Build yourself something like this to the right dimensions out of 2x4s, long enough to reach the support points on the bottom kayak and wide enough to nestle whatever saddles you decide to use. Then find a way to stack the second kayak on top of it. I believe @Marshall can tell you about some foam saddles that are not too expensive that can be used top and bottom or you could make some.
You could then roll both kayaks around the block by yourself.
Wow, I forgot I have one of these moving dollies already, will definitely see if that is big enough, or if not I could modify it easily. Might be able to make the whole thing with materials on hand. Now I need to get the boats out of storage and start checking it out.
Now you talking @kapungo …
Can’t get more simple and inexpensive then that, the wife will love you.
Ask @Marshall about those foam saddles, I am almost sure I saw him post pictures of them on the forum in the past. Don’t know how expensive they are, but you could also make something that would work. Many different ways…
I built a rack that could hold six kayaks /paddle boards /surfboards /waveskis stored on edge or three laid flat, construction was from junk 2X4s and 1X2s from home depot. the 1X2 cross beams were padded with split pool noodles which you can buy dirt cheap from stores like target etc in the summer. I padded the inside of the rack with foam from Amazon shipping boxes, and on the outside I built a pegboard to hold PFDs and paddles. I used this for about 20 years and left to a friend when I moved. I just bought the wood again to make a new one in my new storage shed and it cost $30 for the lumber, I have a cheap supply of bolts and screws, which are about to get very pricey thanks to our Dear Leader.
The Dear Leader Rules…
@kapungo , if you really want to simplify this, make it inexpensive and more efficient, take both kayaks and put them on edge, bottom to bottom. Make your Dolly the correct length and width, make two cradles out of plywood the general shape to receive the kayaks, screw them to the two ends of the Dolly, slit a Pool Noodle and put it on the edges of the cradles…and you are Done.
Looks like the thread is being observed;
We are on the cutting edge baby…
I apologize @Craig_S ,I lost your post.
What are you talking about, the last time we heard from you ou were doing serious race prep with an extensive routine and were ahead of schedule. What is going on with the health, is the valve repairable, how much trouble is it causing you?
Years ago I happened upon plans for “canoe cradles”. I can’t seem to lay my hands on the origional source of those plans, but they are pretty much as pictured here.
I made a bunch of them and found them handy for sanding and reoiling canoe gunnels without having to crawl on the ground a lot. Mine differed from the one pictured in that I used 1X4s for everything but the base pieces, for which I used pressure treated 2X4s with a mortise to accept the upright pieces. My upper crosspiece on each was higher than pictured - just under where the strap’s lowest point reaches, turned 90deg and centered on the uprights. I used one dowel, two drywall screws, and gorilla glue to make each of the joints.
If you make them a titch wider than your kayaks, a boat can be slid over the bottom crosspieces, and one, of course, on the top strap. They can be placed as near or as far apart as needed for stability. That may be all you need for your purposes.
After using this set up for storing in a narrow storage shed for several years I found that arrangement to be a bit awkward for getting boats on and off without sufficient space in the narrow shed to effectively stand alongside to lift the top boat on and off.
So I connected the bottom 2X4 base pieces with a couple 2X4s connecting the front and back cradles, attached with a bunch of drywall screws. I then affixed a furniture dolly, as mjac pictured above, between them and a single centered swivel caster to the underside of the bottom crosspiece of each cradle.
It works reasonably well. I can now roll the whole rig, with two boats loaded, in and out of the shed and do whatever lifting or work I need to do outside where there is room to stand and work like a man - without crawling.
Just a thought.
More then one way to skin a cat…
Basically finished. I will zip tie the foam pads in place once I decide the best spot. Also might add a couple hangers and a pull handle. I left the top brace long for a place to hang pfds. Started with a Harbor Freight furniture dolly, I had the foam pads and Jhooks, the rest was junk I had in the shed.
