@Rookie said:
Not sure why the cart would get wet, unless it was raining. I wouldn’t be putting it in the water, just hauling the boat on it and a few drips from the hull can be easily wiped off. An application of T-9 would protect it from rust (in case it fits into my stern hatch).
Thanks @carldelo for that LL Bean link. That’s a good deal.
It’s not going to fit in your stern hatch. It barely fits between the gun’ls of my solo canoe.
I’ve had mine for about ten years. I don’t use it a lot, but I don’t make any effort to keep it from getting wet. No problems with it, other than low tires. You can get no-flat tires/tubes that size, if the new ones don’t already come with them.
Good to learn yours is problem free. Cart I ordered has airless tires, so that’s a plus. Checked the dimensions of my stern hatch: 17.50" x 10.00" so I guess it won’t fit. But that’s okay as I’m not portaging with it, just using it to get a loaded boat from my car to the water at a few sites where I don’t park right at the water’s edge.
It’s supposed to arrive tomorrow and I’m anxious to try it.
We have 4 sea kayaks, 2 - 16’ plastic (66#), 1 - 19’ tandem plastic (100#) and a 17’ kevlar (48#).
This cart works well with all of them. Have used for several years over sand and rocks on the beach.
This cart floats, can be taken apart with no tools and carried with you in a hatch, great for landing on islands.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for posting. It also looks like it would be fast to get on the boat and go. So you are happy with the durability of the product? I’d be using it for solo canoes with a walk over 1/4 mile each way over dirt roads, and it could see a lot of use. Any reservations based on your experience?
Well, that didn’t work out as expected. LL Bean cart order was delivered (box heavily damaged), so unpacked, read directions and started to assemble cart. The wheels looked small so I measured and they’re 14", not the 16" ordered. Did an online chat with Bean pointing out the discrepancy. They discovered their website is wrong so the end result is UPS will pick it up. Going with a Suspenz 16" cart. I have a couple Suspenz stands which have held up pretty well. The order confirmation says 16" wheels, so hope springs eternal…
Well, the Suspenz cart is built like a tank. I have no doubt it will easily carry up to 300# and probably is overkill for what I’m carrying. When Suspenz still hadn’t processed my order last Monday, I canceled it and got the cart on Amazon. It arrived Wednesday. It’s heavy, 28#, and built much more solidly than the LL Bean cart I returned. Suspenz offers the same cart with 15" wheels which weighs 17# but it wasn’t available at Amazon.
Assembling the wheels to the axle was easy with a socket wrench. That’s the only assembly. Wheels are straight and centered nicely. There’s three positions for the padded cradles: up, down, or to the side. My boat is 21" wide so the only option is to set the cradles in the up position. I do like the 16" wheels and height of the boat on the cart.
The kickstand is quite stiff but if I push the cart sideways a bit, it releases enough where I can use my foot to kick it up. Hoping the spring will relax a bit with use.
Only one strap is provided, it’s in two pieces and has a hook on the end which I don’t trust. Plus there’s no protective backing behind the metal buckle. Can’t imagine carting a boat with just one strap and expecting it to stay centered. Used two of my own cam straps to secure the boat to the cart and took the kayak for a walk around my house, down the road, over grass, stones, a few bumps and blacktop. Cart rolled and turned easily. While the boat I’m using it for weighs only 48#, I usually bump it into a door jamb when carrying it into my back porch. Cart made that maneuver super easy and bump-free.
Only modification I’ve made is to add pool noodles to the cross bars because I’ve thumped the hull into the bars when lifting it off the cart to move onto stands. An insurance policy until I figure out how to do that better. Tomorrow it gets tested in actual stony/sandy beach conditions
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While the end loader carts are attractive for a very short haul just be advised that over a mile they are extremely tiring as the weight is still all on your arm… The center loaders are balanced and there is no weight pulling on you except for up and downhill.
As in all things paddling the most important variable is WHERE will you be using this?
Rookie use two straps… one run through bow deck rigging and one through the stern… You may have to install an extra piece of non stretchy deck line on your boat.
Thank you Rookie! It looks like a fine cart and it’s good to hear your “built like a tank” comment. I expect that I may order one soon. Ironically my wife has a folding shopping cart that was sitting right next to my boats that she let me try and it worked quite well but I think a cart with bigger wheels that supports the boat in the middle should be even less effort. Thanks again for the review!
