Q: What materials are used to make a
Water Strider?
A: The fabric used
to manufacture Water Strider kick-boats is
the strongest, lightest material available
in the inflatable boat industry. Called an
alloy material, it is a blend of
Urethane and PVC. This special alloy formula
allows us to make a very light and
incredibly strong inflatable raft. The
special fabric coating is highly wear and
abrasion resistant. The alloy fabric seams
are hot air welded and seam tape is used
over inside edges for extra durability and
air retention.
All of the external parts are Radio
Frequency welded permanently in place. All
of the D rings are stainless steel, the
straps and rigging are high strength rot
resistant nylon and high strength plastic,
the oars are anodized aluminum, the oar
locks are stainless steel and high strength
structural plastic. We use Hockley
Roberts valves, the best in the world.
The Water Strider has been designed by
expert engineers based on many years of
personal use and experience. It is as
perfect a system as we know how to
manufacture, designed and built without
compromise. I have literally staked
my life on the dependability of the design
in challenging whitewater all over the
world. The Water Strider raft is
designed and built to provide more than a
lifetime of use if properly maintained.
Q: Don't you need a rowing frame on a
Water Strider raft?
A: The Water
Strider raft does not need a conventional
rowing frame to function well. The expertly
engineered Water Strider raft design
eliminates the need for a rowing frame.
The air tubes inflate to a rigid shape and
properly support the oar lock system. The
raft rows well even in Class 2 or
Class 3 whitewater. A paddler who has
whitewater experience can handle a Water
Strider raft well even in Class 4
whitewater. There is some obvious risk, of
course. Class 4 is by definition hazardous
water for any boat.
Q: How easy is it to travel with a
Water Strider raft?
A: The Water
Strider's technically advanced design allows
the entire raft package to go anywhere,
anytime. The raft system, when packed
in the standard dry back backpack, meets all
airline restrictions for size and weight. It
is about the size of a large suitcase.
If you're going to fly with your Water
Strider raft you can check the entire
self-contained backpack as airline baggage.
When you get where you are going, slip
the backpack straps over your shoulders and
walk away with a complete rafting system
weighing less than 30 pounds.
Q: If I
am flying on a commercial airline, what do I
do with the oars?
A: The Water
Strider raft system oars are heavy duty
aircraft grade aluminum with 1.25" diameter
shafts. Each 3 piece oar breaks down to
three 20” sections that fit right inside
the raft backpack with the rest of your
gear. The inflated Water Strider raft itself
is 49" wide so the assembled 60" long oars
handle the raft very well in fast water or
heavy wind. The oars have an ergonomic
plastic grip with ridges to make gripping
and rowing comfortable. The oar blades are
very strong. We have never seen or heard
about a broken blade even after frequent
hard use. The greatest risk of oar damage is
a bent shaft from getting jammed on a rock
or sweeper in heavy current. That's
why we advise that you always take an
extra oar along with you when you go on
a wilderness float trip where you will be
floating for several days. While oar damage
or losses are rare, it's not a good thing to
be "up the creek with a paddle"
should you accidentally damage or lose an
oar. Check your oar retaining nuts
frequently when running in heavy water!
Q: Can I carry
more than one person in a Water Strider
raft?
A: The Water
Strider raft is designed to be a one person
inflatable raft that can carry a total load
of more than 500 pounds. If you have small
children or a pet dog that you would like to
take along, the Water Strider raft will
easily do it. If you take a child
along always have them wear a life vest.
You should always wear one, too! To
insure the best operation and safety always
make sure additional weight is evenly
distributed on the raft so that the Water
Strider raft floats level in the water.
Always test your ability to row before you
leave the shore or dock.
Fact: A Water Strider raft
has 17 cubic feet of floatation. A cubic
foot of air in a raft chamber will float
62 1/2 pounds flush with the surface of
the water. For example, if you had 531
pounds evenly distributed on the raft it
would draw about 6 inches of water and
still function well. A typical
raft load might be a 200 pound guy and
100 pounds of expedition gear, in which
case the raft will draw a little over 3
inches of water and be a breeze to
handle.
Q: What happens
if my Water Strider raft springs a leak?
A:
Every new Water Strider raft
comes with a patch kit and instructions.
Punctures are uncommon but anything can
happen. Typically, if a Water Strider
raft sustains a puncture it is due to human
error. A patch kit and instructions are
included with every raft sold and we
recommend always taking a patch kit and a
pump along just in case.
For example, I always keep a
few turns of duct tape around my oar shaft
because of the submerged barbed wire fence I
floated over several years ago. I wiped the
hole clean and dry and stuck a piece of duct
tape over the hole. I finished my float for
the rest of the day and patched my Water
Strider raft properly when I got home. I
used my wife's hair dryer to dry the spot
and then put a permanent patch in place.
To patch a Water Strider raft
bring the raft to shore, dry the punctured
area off with a dry cloth to get the water
out of the weave of the fabric. Then follow
the instructions in the patch kit. NOTE:
The solvent based glue in the Water Strider
raft patch kit has a shelf life so it is
advisable to check the glue every year to
see if it has hardened.
Replacement Patch Kits
are available if you need them.
If you have any other
questions about the Water Strider raft
system please call and talk to us about it.
406.375.0251, or use our convenient
contact form.
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