Packrafts

While cleaning up our armada of packrafts after the last trip to Denali I noticed several things about two  different generations I thought should be photographed, compared, and noted.  These little boats really are truly amazing.  If you don't know much about these boats, they are made by Alpacka.  Originally manufactured in Chugiak, Alaska.  The factory is now located in Colorado.

I'm not sure when I first heard about packrafts, it was certainly after moving to Alaska.  About four years ago I started looking out for these hot little boats.  Three years ago I was lucky enough to borrow a couple from a friend.  My first adventures were Crow Pass and 20-Mile River.  Click on the title to checkout old posts about these original adventures.  

Now, getting to the point.  The photographs below compare an older, maybe even close to original generation Alpacka, age unknown, with a brand new 2012 model I just bought from Beaver Sports.

The old green boat is comparable to a Alpacka Llama.  Its the largest of the sport packraft models.  It comfortably fits me, and I'm 6'3".  Gretchen had more problems piloting this large boat.  She is 5'9".  So we've been talking about buying a newer, smaller, Alpacka Yukon Yak for a couple seasons.  I'm really glad we waited for the new boat geometry to come out.  Despite having a smaller cockpit, the overall length of the boat is longer.  

The bow of the newer boats is much "pointier."  This really helped the boat cut through the splash while also keeping the bow from bouncing repeatedly off the water as my old model tends to do.  A lot less "tippy."

The stern of the new boats is also much pointier when looked at from above.  Overall the shape and geometry of these new boats is more in tune with traditional hard shell whitewater boats, I think.

The real difference of the stern is when you look at it from the side profile.  It almost has a bird beak shape to it, with a rise coming up above the back.

The bow of the new boat has a similar rise to the old boat, but again, being narrower, really helps the boat cut through the waves and stay closer to the water.  I think surface area of the bottom of the boat also has a lot to do with it, as you'll see in later photographs.

Here is the bow and stern of my much loved old Alpacka.  Very different when you compare side profiles of the new and old boats.

Looking at these boats from above the changes are also obvious.  The yellow Yukon Yak is made for a smaller paddler then the Llama, but the shape alone is also slightly different.  The new Yukon Yak only weighs five pounds.  I think my older Llama is a tad heavier around seven or eight pounds.

A quick search on youtube shows paddlers are doing amazing things with these new boats, and the epicenter is Alaska!

There are lots of places to purchase or order these fine boats.  There is also a great book out by Roman Dial called PACKRAFTING!