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Kayak/Canoe Transportation

5K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  Cupped-n-Committed 
#1 ·
Hello, I need help with transporting my Kayak and gear to and from my duck spot. I'm thinking about making it with wood and cheap wheels, but need other people's ideas about how to make it work the best. Thank you!
Drake
 
#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is what the kayak fishermen use. If you are down south it might work for you. Cold and heavy hunting weights ware tough on the PVC. Its great for the summer but not the winter.
http://palmettokayakfishing.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-bulletproof-kayak-cart-build.html


I build mine out of round rod and square tubing that breaks down the same way. I added a flat stock piece sideways to stiffen the center. You could copy something like this in wood.
Cart_5_done (640x581).jpg


When it gets a little warmer out in the garage I am going to weld up one like this with the two Tees like the one of above so it breaks down in the middle.
 

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#3 ·
Cupped-n-Committed said:
This is what the kayak fishermen use. If you are down south it might work for you. Cold and heavy hunting weights ware tough on the PVC. Its great for the summer but not the winter.
http://palmettokayakfishing.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-bulletproof-kayak-cart-build.html


I build mine out of round rod and square tubing that breaks down the same way. I added a flat stock piece sideways to stiffen the center. You could copy something like this in wood.


When it gets a little warmer out in the garage I am going to weld up one like this with the two Tees like the one of above so it breaks down in the middle.
Sweet! Yeah, I'll have to look into that. Thank you very much!!!
 
#4 ·
I built mine out of 16 gauge square tubing much like the other guy did. The axel is solid round stock. Do not waste your time with pvc unless you have a very light 'yak without a heavy load, it just won't last. You will want to make a cradle with foam padding, not the type of cart that has a pair of vertical post that go through the scupper holes. The reason being, a 'yak loaded with duck hunting gear, traversing rough ground will put a lot of unwanted stress on your hull. I've heard of people cracking their 'yaks with that style of cart. I sourced my wheels out from Harbor Freight - run flats, so they were maintenance free. It is very important to build a "kick stand" so that the cart stays erect while you load your 'yak. For that I welded a "t" fitting on the axel and threaded an 8" piece of pipe. Play with the angle of the kick stand so that the cart will lean slightly back towards your 'yak, if you don't lean it back far enough on your kick stand, your cart will continuously want to fall over (away from the kick stand) at the slightest bump during your loading process. After loading your 'yak on the cart, I then thread the 8" piece of pipe (kick stand) from the axel, and then thread it onto a small threaded stub fitting that I welded to one of the vertical legs for transport. That way the piece of pipe that you use as your kick stand will stay with the cart and not get lost. I would not make the kick stand fixed on the axel because it will scrape a lot on the ground during transport as you pull your 'yak. If you want pics, I can get my cart out of my storage space and post them.
This cart works exceptionally well, way stronger than anything I've found on the market. I use it to haul a 14' Jackson Cuda with all of my gear which weighs approximately 110 lbs. You should be able to do it for around $50.00 and it will last a lifetime of hard use for sure.
 
#6 ·
I don't have any pictures handy, but I made mine with a milk crate. Drill a hole on 2 sides along the bottom edge toward a corner, use threaded rod for the axle. I used washers against the crate, then couplers screwed down the rod as spacers so the tires dont rub on the crate. For tires/wheels, I got the cheap ones from harbor freight. 6 bucks for the small ones or 8 for the bigger ones. Add in some nuts/washers and the base is done. I used a T shape pvc zip tied to two corners of the crate to ride in the grooves on the bottom of my kayak. If you space your axle holes correctly, your pvc will fit tight between crate and axle. Make sure you use heavy duty zip ties because there will be some weight with your duck gear. I think I made them for about $35 total if I remember right. You'll also need a little strap over the top of the kayak to keep it attached. I'll try to find a picture to post, but it's pretty easy to imagine. I designed mine for pulling my yak across the beach for fishing in the ocean, but I use them all the time now for hauling the yaks around. Sure beats dragging them.
Note on the wheels. Smaller wheels lets the crate rest more level, making loading easier. Larger wheels pull easier over obstacles, sand, etc, but the crate sits at a harder angle and it makes it harder to load. Your choice. I have and use both.
 
#7 ·
I built mine with a milk crate. Use threaded rod through holes drilled in corners of the crate as the axle. Couplers screwed down to the crate for spacers so wheels don't rub. Harbor freight wheels/tires. Two PVC t shapes rigged in the corners of the crate to hold the kayak. Everything fits inside the crate and the crate fits in the back of the kayak in case you're taking out somewhere else. Don't have any pics now, but can get some if needed.
 
#8 ·
Cupped-n-Committed said:
This is what the kayak fishermen use. If you are down south it might work for you. Cold and heavy hunting weights ware tough on the PVC. Its great for the summer but not the winter.
http://palmettokayakfishing.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-bulletproof-kayak-cart-build.html


I build mine out of round rod and square tubing that breaks down the same way. I added a flat stock piece sideways to stiffen the center. You could copy something like this in wood.
great design

When it gets a little warmer out in the garage I am going to weld up one like this with the two Tees like the one of above so it breaks down in the middle.
 
#10 ·
x2 on the milk crate set up. I use a small ratchet strap to be sure it stays put and off I go. sled can be drug behind it as I usually need one for extra storage space while I paddle.

only issue is with significant weight in the yak while towing you risk tip over.
 
#11 ·
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