I purchased a Wenonah Solo Plus 16’6 royalex canoe a short time ago and love it BUT when I mentioned it to my cardiologist he had a bit of a fit. I had a heart attack 4 years ago at 51 and he insists that I should not be trying to carry a canoe that is over or even near 50 pounds. Obviously I am not giving up my canoe so I need to find a more acceptable way to transport it to keep the Dr. happy even if it makes me look a bit sad. Problem is there are all kinds of dolly’s, carts, wheels, and so forth out there. Can anyone recommend any of these please? I thank you and my Doctor thanks you in advance.
you still have to get the canoe on the
cart
Center mounted carts put less weight on you in transit. End mounts…well you still have to pick up 90 percent of the weight…
I am perplexed as resistance training is part of cardiac rehab. Don’t know your medical condition or heart ischemia but it seems that the cart is the least of your problems.
Dealing with a capsize could be. Water weighs alot and has a lot of resistance if you have to swim your boat to shore. Not to mention reentry.
Which begs the question…should you be canoeing at all?
cart cart
oh yeah buy a Wheeleeze and a butane soldering iron from Summit Racing.
D ring patches from NRS and strapping plus buckles from Seattle Fabrics: take the cart with you.
An outrigger for your rack.
More paddlers drown dragging the hull around, lifting it onto the roof than in the water.
sour
puss
Sexist solution: Two dollies carry it.
Agree with the dolly but
Dolly, center mounted and be willing to spend a few bucks, rather than the cheapo carts. But what about getting it onto a car? Do you have rollers so you can slide it onto a car roof more easily, or are you using a trailer?
All-Terrain Boat Cart
I’ve been very happy with my InStep all terrain boat cart. It’s sold under other names, but it has a very durable frame and large air filled tires which folds down and fits in my canoes very easily.
I found mine on Craigslist, but LL Bean and Amazon carry them as well as others I’m sure.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/68566?feat=canoe%20cart-SR0&page=all-terrain-boat-cart&attrValue_0=Gray&productId=1151467
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CRNYTC/?tag=hyprod-20&hvadid=15469369539&hvpos=1o2&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hv
I had a major
stroke in 2005. I had limits they put on me & for good reason. I’m 65 now, but two years ago a friend & I wanted to start kayaking. I have restrictions that limit what I can do & my legs are not disabled, but very limited use. Can’t walk 50 yards, no muscle in my arms so can’t lift it on car, etc. Park as close as I can to water so I don’t have to drag yak to far. I adapted. Bought a short trailer so I could lift one end on, then slide rest on. Kayak mainly with my friend, but he still works so I go by myself too. Like you, it was frowned upon, but I didn’t want to give it up because I wanted to kayak for many years. My main problem is, if I capsize, I’m in trouble. I always make sure I have my PFD on, carry my whistle, & when alone, don’t get far from shore because I’d never be able to make it to shore, even with my PFD. I know a stroke & heart attack have different restrictions, but both have limitations. Just be careful, adapt where needed, & when uncomfortable, stop doing it. The limitations are standards a lot of times. I don’t suggest throwing caution to wind & ignore your doc, but try looking for answers to your imitations if there are some. My doc says you have to enjoy life too & gives exercises to increase strength, stamina, endurance, etc. He just shakes his head & says, “I guess you have to enjoy life too”, but begs me to be careful. I’m just saying to keep looking for answers to your limitations, be very careful, & work hard to enjoy what you can weather it canoeing, golf, or anything physical. Good luck, but most of all, enjoy life!
I have a whhel-eze and it is good but…
I highly recommend that you get one with larger wheels and use it center mount.
Hopefully “Plaid paddler” will see your post and chime in here with the name of it. He has one.
I made mine from an old baby jogger, and if you are handy, I can describe how I did it.