Looks like a combination of several ideas, you will not regret making it mobile. The 4x4s are overkill, you could have made a simple box out of 2x4s and put a single diagonal brace, but they will work if you have a good lag in the bottom, but they will eventually work loose. If you see wobbly, put a diagonal brace. But it was your idea so that is all that matters. You had to buy a dolly, I thought you had one. You could have made one just the size you wanted. But coming up with your own ideas is fun.
Yeah 2x4’s would have been fine but the 4x4’s were on hand waiting their new life. There are small angled braces at the bottom. And I did have the dolly, and while the various bits were bought at one time or another, no money spent directly on this.
That explains everything, I thought you went out and bought an 8’ 4x4 which is almost always Celicure and would have cost a little bit and went out and bought a furniture dolly at Harbor Freight. That wouldn’t make a lot of sense. So you were able to piece things together for next to nothing and have a nice stacked rack that is portable. Nice…
You are going to have two Kayaks that weigh anywhere from 30 to 50 lbs apiece hanging off of those 4x4s plus the leverage caused by when you roll them. Those littl knee braces at the bottom are not going to be enough. Take the length of the dolly and go up the 4x4s that distance and put in cross braces where the cross braces are at a 45 degree angle.
Edit: YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PAINT IT? …SACRE’ BLEU
The lower one sits flat on the dolly, so only the upper one is hanging on the 4x4’s. If it feels like it needs more bracing I can add it. And no paint, she will go necked lol. In the past I have used up smaller amounts of deck stain or something on a project like this, it seems better than letting it dry up and throw it out. Maybe someday.
And thanks to all who contributed, not sure I would have gotten to this on my own!
Looks good,like a Top Hat.
It’s a cogenetial defect that’s been with me my entire life, which was predicted to not be much beyond 30.Slowly it’s been getting worse over the years. Eventually it’ll kill me. Right now if I bend over and straighten tooo fast there is a chance of vision blackout only lasts a second or so. That not the big problem
Last physical the blood work did not come back too good, anemia, so at least I know why I’m exhausted all the time. The doctor is concerned that I have an intestinal bleed, or god forbid cancer, so later this month I’ve got a trip to GI Doctor for eval and colonoscopy. Then we’ll go from there.
However it’s put a crimp in the training regimen. I walked into work and after 200 yards I’m ready to take a nap.
I am a little confused y something, what did “ which was predicted to not be much after 30” mean?
Put a “crimp” in your training and race preparation? …It killed it. Congenital Defect, there is no correcting procedure? Anemia, possibly caused b an intestinal bleed or even cancer? This does not sound too good. When will you find out something and more important, what is the fix? Not more the a while back you were boasting about your training routine, being ahead of schedule and looking forward to the racing season.
At the time of diagnosis, when I was younger (much younger.) there wasn’t a long term solution. Replacing the Valve surviviors had usually a 5-10 year life expectancy if there weren’t rejection issues.
They figured I’d have a complete failure in my 30’s
Now since they’ve had much better results and longer expectancy’s for replacement, of course that completely scares the shit out of me of rejection.
So far cardiologist, and primary aren’t too concerned. Basically the you ought to think about this for the future.
The guts are what concerns me more since the last race I’ve had ongoing intestinal issues (see montezumea’s revenge.) at least once a week if not more. Initially I chalked it up to a bug I picked up during the race. however when It didn’t go away we checked for all the waterborne bugs possible. which turned up negative.
then I discovered this:
Thats Glass that was in the vitamins I was taking from Irwin naturals. And as it were some of the glass was stuck to the pills. So there is a better than odds on chance that I ingested glass.
Spin forward to today and everything has hit me to the point where I’m barely functional due to exhaustion.
According to my primary there are several possible causes from best to worst.
or may be combination of the above, I unfortunately won’t have better info until the 25th.
I’m still trying to train but It’s been exceedingly difficult. (right now I’m sitting in here at work been in the office for about 4 hours and I’m falling asleep.)
I’m hoping that they can find and address the cause so I can get back to training. So we’ll see.
