Hi, I’ve got a new Denali Llama that I love, but I haven’t been able to get the spray deck to fit right. I’m a pretty big guy and hence ordered the denali. I plan on instaling thigh straps in my boat, which would mean that I would move the seat forwards a little making the deck even tighter.
My problem currently is the deck opening is too tight for me + pfd. I find it quite difficult to secure the deck velcro when I’m sitting comfortably in the packraft while wearing a pfd. I did order the beefy spraydeck upgrade, so it’s a little more difficult to put on than the stock (or so I’ve heard), but it seems impossible when wearing a pfd and will only be more difficult when I install thigh straps and have to move forwards a little bit (just a couple of inches).
You may need a PFD that sits higher on your back so the spraydeck can fit underneath. I have a Kokatat Orbit PFD and the spraydeck fits well, but I have seen many people with longer jackets have problems.
If your new Llama is a 2011 you may not have to move the seat forward with thigh straps. I have thigh straps and stock seat location and really like where the seat is in the new design.
I have a Llama with a 2011 deck. The deck is gathered and sewn together at the front between the two small airbags above the v shaped airbag that keeps the water from pooling in you lap. I unpicked this seam carefully and increased the diameter of the top about 2 inches.
Thanks Simon I will do that to my overly tight spray deck and see if I can gain and inch or so to go round my ample girth, does it impact the inflation of that bit (the codpiece)?