The wheeleze are great for kayaks, but not that good for a canoe
Jack L
Not 90%
A simple statics analysis will show that for an end-mounted cart, you have to lift about 50% of the weight, not 90%. It does depend where the center of gravity is located. The wheels should go under the heavier end of the boat to take more of the load.
But a center-mounted boat walker like those linked below will reduce the load to zero if placed under the CG.
Swedish style cart.
But you still have to deal with lifting the boat on the cart and deal with any tipovers you may have.
You will have them with any cart.
http://www.oakorchardcanoe.com/detail.php?product=Swedish-Style+Folding+Canoe+Cart
Shop around… You can find them for less money. I strongly suggest the kickstand.
Cart shopping
– Last Updated: Jun-03-15 11:42 AM EST –
Wow, the boat walker you sort of linked to at Oak Orchard is $60 more (with shipping) than the LL Bean cart linked above. The Bean model will also have a lifetime guarantee. You're from Maine - aren't you required to mention Bean first?
Thank you so far…
Kayamedic – my doctor actually likes the paddling aspect and thinks it is good for me. I ALWAYS wear my PFD but I know that capsizing could still be a problem.
Celia – I use a t-bar on my truck and have made a few minor modifications so it just slides right on without having to lift it.
Fishndad – thanks and that is why I won’t give this up. I am going to enjoy life instead of sitting around and sulking about it like I did at first.
N7zuq – thank you for the links. I was actually looking at those the other day.
Thank you everyone for your suggestions I really appreciate it. And only one person called me a puss, not bad. LOL I will continue to keep checking this post before making my final decision.
Load’s zero only going over flat surface
if you are going up a hill, you’re still dragging the weight again.
If your cart wheels are under inflated, or lost air, and the ground is sandy or lumpy and rocky, the drag is greater yet, still.
We ended up getting solid wheels for our cart after a few times of trying to haul my kayak up over this one big levee at the river take-out. I can’t even describe what it was like to take my companion’s heavier beast of an old yak over it with those stupid soft wheels. One of us pushing and the other one pulling it, and both fighting the stupid cart wallowing all the way. It was a LOT easier to just carry it. Somebody had abandoned a short piece of nylon strap on the beach, and I used that at the stern end to make a “sling” I could grasp more easily with both hands at the proper level, so I wouldn’t damage my wrists, until I fashioned my own when I got home.
Honestly, if you were measuring my heart working on that deal, it’s just so much easier to carry half the boat sometimes.
Doctors orders
Sounds like the doc wants you to buy another lighter boat!
no one can call you a puss
You’re not exhibiting the behavior.
Yeah, that’s it…
…I just HAD to buy that 22 pound ultralight Placid Boat Works Rapidfire, it was doctor’s orders…
Pardon my spelling of Wheel-eze
Unfortunately we can’t edit and fix a subject.
Maybe someday Brent will fix that
Jack L
I’ll Tell You Which One NOT to Get
A friend whom gave up paddling gave me his. I use it to move it around when working on a boat, but it is a pain in the butt to keep the canoe on it on uneven and/or rough ground. IMHO, a wider-stance is needed? Here’s the one I despise:
http://www.amazon.com/Best-Choice-Products%C2%AE-Carrier-Transport/dp/B00852QTIC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1433379643&sr=8-4&keywords=canoe+cart
If I were to buy one, I’d look for a wider stance and larger wheels like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Seattle-Sports-061105-ATC-Cart/dp/B003CRNYTC/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1433380541&sr=8-6&keywords=canoe+cart
That said, thankfully I’ve never had such “Restrictions” placed upon me by my cardiologist. You obviously have had significant damage and good for you for getting out and not letting your illness “Define” you! Take care!
If you tip over in any sort of current
you can lay back and float with that pfd on, point your feet downstream/downcurrent, and stretch out your arms a bit as a “rudder” or “brace paddle” and you will drift towards the river bank, pushed by that current.
So you may get longer to get there, but you can.
Don’t fight the water, use it.
Even impounded lakes can have currents.