I’ll be getting a new kayak soon (fiberglass). I paddle alone a lot and the boat weighs just under 50 lbs so I’ll have to unload it, carry it to the water, and reload it by myself. I’m okay with getting it off and on the car but less sure about carrying it any “long” distances. I’m reasonably fit but at age 56 the ol’ machinery just ain’t what it used to be. I’ve seen lots of kayak carts, ranging in price from under $75 to over $150 - PaddleBoy, Paddle Cart, Harmony, Wheelez, Seattle Sports, Spring Creek, and on and on.
Any suggestions or recommendations?
kayak cart
I like mine pretty well: something with a name like Big Tomato. Why? Red wheels, I guess. It collapses, not very upright if it has the V end of your hull on the support bar. But I still like it fine. Has cotter pins in the wheels so you could take the thing down and put it inside your boat if needed. (I don’t use it that way.) I padded mine out with pipe insulation to avoid marring my boat. It’s sure a pleasure to throw everything in the cockpit of my kayak and wheel the whole mess to poolside for winter practice. Same with boat ramps.
I have a
paddleboy and it’s built well and works great. It’s the Yoda II but I think they changed the name recently.
Kayak carts
I have been using the same Wheelez for the last 10 years. Never had a problem. Big fat low pressure wheels make it easy to pull my kayak over the sand to the water.
I have a Seattle Sports model and it
meets my needs.
Paddle Boy
I have a Paddle Boy with 8 or 10 inch tires. It works great for walking my kayak or canoe 3 blocks to the beach. If I had to go more than 50 yards over sand I’d want a cart with the fat wheels. My cart will come apart but my hatches are too small to get the pieces inside the kayak so I lock it to something on shore.
Paddleboy Nemo
Great cart-love mine!
Eckla 260
Center mount and fits in most hatches. No return trip to the car.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
Homemade Cart
– Last Updated: Feb-06-08 10:23 AM EST –
is what I now use. I did have a commercial model sold by REI but it lasted only two months before the supports broke.
A friend had some plans for a cart which was made from parts available from Wally World, Lowes and West Marine (all located within blocks of each other). Parts cost under $30.00.
Took me less than 30 minutes to make a cart, using tools I already had around the house, that is easier to use than most commercial rigs, sturdier and definitely cheaper. Fits inside the hatch of both the I-Boat and 139XL without having to dismantle or fold.
Been using it going on the 5th year now.
Any day on the water is a great day,
Cal
Freya’s Trolley
I have one of Freya Hoffmeister’s Kayak Trolleys, and have given it some real torture tests.
Best things about it: It packs down really really small, and the pieces are all shock-corded together so you can just slide the cart out of its bag and give it a shake. Voila, instant cart. Even the axle pins are shock-corded so you can’t lose 'em.
http://www.qajaqunderground.com/kayak-trolley.html
Home made cart
Hey NC-CAL could you post a foto or a link to a foto of your cart?
Thanks,
dave
Cal is it possible…
To post a link to the plans for homemade cart…
or could you e-mail them to me
Sounds like a great do it yourself project.
I have a Ford Ranger and really enjoyed designing and building an overhead rack for it, but probably could have done a better job (and will next go around).
Since you and your friend have already field tested, your design would benefit many here, I’m sure.
Right on Dave
Cal must leak the secret design!
PVC
My husband made a cart for his zodiac w/PVC. He was considering doing the same for the kayaks, but so far we have found easy entries into the water w/o having to carry them but a few feet or yards.
-Capri
Freya’s Trolley
Can you tell me how you like “Freya’s Trolley”? I have seen this cart before and have been tempted. The one thing that holds me back is that there is no “kick stand” to keep the trolley standing as you mount the kayak. Do you find this to be a problem? Also, I had read somewhere that when you order the stand it takes quite a long time to get the order completed. Did you find this to be the case? Any other comments would be appreciated. Thanks.
Haven’t needed a stand.
I just let the Trolley fall to one end or the other, then set my kayak on top. It naturally flips up into position with no fuss. I’ve hauled fully loaded kayaks over woods trails full of boulders, roots and stumps with no problems. I’ve used my own homebuilt carts and borrowed others’ factory units, none compare with the ruggedness and simplicity of Freya’s. Very happy with it.
I made mine out of PVC and a couple of
tires from Harbor Freight. Just do a search on carts and design your own. Took me all of about a 30 minutes to make it.
Homemade Cart Photo
– Last Updated: Feb-07-08 2:51 PM EST –
http://cal3san.spaces.live.com/
If you want the plan, pop me an e-mail and I'll answer with an attachment.
Cal