I understand wheels are prohibited in the Boundary Waters but are there trips involving portaging in other areas where wheels are allowed and useful? If the portage trails are muddy, boulder strewn, or full of roots, the wheels would be worse than useless.
I know, I know, get a canoe that weighs negative 20 pounds so that you can float your gear from lake to lake.
Doc
Portage carts
Bowron Lakes Provincial Park in British Columbia is set up for them. See trip report on p.net Places2Paddle
Big Wheels
The bigger your wheels the more you can roll over. I’m doing a trip this summer with a few long (5 mile) over the road portages. I bought a Instep Boat Cart with 16" bicycle wheels and a beefy frame. http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-InSTEP-CC100-Boat-Canoe-Kayak-Cart-Trailer-Carrier_W0QQitemZ7231135985QQcategoryZ36123QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Took it out for a stroll last Sunday and it’s the bomb. It’s not light but I have no question that it will handle my 16’ Royalex Explorer with 150 lbs of gear over all but the roughest trail.
I bought mine from LLBean. It was a few more bucks but I know who I’m dealing with there.
I like the instep
We ususaly roll 2 loaded tandems on one instep cart, over paved or easy surfaces.
Storage on the water?
where? on the back deck? internal?(With a packed yak there wouldn’t be room?). just curious…
In the Canoe
Yeah the BIG lovely user friendly sit anywhere you want canoe!
I don’t think I’d try to carry the Instep in or on a yak or C1.
You might consider a yoke too.
You can buy or build one. They have an advantage on rough trails if your strength and balance are good. The disadvantage is you can’t move a loaded boat.
Good Luck
Randy
Strength and Balance
You picked the two things I no longer trust.
Doc