Pakboats XT-15 solo Installation instructions

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AssemblyInstructions
and
User’sManual
XT‐15/XT‐17soloandXT‐16double
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AssemblyInstructionsandUser’sManualforXT‐15andXT‐16.
Content:
1. General
2. Frame
3. InstallingFrameinSkin
4. InstallingSeat
5. InstallingDeck
6. Disassemby/packing
7. Preparingforfirsttimeassembly
8. RepairandMaintenance
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GENERAL
YournewPakboatsXTserieskayakincludesmanyuniquefeaturestohelpyouenjoyahigh‐performance
touringkayakthatpacksintoasingle,compactbag.
Thekeytomakingasleek,full‐lengthfoldingkayakwithexcellentperformanceistogivethehullthe
rightstiffness.TheXTaccomplishesthisbyconnectingtheframe’sgunwale‐andchinerodstoformanI‐
beamoneachsideofthekayak.TheI‐beamsareformedbyseveral22‐inchsectionsthatarefirmly
lockedtogetherbysteelpinsattachedtoeachcrossrib.EachcrossribconnectstobothI‐beams,and
togethertheyformalightweightframewithintegritythatisuniqueinsuchalighthull.
Becausethehulliscompletelysymmetrical,itisalmostimpossibletoassembletheframeincorrectly.
Placethesmallestcrossribsclosesttoeachendandthewidestatthecenter,theninstallthecrossribs
ontheI‐beamswiththeflatslatsfacingintotheboat.
Theend‐to‐endtensionoftheskinismadebyidenticaltensioningstemsateachend.Simplyclipthe
stemsintotheendsoftheskinandoperatethetensioninghandles.
Hereareallthepartsyou
need.Crossribsandstems
ontheleft,keelandside
beamsfoldedatthetop
center.Blackskinand
seat,reddeck,andthe
pretzelnexttothedeckis
thecockpitcoaming.You
willneedthebluepump
too.
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Figure1Alltheparts

THEFRAME
1. Toassembletheframe,startbyunfoldingthesidebeams.Removethe
strapfromeachbeamandconnecttheshockcordedsections.Seepicture.
2. Placeoneofthebeamsonthegroundwiththeflatslatsfacingup.Layout
thecrossribswiththewidestonesatthecenter,narrowestateachend.
Layoutthekeel(longsinglerodwithplasticlatchclips)nexttothebeam.
3. Theplasticclipatthecenterofeachcrossribwillconnecttoacorrespondinglatchclipatthe
keel(seeFigure5).Startingfromoneendofthebeam,turnoneendcrossribsothattheopen
sideoftheplasticclipfacesintothelatchcliponthekeel.Thisisjusttogettherightorientation.
Donotconnecttothekeelyet.
4. ThereareholesdrilledinthetubesateachjointwhereI‐beam
modulescometogether.Theholesfacetheotherparallelrod.Insertthe
steelpinatthetipofthecrossribintotheholeintherodthatisaway
fromyou.Anothersteelpinisattachedtotheleverthatisabout5inches
fromthetipofthecrossrib.Makesuretheleverisintheopenposition,
insertitssteelpinintocorrespondingholeintherodclosesttoyou,and
snaptheleverclosedagainstthecrossrib.DONOTFORCETHEPINS.They
shouldgoineasily.
5. Repeatwiththerestofthecrossribs.Pleasenotethatonelatchclipon
theendofthekeelfacestheoppositedirectionoftheothers.
6. Startingfromthecenter,connecttheotherI‐beamtothecrossribs.
7. Layouttheframewiththecrossribcentersfacingup.
8. Startingwiththelatchclipthatfacesthe
oppositedirectionoftheothers,connectthe
keeltothecrossribsandsecurethelatcheswith
theelasticbands.Toconnecteachlatch,
separatethekeeljointjustenoughtogetthe
endofthelatchpastthecrossrib.
9. Inserttheendsofeachbeam
throughthefabricloopsonthestems
asshowninFigure6.
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10. THEFRAMEISNOWCOMPLETE.Turnitrightsideup.
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Figure2Unfolding
I‐beams
Figure3Installingcrossrib
Figure4Addingtheother
I‐beam
Figure5Addingthekeel
Figure6Connectingthestemstothe
frame

