Dragging

Grass without question for me and it
depends on the ‘sand’. I’ve never considered fine sand like our beaches a problem for an empty poly boat. The sand in our upstate lakes is very course with lots of rock in it. That will result in a repair if you do it often.

common sense and moderation
I drag my fiberglass boat 20 feet over fine wet sand all the time to move it close to the water for launch. Longer distances, courser sand or worse then I carry the boat. All you have to do is monitor the effects and if too much either better protect the bottom or don’t drag as much. There are no rules, it’s your boat and your unique situations. I try to neither baby nor abuse my boats to get the most fun.

Sand isn’t as bad as old, rough concrete
Sand grains are rounded, and to a certain extent will roll on a hull dragged over them. Grit in concrete just sits there and cuts.

I drag plastic all gthe time
I drag my plastic boat all the time. The rock gardening I do is much harder than dragging. But I also choose when and where. The sand we have here is decomposed granite, and usually pretty rounded, so dragging seems fine. Dirt also seems fine, especially if there is plant life on it (which can make it easier on the boat - but is tough on the plants). Concrete launch ramps and barnacle covered or sharp rocks are no nos. And this I only do with my plastic boat - wouldn’t do it with composite.

Oh!
I do not have one, and I had forgotten about them. For me, though, they are too expensive, and I just wanted to know how damaging dragging the hull on the ground would be. I have only done so on grass so far, but I will be much more careful now!

When you have the resources…
This little cart is cheaper than the rest and will work over a smooth surface as long as the boat has perimeter lines or some other rigging to run the strap through. It tends to comes up on sale at Amazon and places like Outdoor Play if you check regularly.



Paddle Boy Molly kayak cart, full retail is $65.

http://www.kayakproshop.com/PB_molly.html

lpaddling can be be a drag or not…
I’m pretty much a boat slob. Hardly ever washem, I draggem if thats the easiest way to get to where I’m goin’. Some of my boats have deep gouges. I’m not a composite type of guy. I found that out over 30 years ago when plastic kayaks were still pretty new and I spent all of my time patching fiberglass. That being said, I’m not a total Neanderthal. I get it. There are many real advanages to composites.

I generally buy used plastic boats,beatem to death and sell them off for next to nothing. If it gets holes in it then it becomes one of them new fangled “self bailers”.

if you drag the plastic boat …
… across the sand and dirt , through the woods and rubble … that should negate any nessesity of shaving the hull .



Think of it as a check and ballance situation . Scrape up the hull on the rocks and other stuff while out on the river , then drag the hull across the ground to smooth out all the gauges , nicks and hairs that appear from river use .



Got to keep the hull at it’s peek speed advantage .



Plastic canoe owners (like me) know that is why they make the hulls out of plastic in the 1st place :slight_smile: … Scrape it up and then Drag it smooth again .


I’ve been dragging a 110lb tandem…
…fiberglass kayak on sand since we bought it in 1998 w/o much wear and tear showing. Also I drag our plastic kayaks on sand fairly often with minimal wear and tear showing. Of course I am talking about nice soft beach sand and I never drag my carbon/kevlar boat on anything.

exactly!

These Are Fun Boats
And not $5000.00 high tech super light weight composite surfskis or outrigger canoes. All my Zuma Twos, Scupper Classics are all scratched up and grooved out all over. Even my 3 man Cobra too. These boats are super heavy, how else are kids going to move them. I don’t recommend carrying them either, for you’ll bust your back or something doing so. These boats are cheaper than paying medical bills. So drag them, for that’s what I do and I tell the kids to do so too. I only carry the lightweight 17 lbs outrigger and 22 lbs surfski.

A slight word of caution

– Last Updated: Dec-07-12 3:12 PM EST –

I've seen folk attach a carabiner and some string
to the FRONT carrying handle, dragging their poly
boats along the banks, ground, snow, etc.

Those same folk then inevitably complain in a
year or two about pinhole leaks in the rear
of the kayak. Poly fixes can be troublesome.

Polyethylene is a generic term with many, many
different molecular structures and forming methods.
Once you get a hole in your boat, you may be sorry.

What about snow?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkyl1ESLwZI

Lol!!!

Of course
I would never do that! Only some very gentle dragging on grass.

Excellent Point
I think that I am ok with dragging my kayak n snow. I will watch out for trees, though.

Same here with our 100 pound
fiberglass tandem.

I don’t hesitate to pull my carbon/kevlar kayak up on a grassy bank or for a short distance on a fine sand.

One year I dragged our tandem kevlar Comp Cruiser along a pine needle portage for several hundred yards, when my partner had trouble walking due to cramped legs.

With me, concrete and gravel is a no no, and I cringe when I see newbie know it alls draggging their plastic kayaks on concrete.



Jack L





Jack L

thats why we moved to glass
our particular plastic boat once it had a hole worn in the stern at the point of the vee was impossible to fix.



Plastic may be tough but once it goes…it can be gone.

Thank you!
Thanks, everyone, for your advice. I have determined that my kayak agrees with grass, but I will always carry it when asphalt/rocks/ concrete are present.



Thanks again!

Draggage
I have dragged boats over beaver dams that are made of wood and organic debris, but really don’t drag loaded boats hardly at all. Lining is a much better option, or portaging when required.



Aluminum boats are affected the least, but all other boats can be damaged by the abrasion of dragging. It is a poor practice.