Cheaper Raft Options

[. Callahan]

"What is the right price? I like to hear what the right price point is."

The right price point is the one that the raft manufacturer attains!

[sean neves]

Hey that's an excellent modification you've done there! The "Bents basin" is the most substantial river that I have seen these toys in. A thought about mods (LOVE the self bailing mod!): install some "real" or "boston" valves for easy inflation and deflation. I will try this on my crappy pool toy and report!

[Jeremy Platt]

Hi Sean,

Glad you like the mod. It is really really simple! I was also amazed at how much it improved the performance of the boat. I got in contact with flyweight to see if they are keen to make one, but unfortunately they don't have time now.

I reckon you could buy one of their basic or rugged boats and simply glue in the floor of one of $20 boats and then make it self bailing. It is certainly very easy to cut the floor out of the cheap boats, I have done it a couple of times to make pillows and so forth.

Also, for those of you who are keen, I have added the link to the raft heading down Bents Basin:

http://hiking26.blogspot.com.au/2012/04/packrafting-bents-basin-grade-2-3.html#!/2012/04/packrafting-bents-basin-grade-2-3.html

All the best,

Jeremy.

[CW]

Feathercraft makes a self-bailing packraft but it's 10 lbs and more costly than a decked Alpacka. Sitting in water all day is not at all appealing to me either. Self-bailing big boats have you sitting on the thwart tubes and not the floor.

Nice work on the DIY though. Seems fine for the mild stuff.

[sean neves]

Hard to tell from the pics, but I am seeing some substantial drops on that little stretch of water. Looks like solid 3 or 3+ to me. One solution would be to raise your butt above the water with a small inflatable seat. That's what I do in one of my more wet duckies.

[Amy Hatch]

Just thought I'd throw this out there …

Through my company, Jackson Hole Packraft & Packraft Rentals Anywhere (www.jhpackraft.com), I rent packrafts throughout the Lower 48 and Canada. Cost starts at $40 per day with significant savings for multi-day rentals (a week, for example, is $200).

My process is simple. I Fed Ex you the Alpacka or Feathercraft packraft and you go on an adventure. When you're done, you put the boat back in the box, affix the return label I provide and drop it off at any Fed Ex location.

Questions? My name is Amy and my cell number is 907-830-1016. We just finished our third summer in business, so we have the process pretty dialed at this point.

Cheers!

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Vendors should NOT join in here: go to Gear Deals and offer a DEAL.

Cheers
Roger Caffin
Online Community Momitor
Backpacking Light

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