I just bought a kayak and am seriously thinking about purchasing some sort of “wheels” for the kayak to transport from truck to water’s edge. However, I am not sure what to do with the paddle cart/wheels once I’m at the water. Do you experienced paddlers have any suggestions and/or advice on what product to look into? Any suggestions gladly welcomed.
Dan from Willow Street, Pa.
My choice
I got this cart off ebay and I really like it’s simple, sturdy construction. Breaks down easy and I just stow it aft behind the seat. The large wheels make uneven ground easy to traverse. I like that it sits up high also, I don’t have to stoop to pull my Loon 111. After trying it out a while, I liked it so much I bought a second one for my wife and her Pungo 120. Only thing I could grump about is lack of a kickstand, but that really hasn’t been much of a problem.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Canoe-Kayak-Cart-Carrier-Hvy-Duty-Stainless-Rustproof_W0QQitemZ7241683491QQcategoryZ23800QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Cart
I have a cart that I bought used. I am not sure of the specific make and model. It is similar to a cart sold be REI.
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=12065304&parent_category_rn=4501462&vcat=REI_SEARCH
I bought the cart for use with canoes, but it works well for kayaks, too. In fact, I recently used it to haul a fully loaded kayak many kilometers, including over the Torea Saddle on the South Island of New Zealand. Hauled her on the cart like I was a donkey, up 300 feet of elevation.
http://home.comcast.net/~chip2006/NZ/Paddling-Marlboro-Sounds.html
If you just want one to get the kayak to the water, I think you might do well with the smaller carts designed to fit under one end of the kayak. These might stow in the kayak. The cart I had, I needed to take the wheels off and then tie the frame on the deck in order to carry it while kayaking, which is going to be the best thing to do with your cart, unless you just carry it back and leave it in your vehicle. You could bike lock it to something at your launch site, and it will probably be okay. However, I have had bikes destroyed because somebody got mad they couldn’t steal it, and there is no guarantee somebody wouldn’t trash your cart. With the canoe, it is easy to take the cart, and that is what I usually do.
~~Chip
Homemade
I built one that straps on to the stern, and that fits in the stern compartment with the wheels removed. The wheels are held on with hairpin cotter pins.
Kayak cart
Thank you…I’ll check into that.
Eckla
Sea Kayak Cart (model 200). Center loading makes the kayak into a rather good wheelbarrow to make just one trip from the car to the launch and you’re not carrying the end of the kayak like an end attaching cart like my old Tomato Cart by Paddlboy. Good cart just that you are lifting half the boat.
See you on the water,
Or in this case, on the way to and from it,
Marshall
www.the-river-connection.com
Good looking cart
I like the way the boat sits on the bars so that the load is more spread out than on my cart, where all the pressure is on four rubber pads. I like the way it all breaks down for storage inside the yak, or a suitcase if you are traveling.
I wonder about the height and spread of the wheels…looks like it could be easy to tip over if you are on uneven ground. I wonder about the size of the wheels…a bit big if you are going to store in a yak full of gear.
SS / Alum construction. How heavy? Weight is a consideration if you ever plan to fly with it. Airlines are downright cranky on suitcase weight limits these days. My gear suitcase was pushing the limit at 49.7 pounds, so a few ounces does matter.
~~Chip
PaddleBoy
I guess that, whatever you consider, it has advantages and disadvantages. For me, one of the advantages of the PaddleBoy is that, when I get my kayak to the water, I don’t have to take the cart apart; rather, the PaddleBoy collapses and fits into the stern hatch of my Wilderness Systems Tempest 170 Pro.
depends on…
which kayak you have. some carts won’t fit in a specific hatch so keep that in mind when purchasing one. be sure it’ll fit when broken down
tight lines to all
I have
I have a paddleboy yedo. Center load is easy to use, and you don’t have to carry the weight of your kayak. It does have to be disassembled, but comes apart/reassembles quickly. Both the wheels and frame all fit in one hatch. Works well with my canoe too, and I have used it to move two plastic boats stacked on top of each other.
Have a Yedo too
Have not used it yet (waiting for my kayak next week), but it can packup small and is well made in the USA!
Maybe not to be recommended but…
I’ve been known to very occassionally take the cart out into the water and use the bungies to strap it to a tree or weeds in a swampy area just under water and a short distance from the launch point when the group was ready to go and the parking lot was just a little too far away. Too big to fit into the boat. Obviously in flat water only. One caution is that I have spent a good 15 minutes trying to find the right tree when we left in the light and returned after dark. Kinda like those confused squirrels in the spring who clearly forgot where they buried things.
Fits right in my rear hatch
http://www.rutabaga.com/product.asp?pid=1001703
No need to take the wheels off.Fits right in.