Several questions about packraft mods

[spelt with a t]

I've made my major gear purchase for the year (packraft woooo!), and now I need to make some mods. I have questions for those of you with experience:

1. Adding velcro to the spray skirt
Do you sew this to the existing velcro or glue directly to the boat/underside of skirt?

2. Thigh strap material
I am doing only webbing straps, as I won't be running big water. Nylon or polypro?

3. Thigh strap hip anchor positioning
The web tells me they can go like this

or like this

I will experiment once I have the tiedowns in hand to see what feels better, but I still want opinions if you have them.

4. Thigh strap adhesive and surface prep
Online tutorials seem to all use the Stabond adhesive. Has anyone used the ACE adhesive with good results? Is MEK absolutely a must, or could other (easier to source) solvents like acetone or ethanol be used?

5. Multipurpose gear, a.k.a. the packraft as bed
With the rocker fore and aft, flipping the boat over and lying on it seems like it would stress the seams. What's your experience with this? Is sleeping on the raft a viable strategy and if so what are the limitations?

[David Chenault]

1: I sewed an extra fabric flap with extra velcro. Handy because the tolerance for full closure on the cruiser deck is very tight, and a big pack on the bow causes the fabric to sag. Might not be an issue any more.

2: 1.5" polyester webbing. DIY gear supply has it. Stretches a lot less than nylon, and anything thinner isn't so comfortable. Bartack a loop of thinner webbing (1/2") on to the foot end, so girth hitching it through the tiedown isn't too bulky.

3: I have mine like the yellow boat. Works fine. More important is to get the foot tiedowns as low as you can, while still maintaining distance from all the seams (for strength).

4: The ACE stuff is no good, at least not long term. I was able to find the one-part Clifton stuff at a local shop, and this has proven very effective. I used nail polish remover for prepping.

5: Roman Dial told me this will eventually lead to pinholes in the tubes. I take his word and haven't done it.

Reminds me I need to do a blog writeup on this. Luc Mehl's instructions are very good.

[Author]

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