Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Anybody running an OruKayak.?

My experience with the PR49 was with it overloaded, so maybe not fair. We hung it on some rocks (very gentle hang up by rafting standards, relatively smooth rocks.), pulled it off and beached it, and that was its only contact. That put a ton of holes (maybe 100) in the floor. It is a LW raft, larger than most, maybe all other packrafts and therefore heavier. But not exactly tough.

I wouldn't trust it for long-term use unless you could bring enough patch material to make another raft.

CWH2,

Thank you sir.

That is valuable information, and word has it, I can be comfortable in trusting what you say.

No Sir,

There is little that I "realize" about the interior of AK.
What I do know is that the De Havilland DHC 3 is the largest plane I can land in there on the ice.
I am trying to learn all I can about transport and cost, and transport weight.
It has been recomended that a larger than 12' craft be considered, even as much as a 24' .
I'd also like to bring in another "newer" sno go than what is already back in. The DHC 3 can bear 3000lbs.
If I can get all the heavy, large, basics in on one trip then I am good. I'll store them, and lock it all down.

Correct Rost,

I just would like to get the larger basics back in there, and leave them.
Then it's a lesser issue year to year for my seasonal needs.

You also have to consider how you'll store it when not using it, and what damage it will be susceptible to i.e. UV degradation, bears using it for a chew toy, etc. Depending on use(s) a relatively speaking larger craft (raft or skiff) with a 15 horse two stroke kicker to haul loads and a lightweight canoe for exploring is a pretty good combo.

UV and Bears and wolverines and such would be my main worries on storage. And even a second storage shed won't keep the bears out.

Any comments on best ideas?

Like a meat cache on poles, and wrap with long flashing maybe? double or triple tarp'd for UV?

I would kill every squirrel in a 2 mile radius!

Making a suggestion is a little difficult as I have no idea what the river is like there, how you intend to really use it, or if you’re willing to do “what you need to” to get the “right” boat there if it can’t reasonably be flown to your camp. A boat without much useful payload is going to be less than ideal and not amount to much more than a toy to mess around with on occasion. Packrafts or any open boat that involves sitting on the floor is going to suck. Sitting in that thing when it spitting rain and snow at 30 degrees with your ass in a puddle of water will get really old in a hurry. A good quality inflatable can be nice since you can get it there easily and unless punctured are almost impossible to sink which makes them pretty safe and gives them a decent payload, but they will develope leaks. Anything plastic or canvas is probably going to get gnawed on by a critter at some point and as such you’re not going to be able to leave it inflated, or “set up” when it’s not in use. Bears love to chew stuff that’s plastic whether it be a cooler, gas jug, poly drum, canoe, ect... they are very curious and like to play with things and what could be better than something shiny and new you can sink your teeth into. Another thing to consider is that if it’s a project every time you want to use it, you won’t use it very often. You’ll have plenty of projects as it is.

From what little I know from your posts about where you’re going to be, I’d get the largest aluminum canoe or skiff I can get there in a practical manner, with an appropriate sized kicker. When it comes to outboards one of the most important things to consider is good dealer support and parts availability because you’re going to need it eventually. I’d call the Boat Shop in Fairbanks even if you’re based out of Anchorage.

If you end up with with a hard hull of some kind that’s plastic, make sure you have Marine Seal 5200 on hand along with some duct tape. For light weight aluminum a stick of Aluminox (or whatever the new product they replaced it with) is a good idea.

Agreed with all of the above. Don't know if its feasible in this area, and don't know if would even be useful in this river, but an aluminum skiff with outboard and oars seems way preferable long term. Any chance you could haul one in there in the winter?

the last two posters are spot on ime. Only caveat I'd offer is Grabner makes a great lil inflatable, but the one I have sucks to row on a lake in the wind. No fun at all, but it will haul a decent load and the boat itself only weighs around 48 lbs. iirc. John at Mtn sports used to deal in them, he now works at Sentry/Frontier in FBKS if that's something you're interested in.

Storage would still be the concern for me with it in a remote setting. Mine hangs in our heated garage all winter.


also strongly agree with dealin with the Boat Shop, those guys not only know their stuff, they treat you like a human. Feel lucky to have them local to deal with, but they do lots of dealings in the Bush, so they can still help you no matter where you alight here.

2legit,

Yes. Those last two posters, as well as several of the other men, and yourself are indeed offering wise counsel. It is all much appreciated.

CWH2, I know that by sno go the trip in is about a week long. I'd be afraid of the many wet areas that could end everything along that route. It looks like the easiest, quickest, and safest way is still by air.

Ykrvak, Perhaps the biggest Aluminum craft possible to get in there would offer the most longevity. If going with an inflatable, in time I would have to replace it. As for safety, we're talking less than class 1 water.

I think that the best approach at this time is for me to get back in, take some pics, ask the folks at the Boat Shop, and then revisit the question with all of you then.
You gentlemen have guided me soundly based upon the limited knowledge I have been able to offer. I do like the strategy of having 2 crafts, perhals a large aluminum and a smaller sized inflatable. I think time will tell us all which choices will be the most suitable.

Thank you all.