In the October '97 issue of Sea Kayaker magazine, there was a one-page article by Gilbert Scates on building a "floating kayak truck" --- although a correction/confusion generator in the December issue changed the title slightly and the author's name to Stewart Gilbert. Was wondering if anyone had tried building one? Seems dirt-simple in design and execution --- we'd call it a pilot-proof system --- and definitely cheap enough at $30! Primex makes a beautiful cart, but $100+ seems kind of excessive. Options? Sea stories? Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Jack_Martin_at_jtif.webfld.navy.mil wrote: > Primex makes a beautiful cart, but $100+ seems kind of excessive. > > Options? Sea stories? Jack, if you are interested in a "home brew" approach, the following midwheel arrangement cost me about $60 US, I think. If you used cheaper wheels, it might go as low as $30 - $40 US. Midwheels are the way to go if you have to haul the yak (with gear) any distance. A buddy of mine and I welded a couple of 3/8" x 4" bolts into the ends of a 30" piece of 1" iron water pipe (ground-off heads inside the pipe -- threaded ends to the outside) and slid a couple of 26" bicycle wheels onto the bare bolts (these had el cheapo sleeve bearings and were spoked up to some cheap steel rims by a local bike shop for about $40 - $50, I believe). With some self-locking nuts and a couple washers, one on either side of each wheel, we had a bombproof support for a standard old Yakima cradle (borrowed it off my yak rack). Strapped the yak in and off we went. We used this arrangement to haul gear a half-mile down a really rough, rutted, 4WD track to a put-in on Willapa Bay (WA -- in SW corner of Washington State). And, my SO and I used it to ro-ro most of our kit (in a large single) during a two-week excursion to the Charlottes (BC) two years ago. We had a stern wheel setup (8 inch hard rubber wheels) on a smaller single yak, and hated it so much we moved almost all our gear to the midwheels setup. The value of 26" bicycle wheels is they go over the most incredible obstructions, and they put the yak at a convenient height for hand-towing. We put our complete kit for overnight camping in the yak, so I know the cart/rack is strong. Main design flaw probably is that the entire yak and its load are supported by ONE Yakima cradle -- only about a 4 inch width. Another flaw is that the wheels are too large to stuff into a hatch. I suspect those 12-15 inch composite ("plastic") wheels on smallish kid's bikes might fit, and they would be a lot cheaper than the 26 inch steel rimmed ones I had spoked up. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
What about the smaller rubber tire 12-inch spoke wheels off kids bikes as opposed to the 12-15inch plastic wheels. Would they handle deep sand better? Dave, I would love to here your story about your trip to the Queen Charlottes if possible. That would be so cool. Best Regards, Philip Dave Kruger wrote: > > Jack_Martin_at_jtif.webfld.navy.mil wrote: > > > Primex makes a beautiful cart, but $100+ seems kind of excessive. > > > > Options? Sea stories? > > Jack, if you are interested in a "home brew" approach, the following > midwheel arrangement cost me about $60 US, I think. If you used cheaper > wheels, it might go as low as $30 - $40 US. Midwheels are the way to go > if you have to haul the yak (with gear) any distance. > > A buddy of mine and I welded a couple of 3/8" x 4" bolts into the ends > of a 30" piece of 1" iron water pipe (ground-off heads inside the pipe > -- threaded ends to the outside) and slid a couple of 26" bicycle wheels > onto the bare bolts (these had el cheapo sleeve bearings and were spoked > up to some cheap steel rims by a local bike shop for about $40 - $50, I > believe). With some self-locking nuts and a couple washers, one on > either side of each wheel, we had a bombproof support for a standard old > Yakima cradle (borrowed it off my yak rack). Strapped the yak in and > off we went. We used this arrangement to haul gear a half-mile down a > really rough, rutted, 4WD track to a put-in on Willapa Bay (WA -- in SW > corner of Washington State). And, my SO and I used it to ro-ro most of > our kit (in a large single) during a two-week excursion to the > Charlottes (BC) two years ago. We had a stern wheel setup (8 inch hard > rubber wheels) on a smaller single yak, and hated it so much we moved > almost all our gear to the midwheels setup. > > The value of 26" bicycle wheels is they go over the most incredible > obstructions, and they put the yak at a convenient height for > hand-towing. We put our complete kit for overnight camping in the yak, > so I know the cart/rack is strong. Main design flaw probably is that > the entire yak and its load are supported by ONE Yakima cradle -- only > about a 4 inch width. Another flaw is that the wheels are too large to > stuff into a hatch. I suspect those 12-15 inch composite ("plastic") > wheels on smallish kid's bikes might fit, and they would be a lot > cheaper than the 26 inch steel rimmed ones I had spoked up. > > -- > Dave Kruger > Astoria, OR > *************************************************************************** > PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List > Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net > Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ > *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Philip Wylie wrote: > > What about the smaller rubber tire 12-inch spoke wheels > off kids bikes as opposed to the 12-15inch plastic wheels. > Would they handle deep sand better? Yeah, sounds good to me -- I'd go for the fattest tires which would fit down a hatch -- and pneumatic is better than solid -- they ride over bumps better. Deep sand is really death for any cart I've seen -- the whole thing gets bogged down. > Dave, I would love to here your story about your trip to > the Queen Charlottes if possible. That would be so cool. Trip report coming to you, Philip -- it got posted on the Wave~Length a couple years ago. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
I have a cart made out out of plastic golf cart wheels...they work well in sand! cya Bob Denton President Gulf Stream International Sink the Stink - The Water Sports Deodorizer That Works! Boynton Beach, FL http://www.flinet.com/gulfstream/scuba.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
The trick is to get the wheels to stay aligned with the boat. I use a couple of foam "noodles" with a flat side cut into them and glued onto a piece of wood about 12" long. The wood is inturn glued onto a block in the middle and the axle goes through. PVC tubing provides spacing: Bob Denton President Gulf Stream International Sink the Stink - The Water Sports Deodorizer That Works! Boynton Beach, FL http://www.flinet.com/gulfstream/scuba.html *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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