Any suggestions on wheels for portaging over rough ground, i.e. rocks & roots? Thanks for your help!
built mine
i travel about 5 days a week to my lake over a couple 100 tree roots an didn’t think even the heavy duty stainless models would hold up so i built mine out of a piece of 2x6 an a couple of wheels i found off a neighbors sons old wagon. been 3 years an going strong still. total cost was $8.00 for everything i had to buy.
I made one last year which is …
…good for either a canoe or yak.
I got one of those baby joggers at a thrift store for twelve bucks.
It has the fifteen inch tires with tubes in them and goes over the rough stuff nice.
I took the front wheel off and cut the front bars that held the wheel on back a bit, and stripped all the straps of it.
Then I used two of the camlock buckle type straps that we use on the roof racks and cut them to the length I wanted. I cut them and attached one end of each to the bars on one side with a sheet metal screw backed by a plastic washer.
Once you find the center point of your yak,for balance all you have to do is steer it.
Cheers,
JackL
Wheels
I trip into ponds it the Adirondack mountains in upstate NY. The kayak cart I bought had plastic wheels and plastic tires that looked tough. They failed the 1st trip out! The roots n rocks really take a toll! My Cobra “fish n dive” is 60lbs without gear. I switched to bigger sized pneumatic tires with steel wheels. They work great! Harbor Freight Tool out of Ca. has some nice wheels. 1-800-423-2567 for a catalog. Your local Tractor Supply should carry some also.
hand truck dolly
I haven’t done it yet, but am planning to take a hand truck, or dolly to some, cut off the front handle portion down to the first cross bar from the wheels, pad with either a swimming noodle or pipe insulation, and use it as a dolly. I’ve got the hand truck, but you can pick one up at Home Depot or Sears for about $40, about 1/3 the cost of a kayak/canoe dolly. Mine also has 10" pnuematic tires. Suggest filling the tires with something that will plug small holes you may get.
Some might want to either cut the foot off or build up the hand truck frame for their yak, but my yak has a flat stern so it fits snuggly against the foot.
If you don’t plan on carrying it
…with you in the boat, get the biggest lightest wheels available. Irishman_ng built one out of a golf cart with giant plastic wheels, and it trundles over obstructions and sand like nothing else.
Still looking for a cheap stroller
thanks for the tip (again)
Home built kayak cart
– Last Updated: May-01-05 4:03 PM EST –
Built this one for around $28. All I needed were the wheels I bought from from Northerntool.com and used old lawn chair tubing and a 1/4" steel axel to mount the wheels on. It does not fold up but for what need it for it works great to launch where there in no access.
http://www.xplanefreeware.net/~jim/jpeg/Jims/Kayak/100_0132a.jpg
http://www.xplanefreeware.net/~jim/jpeg/Jims/Kayak/100_0130a.jpg
Homebuilt PVC cart
– Last Updated: May-01-05 6:55 PM EST –
I built a cart using PVC pipe that works very well on rough terrain and rocky beaches. It also collapses to store inside a kayak hatch. For more info, see here:
http://www.westcoastpaddler.com/building/index.php?cat=2
Dan
http://www.westcoastpaddler.com
*****
It depends on whether you
want to take it with you or not. If not, then your options are better. I built one using bicycle tires that is the best I’ve ever used. The large wheels roll over obstacles extremely easily. Plus, I have it set up to where it attaches just behind the cockpit so it supports most of the weight of the boat. Here are some pictures of various carts. http://community.webshots.com/album/75339708CVOdDJ
wheels
Used 16" wheels off of a high wheel lawnmower salvaged from the dumpster. Works pretty well but too big to take along. I would think these could be picked up fairly cheap (used) from a mower repair place.
Nice design…
I think I might have an old baby stroller that has some light weight wheels on it. Thanks for the pictures… I’ll have to get cracking on this one!