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The seemingly impossible

3K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  elkhaven 
#1 ·
I almost, almost, got my 14' Sotar ST into its zippered boat bag. How in the hell are these supposed to fit? I suctioned it flat, rolled it a few ways, and got it half zippered (Both sides up to the corner) but not quite closed. Garage temp is about 60 degrees...
 
#4 ·
Its more of a fold than a roll to get them in. I fold over the first 3 feet or so. Then fold that in half and roll/fold around that. Seems to work well doing it by myself. It never just zips up. It is always a little bit of a squeeze together and wiggle coming down the last side. A second person really helps to get things a little tighter and makes it fit better.

DRE makes a bag that is more conducive to loading a boat into solo so you could always get that and use the sotar bag for PFD's or something. Or, just use a tarp like I do.
 
#5 ·
I've only tried it twice, the first time it was about 40 degrees in my garage and I was barely able to fold it in half (after folding it lengthwise into thirds)- rolling was not an option. This last time I almost got it into the bag - sounds very similar to your situation - also about 60 degrees when I did it. I'd try it at 90 degrees...but why put it away when it's 90 out? That's rafting weather. I have a wood stove in the garage so I could heat it up if needed - which I'll try next time. It just aint easy, that's for sure.
 
#7 ·
Proper technique is folding in 3rds and then rolling.

The boat should fit easily into the bag without sucking the air out with a blower. You might have to roll it twice to get most of the air out but it will fit. The main purpose of the bag is to protect the boat during transport (trailer abrasion) and I've paid for being lazy and not getting it small enough for the bag.
 
#8 ·
You can always just get a 6x10 tarp at the Great Satan of Retail for about $8 - $10...
 
#9 ·
Never have trouble fitting my JPW into its bag, but it's huge. Aire sounds like a solid company, should let em know, maybe they'll start doing oversized bags.
Why do they do the zippers anyway?
 
#10 ·
I've always been a tarp guy myself but a few years ago some mouse chewed a hole in my raft over while it's rolled up in the tarp. Nothing a patch didn't easily fix up, but a zippered enclosure would be nice.


Feelings are just visitors. Let them come and go.
 
#13 ·
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The boat is an OR USA creation. The bag however, Chinese. Could be the interpreter put down cm in lieu of inches. See it all the time. Call your congressman and bitch; tell em we need to make those Chinese use the inch pound gallon imperial measuring system.
I think we should just build a big wall to deal with the Chinese.
 
#17 ·
I love some of the replys here - the F'ing boat came from SOTAR in the bag, (at least in my case) so, it's the right size - not some metric-SAE conversion error. Buy a new bag? Why? it fit once... Sure I get duck tapes stance - if it's that much of a hassle to roll(fold) at the ramp then maybe a bigger bag would be a good idea. But the damn thing came in the bag it will fit again. Wrap in a tarp? - that's not a bag - huge step backword... again I get it in a pinch but that really doesn't address the original post. In reality the key is rolling/folding when the boat is as warm as possible. Sotar's are STIFF SOB's, period. Personally it's one of their better features on the water but it does make putting them away a bit of PIA. I just prefer storing and hauling inflated and rigged on a trailer... that is the simplest solution - don't roll it; put it on a trailer. But if you must roll it, do it warm, if you can't get it in the bag at the ramp bring it home and warm it up, then re-roll.

Maybe SOTAR will sponsor a bag swap? So everyone that wants to can trade their bags in on larger ones. I send mine in for one that holds a 16 footer, and and a 14'er gets mine...a 13 footer gets the 14'ers bag.... Naw too complicated. Get a hypalon boat if you plan on rolling it. My hyside rolls into 1/4 of the size of the sotar. sure it's 3/4 size to start with but it's WAY easier to roll. Hyside at 0 degrees rolls better than a sotar at 60.
 
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