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OT: alpacka pack rafts

widewetandslippery

25-Jan-2012
6:17:06 PM

Anyone have one. I can hardly walk at present and 2.2kg boat with innovative infation turns me on. Anyone?

climberman

26-Jan-2012
9:27:03 AM

Dave - yes, I have one. I have an older version of what is now the Fjord Explorer, but tend to use it 'unrigged' with a standard kayak style paddle. The forums at alpacka are a good source of info and there are some aussie rafters there, some of them I know.

If you are ever in the gong and want a look, let me know, be happy to show you mine. Steve from Bega is organising a rafters get together on the Eucumbene soon, and then the Tuross - I reckon if you wanted to swing by you could, be a good chance to see a few different models, nice bunch of folks, nice area.

I got mine mainly for flyfishing remote waters, as did a few of the south coast guys but they are gettting into the whitewater side of it much more as the boats are a great way to link walks and paddling.

They are as tough as f---. You really can't fathom it until you get in one. So far from a pool toy.

Me, steve, pete on the Tooma R: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cEmugkBEDY

search on youtube also.

Fire away with any specific q's you may have.

Aussie dollar is high.... go fer it !

widewetandslippery

26-Jan-2012
10:22:43 AM

Thanks. May have to come to the gong for a look. A mate from canberra put me onto the idea. I think he is actually catching up with Steve in Bega today (he's there with in laws).

I dont drive so a boat I can take on a bus, plane, train and walk anywhere would be great. I fish and bushwalk and the posiblities of use would only be limited by imagination. I've been on the net looking at lots of vids. Yours is good.

I'll talk to my mate about the meet and see if he is interested.


freepete

26-Jan-2012
2:53:31 PM

Great vid - looks like cool fun

Climberman

27-Jan-2012
3:45:00 PM

On 26/01/2012 widewetandslippery wrote:
>Thanks. May have to come to the gong for a look. A mate from canberra put
>me onto the idea. I think he is actually catching up with Steve in Bega
>today (he's there with in laws).
>
>I dont drive so a boat I can take on a bus, plane, train and walk anywhere
>would be great. I fish and bushwalk and the posiblities of use would only
>be limited by imagination. I've been on the net looking at lots of vids.
>Yours is good.

Wws no worries. I'm out this weekend up the coast but let me know, happy to show you the rig. They are so f,n transportable it is crazy. Perfect for what you are talking about.
>I'll talk to my mate about the meet and see if he is interested.

No worries

widewetandslippery

27-Jan-2012
5:04:53 PM

I am keeping elastoplast strapping tape in business on the weekend canyoning. I'll email you next week. I am keener by the moment about these things. Thanks for the offer of a look. Dave


Eduardo Slabofvic

27-Jan-2012
5:52:35 PM

What do you feed the alpackas when you're rafting?

widewetandslippery

27-Jan-2012
6:01:19 PM

Slabs of vic


Eduardo Slabofvic

27-Jan-2012
6:34:35 PM

I'm in

widewetandslippery

27-Jan-2012
6:40:01 PM

Ed seriously check these things out. Lighter than a lilo and a footpump.


climbau

28-Jan-2012
12:11:28 PM

Great vid Climberman.
looks like heaps of fun.


wallwombat

29-Jan-2012
11:53:48 PM

Im so into getting one of these

widewetandslippery

30-Jan-2012
2:09:29 AM

Its the program, contact u tommoro having an ankle drugs don't work night,Ive taken enough to knock out a. Rhino


SteveC

15-Sep-2012
6:58:36 PM

A colleague just told me of an hilarious misadventure involving truck tubes and springtime meltwater. Apparently they set off at one in the afternoon to float the Thredbo river from Skitube to Lake Jindy. After about 6 hours they managed to claw their way back up to the road about a 10 minute drive away from where they started. Apparently it is a 2 day float.

Anyway it sounded like a whole load of type 2 fun. But a little bit of preparation, such as wearing a wetsuit and bringing 2 kilos of jellybeans would make it survivable. And using a Pack Raft might even make it type 1 fun.

So I'm just bumping this thread before I actually do any research about where to buy them etc. With a bit of luck someone might tell some stories about how awesome they are to convince me to get one.

widewetandslippery

16-Sep-2012
10:32:09 AM

Can't recomend getting one enough.

Very tough boat, I've bounce off rocks sticks and oysters. A very multiuse boat. Went out on the murrumbidgee last sunday, bream fishing jerusalem bay friday night, nepean yesterday.

Bought mine online direct. Had it shipped to work in about 2 weeks. I bought the Yak. Bought the standard fibre glass paddle, was on special and less than half the price of the carbon fibre. I have an elcheapo lifejacket at present as I didn't really know what I wanted/needed when I bought the boat.


SteveC

16-Sep-2012
6:47:46 PM

Thanks, Yeah the Yak looks like the obvious choice and 2 weeks delivery is appealing, I'm mostly thinking of sanity insurance against a crappy october for skiing. But it would also provide a great excuse not to do any climbing for most of summer!

have you got any reccomendations for good solo hike in- paddle- hike out rivers that don't revolve around swearing at recalcitrant fish all day?


deadbudgy

17-Sep-2012
8:44:47 AM

Are they easy to inflate? How well does that bag thing work?

climberman

17-Sep-2012
9:42:23 AM

SteveC - lack of snow this October ! Should be the best October in a decade.

Check the link in my post above on the Tooma River. It should go well this spring due to the snowmelt.

Dave Noble has done some Coxs loops, which look great.

The 'bidgee and the Swampy Plains look good.

Check the packraft forum for other Aust loops and rivers.

In terms of inflation - yeah, the bag is a super neat and super easy system. You then do the last bit by mouth. The whole thing is a few minutes.

widewetandslippery

17-Sep-2012
1:03:12 PM

The coxs looks good.

I did glenbrook gorge after heavy rain and a late start. I nearly drowned. I nearly died of exhaustion. I got mildly hypothermicand nearly got benighted. Awesome sunday arvo.

Haven't had a go but lower colo sounds pretty good solo.

Whilst still the lane cove river from deburghs bridge to hunters hill is good.

The is a nsw canoeing association book which is a great guide.

Sections of the bidgee are good and accessable. There is a walking track along parts


Superstu

17-Sep-2012
1:15:14 PM

+1 for lower colo pack rafting , lotsa fun. In from bob turners. Not sure if that is considered upper or lower colo?

There are 29 messages in this topic.