Rookie, another approach to securing the kayak. Would work on any center cart. I use three bungies to secure the kayak. One that runs from the furthest rear cart support around and under the front coaming, a second that runs from the furthest forward cart support around and under the rear coaming, and a third across the middle of the cockpit. Keeps things pretty well attached.
I have two carts both bought used on craigslist. One is an old Rolleez ( i think became Whelleez later) with balloon tires for $30 which I use in soft sand when surfing at the beach. I can’t get this cart in my kayak.
The other is a Ctug I paid $80. I use it the most. It stores in my kayaks I run the axles and pads down both sides of the skeg box, and stack the inflatable tires on top of each other. I have had it and the gear for 3 day camping trips all packed away inside my kayak. It works well enough in the sand but not as well as the Rolleez. I really like how the Ctug breaks down.
I have toted my kayaks on them down roads over grass and dirt trails and across sandy beaches there aren’t many rocks in the lowcountry. I use them with my canoes too. I haven’t made any long portages but I have done as much as a 1/4 mile to get from a rental to the beach. At crowded boat ramps I load the kayak on the cart then load the kayak with gear, and get everything ready to go before I ever go to the ramp. This keeps me from tying up the use of the ramp.
The shipping boxes go to recycling as the cart is definitely a keeper.
Paddled Sturgeon Bay and Goose Bay today, accessing Lake Michigan using a rutted slope of packed sand, the always present rocks and stones, then loose beach sand to the water’s edge. Set the kayak on the cart where it nicely sat in unsupported balance. Used two cam straps then loaded the cockpit with paddles, GoPro, radio, dry bags, hydration pack, lunch, etc., etc. , and off we went. Easy trip downhill through the ruts and beach sand.
At the end of the paddle I left the boat on the beach, fully loaded (except for my GoPro and Forerunner) then brought the cart to the boat and moved all gear back into the cockpit. Pulling the boat through the beach sand uphill was more challenging than the downhill trip. Not sure if pushing it from the stern would have made it easier - I wound up walking backwards uphill and yanking the boat until the cart hit more solid ground. Then it was easy going, including moving the kayak from the cart into my Hullavator cradles. Sort of a semi-valet service.
@TomL
Amazon sells the 16" wheeled 28# cart and Outdoor Play sells the 15" wheeled 17# cart. Both companies have excellent return policies if you decide your shopping cart multi-tasker is the better transport.
@ Celia. Hadn’t thought of using bungees. Would be quicker, so will give it a try.
Hey Rookie, just FYI it would be harder to push your load up a sandy hill than pull it…because when pushing you’ll actually drive the wheels deeper into the sand.
There may be some sort of piece of semi-rigid plastic that you could put under the wheels in the sandiest section that will keep the wheels from digging in. I found the cheap plastic toboggan on google but there may be something better. You’d need two. I think I’ve seen sleds for kids that are just a sheet of plastic that can be rolled up when not in use.
The boat is held in place by friction so if you go with bungees they need to fit just right and they can’t be wimpy bungees. But they do make adjustable length bungees so it could be worth investigating since as you say it would be faster. If you need a little more friction between boat and cart you could always wrap those sled runners (or pool noodles) in Rubbermaid shelf liner since that stuff is super grabby.
@Rookie If you are climbing a lot up a hill straps may be a bit more stable. But I find with the three bungie thing I can haul my cart over some smaller rocks in front of a wheel and it stays secure. So way loose it ain’t. And you din’t have to figure out what to do with the extra strap.
@kayamedic Wow. No idea how you did that load, but it’s impressive.
@AlwaysWet Thanks and yes, LV in Kevlar layup (the reason behind the high-off-the-ground cart). Demo boat which had been taken rock gardening but sometimes when opportunity knocks, you have to open the door. Then learn how to do minor repairs.
@Celia. Tried a couple bungees today moving the boat down the driveway and into the porch. Worked fine over a hard surface. Will use cam straps away from home because I have more trust in them.
@TomL Thanks for the info. Luckily I have to deal only with short sections of deeper sand so will keep on using the yank technique. If you get the 28-pounder, let us know how it works with your canoe.