INSTALLINGTHEFRAMEINTHESKIN
1. Layouttheskinandfoldoutthesidestoexposethebottom.
2. Placetheframeinsidetheskin,liftthehandleatthebottomof
eachstemtoaverticalposition.Clipthetopofeachstemtothe
smallpieceofaluminumtubeboltedtothetipsoftheskin.Press
thehandlesdowntoahorizontalposition.
3. Foldthesidesoftheskin
overthetop(gunwale)rodofthe
frame.Securebypullingstrings(attachedtotheedgeoftheskin
ateachcrossribposition)downunderthehookatthebottom
ofeachribpinlever,onehalfloopatthetime.Note:Eachstring
formsacompleteloop.Bothhalvesmustbeunderthehookto
providethecorrecttension.
4. Ateachendtherearestraps
insteadofstrings.Withtheedgeofthe
skinfoldedoverthegunwale,pullthe
strapendwiththemalebuckleunder
thebottomrodtotheskinsideandup
tothefemalebuckle.Tighten.Repeat
withtheotherstraps.
5. Inflatethetopcellsofthe
inflatabletubes.
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INSTALLINGTHESEAT(S)
1. Locatetheseat.Itshouldhaveshockcordedaluminumrodsin
channelsacrossundertheseat.Locateshortaluminumrodswith
C‐clipsateachend.Theserodsconnecttheseat’scrossrods.The
thicksideoftheC‐clipsshouldfaceup(Figure11).Note:The
inflatableendoftheseatshouldfaceforward.Itisyourthigh
support.
2. (IntheXT‐15andXT‐16
solo)Placetheseatinthekayak
withtheforwardcrosstubeend
clipsrestingonthelower(chine)rodinsidethe‘X’formedby
theflatbracesatthecenterofthekayak.
(IntheXT‐17)Placetheforwardcrosstuberightbehindthe
centercrossrib.
(InXT‐16double)Placethebowseatwiththeforwardcrosstubeendclipsinsidethe3rd‘X’
fromthebow.Placethesternseatwiththerearcrosstubejustinfrontofthe2ndcrossribfrom
Figure7Clipthestemtotheskin
Figure8Hookstringloopstotheframe
Figure9Securingthestraps
Figure10Inflatetheuppercells
Figure11Addingtheseatsiderails
Figure12Securingseatstraps

thestern.Pulleachseatstrapunderthechinerod,overtheseatsiderodandtothebuckle
undertheseat.Repeatattheothercornersandtightenthestrapswell.Theseatisnowsecure.
Inflatethethighsupport(fillbutdonotpressurize).Youcanletairouttomaketheseat
comfortablelater.
3. Inflatetheremaining4cellsoftheinflatablesidetubes.Theycanbeashardasisfairlyeasyto
dowiththepumpthatcomeswiththekayak.
INSTALLINGTHEDECK
1. Layoutthedeckupsidedown.Insertthediagonalrodsinto
sleevesontheundersideofthedeckinfrontofthecockpitandclose
withVelcrotabs.Apeakedaluminumcrosspieceshouldbeinplace
justinfrontofthecockpit.Makesureitwillpointuponcethedeck
isinstalled.Abackbandshouldbeinplaceattherearofthecockpit.
Note:Ifyouhavethighstraps,theyshouldremainpermanently
installedunderthedeck.Theselfinflatinghippadsattachwithsnaps
eachtimethekayakisassembled.
2. Hookthebowendofthedeckover
thebow.MakesurenoneoftheVelcrodecksealis
touchingtheoutsideofthehull.Movetothestern,
andwithyourfootagainstthesternendofthehull,
pullhardonthedecksoitisquitetight.Thensecure
partoftheVelcroseal.Securethesternendofthe
deckwithendstraps.
3. LineuponesideofthedeckwiththehullVelcrostripandpress
againstittosecure.
4. PullthedecktightacrosstheboatandsettheVelcrosealonthe
otherside.Itiseasiestifthekayakisonitssideandyoucanpressdownon
thesidetocompressthehullslightly.
5. Unfoldandassembletheshockcordedcockpitrim.Insertthewide
endofthecockpitrimunderthedecktotherear,farenoughtogetthe
pointedbowendintoplace.Setthesnap.Settheothertwosnaps(oneon
eachsideofthecockpit).Pullthecockpitrimupsoitissnugagainstthetop
ofthecockpitsleeve.
6. Locatetheelasticcordunderthesternendofthe
cockpitsleeve.Pullitforwardaroundthecockpit,pulltight
andrunitbacksoitloopsaroundthecockpittwice.
7. Tightentheelasticcordatthebackofthebackband.
8. Attachtheselfinflatinghippadsifyouhavethem.
Yourkayakisreadytogoonthewater.Getintotheseatand
letairoutofthethighsupportuntilitfeelscomfortable.
Figure13Thedeck
Figure14Stretchandsecurethe
deckatthestern
Figure15Securetheend
Figure16Compressing
thehulltomatchVelcro
Figure17Elasticcord
aroundcockpit
Figure18Tightenbackband
cord

