Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 15 | TRs | Pics Location: Issaquah, WA
Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:59 pm New Pack Raft
We have been tinkering with a couple of designs now that Brian Curtis has stopped making his famed Curtis Rafts. We are posting pics of our prototype and some specs, so if anyone is interested or have comments and feedback we would love to hear it. Couple of points. First, this raft is not designed to shoot white water. Second, the material selected is a little more robust than the Curtis rafts, which of course means a little bit more weight. Additionally, the sides of the raft are thicker in diameter to avoid water infiltration when you get in and exit the boat, as well as from waves. Plus it adds additional boyancy. Anyway, rough weight as shown in the picture is 2lbs 6oz. We are considering making a production run of these boats, so if anyone is interested please let us know. Info@flyweightdesigns.com
Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 15 | TRs | Pics Location: Issaquah, WA
Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:57 pm
We are trying to keep the cost in the same range as the curtis raft. It will ultimately depend upon the first production run...the more we make the less they will be.
Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 15 | TRs | Pics Location: Issaquah, WA
Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:56 pm
TwoFortyJeff wrote:
How long does it take to blow it up?
Is there a good method to patch it when I break it?
We have not timed a pump up, but conservatively it takes under five minutes with your lungs. The nice thing is that we are using one-way boston valves which means air doesn't rush out between breaths. To deflate you just unscrew the entire valve and it deflates in seconds. Also, the valves happen to be compatible with Exped's pillow pump, which weighs only 5.8 oz and works quite well.
To answer your second question, we would hope that you don't break it! We are currently working on an effective puncture patch kit, and we are also testing some commerically available patch kits for mattress pads to see if they work. If you only need to take one patch kit for your sleeping pad and your boat, we think that would be ideal.
Joined: 31 Oct 2009 Posts: 15 | TRs | Pics Location: Issaquah, WA
Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:59 pm
George Johnson wrote:
LitePacker wrote:
We are trying to keep the cost in the same range as the curtis raft.
I'm not familiar with that range. Can you eleborate? Thanks!
Our understanding was that the Curtis raft was in the mid $200.00 price range. We are definitely trying to keep the price in that range, however, we are still in the process of crunching the numbers.
Joined: 25 May 2004 Posts: 2984 | TRs | Pics Location: El. 162'
Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:45 am
Interesting idea.
Netting could be easily attached with some peel and stick velcro.
Now the downsides;
Making the boat larger would increase the weight, bring it into the range of current lightweight tents. Adding guy lines and netting, and requiring the extra weight of either a paddle or hiking pole , it now becomes a marginal shelter for its weight, and only useful when you want both a boat and a shelter.
The more pressing issue is the wind resistance. An inflated boat would have the tendency to go sailing away like a kite if wind were to get beneath it. By turning it into a lean-to shelter, with only mesh for walls, you are encouraging the wind to do just that.
This means adding very strong guy lines and tie downs in order to prevent a shelter launch. Possibly cinching it down nearly level to the ground would decrease some of the pressure, but that would then be a very tight, dark, non-breathable, confined space to exist in, let alone weather out a storm.
The fully assembled paddle weighs close to two pounds and works as a kayak paddle. You can actually break it down into two small oars with a combined weight at a hair over 16 oz. If you want you can break them down further and just use the blades which weigh only 4.5oz a piece. We think that it works pretty well with our raft and at $15 is a pretty good deal. We haven't had any issues with durability thus far.
I assume curtis style paddles will work? 1 pound paddles weigh heavily on the lightweight spec since the raft is almost a pound heavier than the benchmark before paddles. I know some people who use milk jug cutaways with their curtis rafts (to save even more weight vs. the curtis paddles).
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What about paddles?
