Slackrafting in NW Scotland

A recent day out with a mate in a slackraft. Next time, I think I’ll go alone!

Slackrafting to Clashnessie

Ch

Ah, I read your articles. There’s a certain technique to paddling these craft ain’t there, for not oversteer.

Maybe a J stroke may help?

Have yet to build mine and still deciding on the Fish Hunter or Super Ceravelle. Will be adding layers in vulnerable areas as an armour and using the Bostic 1782 glue.

Can one join apaddleinmypack to ask questions?

Cheers.

Alex.

I think a J stroke would just slow things down even more, and I’m not sure you can do it with a kayak paddle.
Even a proper packraft will yaw a bit at the bow (less so with some weight there). The technique to minimise it is easily learned.
The fact is slacks are short, flabby, bin bags - all reflected in flatwater performance, so leave earlier as it will take longer.

The best thing with slackrafts is they’re a very cheap way to get a taste for the packrafting experience.
If it’s for you then move on to a decent boat, quick.
We may only be talking half an mph or more but it’s so much more satisfying and confidence inspiring, even if the price can be galling.
Much the same as with cheap vs proper pushbikes.
All my mates (used to proper kayaks) that I tricked into trying slackrafts ended up hating them in a matter of hours or days!

My attempts with gluing on ballistic nylon didnt work. You may be better off gluing on the off-cuts. Like tends to adhere better to like.

apaddleinmypack is only a WP blog. You can leave comments when I remember to tick that box, or contact me off the front page.

Enjoy your slack-arsed experiments :wink:

Ch

Cheers mate, much appreciated.

So the ballistic nylon didn’t work even with the Bostick 1782? Has that been tried yet please?

I use the evistick to repair my desert boots in India and it doesn’t really like water.

If so, then I won’t buy any then, and just stick to the cut off material for sacrificial armour.

Cheers, Alex.

… and just stick to the cut off material for sacrificial armour.

Yep, that may be best. Or just save on glue and be careful near the shore.

Ch

Just to confirm then, would the Bostick 1782 glue not stick the ballistic nylon?

Sorry to ask again.

Cheers.

Not when I did it, but I wasn’t surprised. Woven fabric like the BN I used (not like heavily coated Alpacka floors) is better sewn.
Having said that, the same BN worked OK when I applied it to my very first Alpacka floor. But I think I used Aquaseal - pricier but better.
https://apaddleinmypack.wordpress.com/2010/10/10/packrafts-mods-outer-floor-protection/

Ah, when you say floor, is that the deck which one is sitting on in the raft, or the hull underside in the water please?

If the later I might get some aquaseal then. I figure if I’m gonna have the " fun " of making one, I may as well make it the best I possibly can.

Sorry for all these questions. You seem to be the only slackraft guru available at the moment. Lol

Cheers. :slight_smile:

With an Alpacka, Supai and so on, the floor is a single sheet of fabric. In Alpacka’s case, quite durable and easily repairable
The Sevylors you mention have inflatable floors to give the boat a bit more buoyancy and rigidity I suppose.
If you do puncture the floor in a Sevy it won’t make much difference, unless you puncture it right through to the inside.

Bigger tubes of Aquaseal are better value, or you might get into 2-part RIB cement from Polymarine

Bigger tubes of Aquaseal are better value, or you might get into 2-part RIB cement from Polymarine[/quote]

Yes, would you say the two part RIB cement would be the better option than Aquaseal?

Thanks.

I think it must be if carefully applied. After all, Aquaseal is a sealant not a glue - but it works great at both on my IKs and packrafts.
But you need to be careful gluing ‘cheap’ PVC film (what slackrafts are made from) as opposed to PVC-coated fabric as used on some ww rafts and Incept IKs. The wrong type of glue may soften and ruin the PVC, like petrol can dissolve plastic.
I forget how slackrafts are assembled, is it less labour-intensive heat-welding?
That’s another option: hot air gun and a roller, though with thin slackraft PVC not much room for error.

Thank you Chris S.

I found it hard to log in yesterday so I found a Facebook group called " The Packrafters Liberation Front. " lol

I have been discussing it on there.

Yes, the main thing is to find the correct suitable adhesive glue for Sevylor products, and then see if it might be suitable for the ballistic nylon. I have found a distributer in the UK and it’s a tenner for a linear meter ( 1.5 metres wide. )

We I shall have a go with my prototype and see how I get on. It should be arriving from Germany sometime this week.

Cheers and thanks,

Alex.