Hello all !
I just purchased my very first kayak. I’m a heavier female so I went with the Pelican Boost 100 as I felt it would hold my weight better and I needed something inexpensive especially for recreational purpose. I can load and unload without much issues. .however I have no idea how im going to transport the boat to dock. it’s not only heavy but its very awkward to hold.
I know they have kayak carries but its something that I need to order online I just need something in the mean time. Dragging it will only damage the boat. Anyone have any tips or suggestions? I kayak solo so having someone help its not an option. Unless they offer it 
Thank you !
tarp? cardboard?
While you are waiting for your wheeled cart maybe tie some cardboard to one end to protect while dragging? How far do you have to drag an over what kind of surface? Plastic kayak bottoms withstand a lot of abuse and routinely get scratched from regular use(whitewater boats get scratched all the time on river rocks); I see folks drag plastic kayaks short distances all the time (though I don’t drag mine and understand why you wouldn’t want to). I think you could rig something up with cardboard if you can’t wait for your cart to show up. Maybe others will have more ideas for you.
Shoulder Sling?
– Last Updated: Aug-06-15 11:06 AM EST –
It seems to me that you could rig up a carrying sling with rope, and maybe some strapping. A length of rope with some sort of lasso on each end, perhaps supplemented by a rope connecting between the base of each lasso (to keep either from slipping off the end of the boat) should do the trick. Put the center of the rope over your shoulder, and carrying should be a breeze. You'd just need to get the length right. Substituting a length of wide strap material for the part that goes over your shoulder would make it a lot more comfortable.
I've rigged up a makeshift rig like this for weighing some of my boats (hanging the "shoulder strap" on the hook of a spring scale). It was easy to see that carrying the boat at one's side would be a piece of cake with that kind of setup, and a SOT kayak has a better shape for that than the boats I worked with.
If your boat isn't too awfully heavy, you could shorten the rig described above so the rope between the two lassos is quite tight. In that case, use the center part of the rope as a carry handle. Both lassos couldn't be pre-tied in this case. Hopefully the tying and adjustment is self-evident.
Elaborating On That…
The area between the scuppers holes at the seat and the cockpit seems to be the midpoint of the SOT. Run ropes through the scupper holes on one side to create either a shoulder sling or a carrying handle to just lift, move, put down, lift and move again.
If you were to keep that boat, you may want to figure out the midpoint anyways to install carrying handles on side of both gunwales. The handles can make carrying, loading/unloading a little more manageable by one person.
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Don’t Do The Shoulder Sling
It will dig into you. If there’s dirt or grass drag it. It will be okay. A tarp will wear out quick. Use cardboard if you have to. I’ve moves refrigerators that way. It’s cheaper replacing cardboard.
“Pivot” carry
I am not sure how far away you are from the dock, but this is what I do if I cannot get the truck too close to the shore and am not wanting to bother with the wheelie and the straps. My kayak is the same weight as yours, but longer. I can pick it up - but this is much easier. Especially if the wind is blowing briskly, picking up a large sit on top by yourself, sideways, can be too exciting. Also beware, sometimes these things can want to sail off the top of your vehicle in a wind gust after taking off the straps but before you’ve grabbed it. Always park on the most level surface you can find. I’ve slid mine part way off the truck, put one end on the ground, taken my hand off for a second, and the wind grabbed it and there it went.
Anyway, the Pivot Carry:
Place the kayak on the ground pointing towards the water. Grab the toggle on the back end. Pick up that end of the kayak, leaving the front end still on the ground, and walk it around in a half circle so the back is now pointing forward.
Grab what is now the back end again, and pivot it around so it is pointing forward.
In just 2 carries you went 20 feet. Pivot-Repeat until you are at the shoreline.
You would be surprised how FAST you can go with this technique, once you get the hang of it. It is oftentimes much faster than trying to get the wheelie cart strapped on.
If you want to make it a little less bending over, put a piece of string or a strap extension temporarily on the toggle handles, which you can remove when you’re done moving. An old dog leash type strap with a loop works well. Any sort of soft rope that won’t cut your hands works. I carry mine inside my hatch, but you can just keep yours in a stash bag under the bungees or put it back in the vehicle. (After paddling, when you are more likely fatigued, you use all sorts of tricks to get the thing reloaded)
I see the reviews of this kayak say it has plastic that is not really hard, so you may want to put a slice of cardboard under the end remaining on the ground, if the ground is really rocky. You’d have to move the cardboard with each pivot.
Can you stick a rope thru the scuppers
Tie a knot to make a loop thru a scupper on either side of center of gravity then use a shoulder strap from an old gym bag or soft luggage bag to carry it like a sling. That would be easier on your body than a rope sling.
You could probably leave the rope loops they the scuppers, I don’t imagine it would harm the handling characteristics much
I sure liked the pivot way of doing this
Scuppers
Yeah, that’s a good idea, and something that didn’t pop into my head since I don’t use boats like that, or even see them very often.
Strapping
Well, that’s why I suggested using strap material to make things more comfy than plain rope. Pirate’s idea (below) of salvaging the strap from luggage or something makes incorporating a shoulder strap easier still. That said, I’ve done the rope-sling method for heavy items in a pinch, and for short distances it won’t kill anyone. The OP isn’t talking about long portages, just getting between the car and the water.
I’ve had one SOT
it was like sitting on a bidet from put in to take out. So I’m familiar with scuppers.
And I travel alot. Checked bags are good for about 5 round trips, tops. Preparing for a camping trip earlier this week I was noticing what a collection of shoulder straps I have amassed… All my canteens and other hiking gear have some pretty plush straps.
Yup…
Prior to recently getting a kayak cart (which allows for portaging fishing equipment, paddle and SOT in one trip), the thigh straps on my Scupper Pro act as a shoulder sling for getting the boat to and from the car to the water (often 50 -100 yard plus carries, depending on tide phases). The mid point handles allow me to load and unload the SOT from the car rack.
For temp usage, running a loop of rope through the scupper holes and connecting with a shoulder luggage strap would work. The luggage shoulder strap as sling is what I use to carry my waveskis from car to water and back.
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Look What Popped Up on Ad Screen
http://www.paddling.net/buyersguide/accessories/showProduct.html?prodID=1124&manfID=114&refer=MB_ad
Pic worth a thousand words. LOL!
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Little red wagon ?
Check in Wally World or some yard sales, or a thrift store for some heavy duty toy with wheels
Maybe an old lawn mower that is no good. Take the engine and blade off and just use the wheels and frame.
Where there is a will, there is a way !
Jack L
I use the David Blaine method
Photoshop?
I use thigh straps as shoulder strap.
If your boat has paddeyes for thigh straps just slip the thigh strap over your shoulder, it’s padded and strong and you can carry the weight on your shoulder. The padeyes or inchworms are easy to install with a drill, and some blind rivets, and a rivet gun.