments around a video that a friend did on UA-cam on the benefits of self-bailers at: • Self-bailing packrafts...
Ultimately whether a self-bailer or WW-decked boat is better for YOU personally depends on the environment(s) you will be paddling and the type of paddling you will do. Note too that not all self-bailers are the same as there is quite a lot of variation between different self-bailer setups and each of these has advantages and disadvantages.
Great video, thanks.
Thanks for sharing the knowledge !
I am going to turn my packraft into selfbailer. Just got a kit from alpacka.
How did you make the holes into he boat (a circle cutter, a hot piece of sharpen pipe) ?
Which diameter of holes did you use ?
Many Thanks
Thanks for the video Mark. I am curious on your thoughts of the Kokopelli nirvana self bailer vs the Alpacka?
You make some excellent points regarding the self bailer vs skirt. Coming from white water duckies it is a no brainer for re-entry and especially since it is much harder to roll a pack raft. The only advantage I see for a skirt is in cold water.
MrBryanthebold Checkout the comment I made on the 'surfing on the Picton' m.ua-cam.com/video/ancL9flu5e8/v-deo.html i.e. depends on the trip. I love Alpacka but for steep creeks & surfing I have actually preferred the cheaper (latest) Kokopelli. However the very new Gnarwhal looks like it will perform great so I am keen to test one out. Lots of people don't like the high seating position of the Kokopelli (same height as my converted Yaks) but I prefer to sit high. Alpacka are lighter and more compact but are (rightly so) not cheap. Alpacka have made a lot of significant improvements in the past two years - many after this video was shot.
Awesome, thanks Mark. I personally do not mind the higher position and agree that you do have better control and efficiency. I grew up with inflatable kayaks so I think self bailer will be the way to go.
I appreciate your videos. Thank you for sharing. I'm going to be purchasing a self-bailing whitewater packraft from Audac Sports and 3 additional self bailing conversion kits from them as well because they are exact copies of the Gnarwal outfitting. My backround is a whitewater c1er for 20+ years so higher seating position is something I'm familiar with. They offer a conversion choice of a 10cm/4" height or a 15cm/6" height. Do you know the height of your seats and if there is a height that you would believe to be too high. I'm inclined to go with the 6" seat because I'm more familiar with the higher viewpoint and water reading ability that a C1 provides.
Great video! I did you buy the first backrest you're showing and I also can't find that deluxe seat
Arne Hjelle Bitubekk - Probably the first backrest/backband shown is the Australian Liquidlife Whitewater Backrest with the other being a Sea to Surf Sonic Backband. That said I think that the best backrest available these days is Alpacka's new backband which is available in their accessories section. It's a fraction lighter and more compact than the others which are designed for kayaks. Definitely worth getting. Kokopelli are also now producing a non-inflatable foam backrest.
I use what were originally Feathercraft seats however with the closure of their business you should be able to get them through Kokopelli. Alpacka also now have awesome seats available as the commercial options for packrafters have changed significantly (and improved dramatically!!) since I made this video which should now be considered out of date. All the best for the retro-fit.
does the self bailer allow water in. i would do minimal water ruff water but interested in easy drain as im also bikepack so not easy to roll over to empty if water in it.
Yes, there will always be a small amount of water in the bottom of a SB. The inflatable seat should generally keep you above the water line, but you'll probably get a little wet.
Based on the research I've done, not from personal experience, yet (boats on order).
Hey Mark, what were you using for an inflatable floor?
Hi Justin. I had a full video up on how to install but unfortunately you cannot but them anymore so I pulled it down. It involved 3 narrow tubes from Feathercraft (who closed down) and a sleeve system that I made up to incorporate the tubes. Now I use the 2017 Kokopelli Nirvana floor even in boats that aren’t designed for it. The advantage of both of these floors is that they ‘locked’ in underneath the side tubes which is huge asset. The Kokopelli floor works really well although you have to be careful not to blow the seams due to too high a pressure. I’ve ended up putting a 1.75 PSI pressure relief valve in mine and reinforcing the ‘cutouts’ where it’s most likely to blow.
@@MarkOates I was actually looking at the kokopelli floor. Is it mostly a friction fit where you inflate it first so it's wedged in underneath the tubes? I see that it has a piece of webbing that attaches to the stern but I'm wondering if that's necessary. I don't really feel like busting out the urethane glue for another attachment point again! I have a ww deck alpacka that i'm looking to add more rigidity too, might convert to self bailer at some point.
Justin Baker The 2018 floor has the attachment webbing but the 2017 does not. They are quite different with the 2017 requiring a seat on top of the inflatable floor whereas the 2018 is all-in-one seat and floor. The 2017 is a friction fit. The 2018 does not lock in as well though underneath the side tubes so in my opinion offers much lower performance. I’ve tried the 2017 in a Yak and it worked well (although Yak designs change slightly over the years so I can’t guarantee it) however I don’t think it will allow for conversion to a self-bailer as it’s a super tight fit in the Yak. It will definitely improve handling performance but will take a little while to get used to the higher seating position.
Karna saya seorang Voulenter
Sorry but I do not have any unused packrafts or spare ones.