Recently came across packrafting after joining a bushwalking forum. Many thanks to Steve (aka Fishdejour) for his help so far but I thought I should stop bugging him and ask a few more general (newbie) question. My partner is as keen as I to get one, we had been thinking about kayaks for some time, I also have a Mirage 580 ocean kayak. I have been busily U’tubing and reading finding out as much as I can.
Anyway, we recently moved to 50acres near the Nymboida River, in the Northen Rivers area of NSW. This area seems to have more rivers and National Parks close by than I can poke a stick at, one of the reason I moved here. The plethora of river choices is the very reason I am interesting in packrafting. Not sure if anyone has packrafted Goolang Ck ? which is the centre for whitweater kayaking in NSW I believe , here at Nymboida ?
As well as the stuff close to us, which is more faster flowing, my partner wanted to know how it might go in calmer (still) water, she was thinking of say packrafting from say Mt Warning to Murrwullimbah in northern NSW or even how it might go on the Clarence (one big ass’d river) nearer to Grafton. She was worried about the width of the raft impeded paddling and making you tired (or sore) from not being able to use good paddling technique ? (ie kayak forward stroke)
If an of you guys need a pick up if you are up in this area packrafting, I have a 4x4 extra cab, 4 seater Ute and would be happy to oblige if needed (and press you for info and ideas at the same time !)
I find flat water paddling rather dull. The rafts don’t track all that well, although are better with some weight on the front, and don’t glide much. If you start to compare them with a kayak, particularly a sea-kayak, then you’ll be disappointed. You do need to change your paddling stroke to get over the sides of the raft, but that is why the paddles used are longer.
In moving water, however, they are fantastic. Buy some!
We have, we just ordered two. An Unrigged Explorer for moi and a Denali Lama for my partner, she is VERY excited about them arriving. They are being shipped now.
Living in the Northern Rivers area, and summer coming up, we expect to give them a LOT of use…
First test trip will be down to the Nymboida Coaching Station, on the Nymboida Rv, we can pull in for a feed and a beer on the way past (I live just down the road)
True, I’d rather paddle another craft in open flat water, but…
The failure to track well seems to me to be purely a psychological barrier. It’s easy to go in a straight line, your bow just wiggles.
As soon as you throw in a handfull of portages between paddles, the packraft starts looking pretty neat. And if any are gnarly, then it’s a must.
I’ve found that paddling rocky coastlines in the packraft is fun even when put up against a kayak or canoe. Being a paddle-blade length from cliffs rising and falling in swells, dodging between rocks and through arches, and entering or exiting in odd places are all good things to do in a packraft. And the slow hull speed doesn’t feel so bad when you’re an arm’s length from your reference point.
Anyhoo. Second raft arrived last Wednesday, (split into two packages, shipped a few days apart, to avoid the dreaded GST by keeping each package below $1000) and we went out on Thursday ,
What can I say, geeze they’re stable AND versatile Sweet bit of kit ! (I also have a Mirage 580 Ocean Kayak)
Off to Goolang Ck on my partners next break (4km from where we live), that’s THE whitewater centre for NSW, below the Nymboida hydro station (takes water from the Nymboida Rv, through the turbines, into Goolang Ck.)
(I live just down the road)
