Assembly Instructions

Flying with Folding Boats

Mapping Out Your Next Trip

Packing & Securing Gear in a PakCanoe

Repair & Maintenance of Pakboats

Skin on Frame Boats

Surviving Mosquitoes & Black Flies

The PakCanoe represents a new generation in folding boat design and draws on over 20 years of varied experience from trips all over the world. 

PakCanoe. 
In designing the PakCanoe our goal was to make a canoe that would be superior in safety, performance, convenience, and esthetics. We think you will agree that we have been successful. 

PakCanoe hulls are formed by a reinforced PVC skin held under tension by an interlocking framework of tubular aluminum. Seat positions adjust to trim the canoe. Because the PakCanoe hull is flexible you stay drier. Its flexibility allows it to ride over waves rather than crash into them and take in water. The canoe will absorb severe impact and usually slide over or by rocks with no damage where fiberglass, kevlar, or aluminum canoes crack or get hung up. In this respect, the PakCanoe behaves much like ABS boats weighing 20 - 30 lbs more. 

Disassembled the PakCanoe stores in a 35"x17"x13" bag, small enough to fit in even the smallest car or closet. 

Unique "Dual Shape" feature 
The 14, 15, and 16.5 foot PakCanoes have the option of two alternative hull shapes. You can have a wide, relatively flat bottom canoe with excellent stability for family use or fishing. By replacing 5 cross ribs in the PakCanoe 150T you turn it into a deeper and narrower backcountry/whitewater canoe. Note: PakCanoe 150T is a wide and stable sport canoe. 140, 150, and 165 are deeper and narrower backcountry canoes with great whitewater performance (a 150 was used to run the Grand Canyon). If you'd like both options, a conversion kit containing the needed cross ribs is available.

Please click on individual parts in the picture below for additional design details. 
 

PakCanoe skins are made of a heavy-duty synthetic canvas coated with high-abrasion-resistance PVC. A foam pad in the bottom under the frame eliminates pressure points where the skin rests directly against the frame, and the effect is a great improvement in abrasion resistance. PakCanoe skins have reinforcement strips welded on under all longitudinal rods for even better abrasion resistance. D-rings for painters and tracking lines are attached at each end.

2) Frame 

PakCanoe frames are made of aluminum with a combination of high strength and excellent corrosion resistance. Shock corded sections fit together to form all longitudinal rods, and parts are color coded for easy assembly.

The aluminum material in Pakboats frames is anodized for even better corrosion resistance and esthetics. 

3) Air Tubes 

Air sponsons between the skin and the frame greatly facilitate assembly. The frame is easily assembled with minimal tension in the skin, and the air sponsons are inflated to tension the skin and provide rigidity to the hull. 
Placement of air sponsons along the sides improves safety by reducing the amount of water in the canoe after a capsize and stabilizing it once it has taken on water. Each sponson has 3 air chambers so a puncture will not affect the canoe's performance.

4) Unique Adjustable Seats 

PakCanoe seats are instantly adjustable to support sitting or kneeling positions. The change can be performed with one hand in 5 seconds - in or out of the boat. To trim the canoe, the seats can be moved to several alternative locations.

A sliding seat is also available. The sliding seat can be positioned anywhere between two cross ribs. A sliding seat helps trim the canoe and allows fitting a third party spray cover with cockpit openings that don't match our standard seat placement.

New! Starting in the spring of 2007 a traditional bench style seat is available. The bench seat adjustable both in height and fore-and-aft.

5) Pump 

6) Repair Kit 

7) Storage Bag (35"x17"x13")