DISASSEMBLY/PACKING
Thisisprettystraightforward.Itismoreorlessthesameastheassemblyprocess–inreverse.Butit
maybehelpfultopointoutsomedetails.
1. Removetheinflatablehippads(ifyouhavethem).Openthevalvesandrollthepadsuptight.
Closethevalves.
2. Loosenthebackbandcordtomakeiteasiertorollupthedeck.Undotheelasticcordaround
thecockpit.Removethecockpitrim.Foldupthecockpitrimbysteppingonthesternendand
liftingthebowend.Makesureallthepartsaredisconnectedfromeachother.Twistthebow
end180degreesandmoveitdowntothesternend.Thisfoldsthecockpitrimassmallasitcan
get.
3. Undothestrapsatthebackofthedeckandpeelthedeckoffthehull.Turnthedeckupside
down.Removethestraightrodsinfrontofthecockpit(butleavethealuminumcrosspiecein
place),placetheselfinflatinghippads(orientedacrossthedeck)nexttothebackbandandroll
upthedeck.Note:Backband,peakedaluminumcrosspiece,andthighstrapscanstay
permanentlyinstalledinthedecktomakeassembly/disassemblyquickerandeasier.
4. Openalltheairvalvestoletairoutofthehullsidetubesandundoallthestringsandstraps
securingthehullskintothealuminumframe.Pullupthehandlesonthetighteningstemsto
relievethetightnessoftheskin.Unhooktheskinfromtheframeandremovetheframefrom
theskin.
5. Foldtheskinlengthwise.Thefirstfoldalongtheedgeofthekeelreinforcementstrip.Thenfold
inhalf(alsolengthwise).Startingfromtheendoppositetheairtubevalves,foldtheskinintoa
lengththatjustfitsinsidethebag.
6. Removetheseatandopenthethighsupportvalve.Removethestemsfromtheframe.Remove
thecrossribsfromtheframe.FoldupthekeelandsideI‐beams,andsecurethefoldedside
beamswiththeshortstraps.

PREPARINGFORFIRSTTIMEASSEMBLY
YourXTkayakmayarrivewithoutthebackbandandangledcrossbraceinfrontofthecockpit
preinstalledinthedeck.Figure13willhelpyouinstallthesepartscorrectly.Thefollowingwillhelpyou
along.
BackBand.
1. Locatethebackband,theelasticcord,andthecordlock.SeeFigure13.
2. Locatethetwowebloopsatoneedgeofthebackpadandinserttheelasticcordthroughboth
loopswiththemid‐pointofthecordbetweenthem.Placethebackbandonthe(upsidedown)
deckasshowninFigure13.Insertanendoftheelasticcordthroughtheforwardgrommeton
theflapunderthedeckonthesameside,thenthroughthereargrommet,thenthroughtheD‐
ringonthebackpad.Repeatontheoppositesideofthebackpadanddeck.Insertbothendsof
theelasticcordthroughthecordlock.

3. Threadthestrapsattachedtotheflapsunderthedeckthroughthebucklesontheendsofthe
backpad.
ThighStrap(thisisanoptionalaccessory).
WiththedeckplacedupsidedownasshowninFigure13,placethethighstrapswiththemeshside
facingupandthehooksclosetothebow.Threadwebbingateachendofthethighstrapsintobuckles
ontheflapsunderthedeck.Attachthehooksontheinsideofthethighstrapstotheelasticcordloop
underthefrontofthecockpit.
HipPad(thisisanoptionalaccessory).
Attachthehippadstothesnapsontheflapsunderthedeck.Eachpadfitsonbothsidesofthedeck.Itis
mostconvenienttoplacethehippadswiththevalvesfacingforward.
Pleasenote:Ifthepadshavebeenstoredemptyofair,youmayneedtoblowthemupbymouth.They
willselfinflateiftheyhaverecentlybeeninflated.

REPAIRANDMAINTENANCE
Themostcommonrepairswillbeabrasionsorpuncturestotheboatskin.Thoseareeasilyrepairedwith
thesuppliedrepairkit.
1. Cutapatchlargeenoughtocoverthedamagedareaplusa¾”(2cm)areaaroundthedamage.
Roundthecorners.Makesuretherepairareaandthepatchareclean.Coverbothwithathin
layerofadhesive.Waitfortheadhesivesurfacestofeeldrytothetouch.Applypatch.Theboat
cangobackonthewaterimmediately,butthebondwillcontinuetocureforabout24hours.
2. Fortemporaryframerepairswerecommendducttape–withwoodensplintsasneeded.
3. DoNOTuseducttapeonfabricsurfacesunlessyouhaveto.Itmakesarealmess,and
permanentpatchesarereallyeasy.

Thereisnoregularmaintenanceneeded,butwerecommendthatyouletthekayakdrybeforeputtingit
inlongtermstorage.Thekayakcanbestoredpackedorassembled.Thebestisacoolanddryplace.
Coldanddryisfinetoo–evenwellbelowfreezing.Butweavoidhandlingtheboatwhenitisextremely
cold.
WEHOPEYOUWILLHAVEMANYYEARSOFPLEASUREWITHYOURPAKBOATSXT.






SCANSPORT,INC.
P.O.BOX700(234MAYSTREET)
ENFIELD,NEWHAMPSHIRE03748,USA
PHONE:(603)632‐9500E‐MAIL:[email protected]WWW.PAKBOATS.COM