I'm waiting on supplies to sew a spray cover for my PakBoat. I'm relying on Cliff Jacobson's designs (Wilderness Canoeing, etc.), which probably downplays the effort required. I'm wondering if anyone here has made one (either two- or three-piece for a tandem), and if they have any experiential advice/recommendations? Thanks.

Figured I'd show the final product.

Nicely done !

Really cool!

Thanks. 400 denier, heavily coated pack cloth is tough to manage.

Sort of?

Wow, well done!! You will need to report back how it does on the water.

That a quality build. Well done.

Grandma L: "Wow, well done!! You will need to report back how it does on the water."

Got trips planned this summer. Either the Noatak or the Dubawnt/Thelon. Pesky Covid.

Good looking cover! I have covered 2 solos with CCS covers. Something Dan does is to use a very wide opening in the torso tunnel with Velcro closure . This makes a much quicker exit if needed.

butthead

butthead: "Good looking cover! I have covered 2 solos with CCS covers. Something Dan does is to use a very wide opening in the torso tunnel with Velcro closure . This makes a much quicker exit if needed.butthead"

Yeah, I did that, based on Cliff Jacobson's design, sort of a "Pull to Eject". I'd still rather avoid ejecting.

Honestly only used the tunnel a few times in cold weather. 99% of the time I rolled up the center (solo Advantage/Moccasin) for an open "cockpit.

Also makes a handy work surface on the water!

butthead

butthead: "Honestly only used the tunnel a few times in cold weather. 99% of the time I rolled up the center (solo Advantage/Moccasin) for an open "cockpit. Also makes a handy work surface on the water!
butthead"

We used them a fair bit on the last N Canada trip, mostly on whitewater, but also on rough lakes.
I've always contemplated making decks for my solos, but by the time it gets that bad I should be comfortable on shore.

Well, I took it on a trip (31 days on the Noatak River in Alaska), and used it once, for a mild section of whitewater. Hell, I spent time making it, and carted it up there, so I was sure going to use it (didn't really need it). It stayed on, looked pretty, and didn't fail. Of course there are some design changes I have in mind.

I was on the Noatak River this past July and into August 5. We had 11 days in a row of rain and the area had 250% of it's typical rain. The river was flooded up into the willows and all the gravel bars were under water. The covers we had on our PAK canoes helped to keep us dry. The open water crossing over to Kotzebue was quite, so covers were not needed that day.

We heard you were up there, and were only a few days ahead of you. Quite the windstorm, huh? And yes, wet wet wet.

Wow!! You went much further than I did. I wanted a spray cover so we could paddle in choppy water and in the rain without taking on too much water.

photo of the spray cover when we paddled Devil's Lake near Baraboo, WI

Look at how I attached it to the boat.

wow, nice covers!

Well, my cover worked. Day 31 of 42, all with the spray cover on. Dubawnt/Thelon Rivers this summer, Aberdeen Lake Nunavut shown.