The $30 Kayak cart that can be disassembled for storage
I already had a kayak cart that was built for my scupper classic but it was welded out of steel and couldn't be broken down for storage so I started researching the net to find a new cart. The guys on yakfishing.com and kayaksportfishing.com were nice enough to help me figure out a way to make a new type of cart (BIG THANKS TO BONEFISHER AND KAYOTE AND WHOEVER ELSE I FORGOT FOR YOUR HELP! Here's another version: http://www.allkayakfishing.com/rigged/cart2.html ). Their idea was pretty simple, just use pvc and some straps!
2 Pneumatic Wheels ($10 for 2 on sale at Harbor Freight Tools)
2 Cotter Pins (3/8" Hitch Pin .35 from Home Depot)
2 steel rings (.97 from Home Depot)
2 Steel Hose Clamps (1.98 from Home Depot)
3 foot 5/8" Steel Rod from home depot (6.36 from Home Depot) for axel
6 5/8" Washers from Home Depot (1.14 from Home Depot)
3/4 Inch PVC pipe (1 ten foot length from Home Depot)
6 3/4" PVC T (2.40 from Home Depot)
4 PVC End Caps (.96 from Home Depot))
1 strap to lash the kayak to the cart (2.50)
1 Primer/spray paint (1.88 from Home Depot)
1 Funnoodle Pool Floats from (1.44 from walmart)
Tools needed:
Hacksaw
Screwdriver or socket to tighten the hose clamps
Drill/drill Bit, a drill press is even better
Pvc cutter if you have it, if not the hacksaw will work on that too
Pvc pipe glue and primer, I didn't use this because I didn't see any areas that might come apart during transit.
Directions:
First make the Base of the Cart, you can base it on the width of your kayak or else model it after the ones in the stores. I ran one T joint to the axle, and then ran a pvc pipe piece to the next one. Then I took another T joint and connected it sideways to the first T joint. Run another bar to the corresponding T joint and it forms a double bar of pvc.
You can glue it if you wish but do not glue the top T joints for the main kayak support. If you leave these unglued then you can remove them later on for storage. Add end caps to the top of the cart bars.
Drill 1 hole in the 5/8" steel rod, add cotter pin and then washers. Space it out and figure out where you will have to drill the next whole on the other side of the wheel. Cut steel bar to fit. Then drill second hole and add second cotter pin. You have just made the axle.
Make sure everything fits properly and then paint the cart if you wish.
Attach steel rings on each side of the cart with the hose clamps. This will be where you can attach a strap with a hook to the cart to secure your kayak to it.
Cut pool noodles to fit on top bars, this will cushion the kayak and help it from slipping off the bars.
Try it out! If it works well send me one million dollars or buy me a diet pepsi with lemon the next time I fish with you!
NOTES:
You can disassemble the cart by taking off the two top bars at the T joints and removing the cotter pins and removing the wheels. It should help it to fit in your kayak.
I tried using a 1/2" gigantic bolt first that was threaded on one end. It didn't work because the 1/2" piece wouldn't fit right in the cart wheels (5/8" fits it exactly) and when I put the thing together on the kayak the wheels cambered a bit and I didn't want to chance damaging the bearings on the kayak. They did not make any long 5/8" bolts and I thought the threaded 5/8" rods might be too flimsy. The 5/8" bar from home depot fit perfectly and I was able to cut thru it really easy with a drill and a sharp bit. This made a very strong axle which will also be easy to replace later on.
I used two large 5/8" washers to space out the cotter pin from the wheel because the pin kept hitting the bolts that hold the wheel together.
The Second Cart
The first cart works great ON HARD SURFACES! But truth be told, on soft sand I had problems because I have so much gear in the Extreme that it's really really heavy and the cart became like a sled. So I was planning on going to my sister's house and "borrowing" my neices "big wheel" kids tricycle since it has huge plastic wheels. Then on the very next day when I began planning to build the new cart I saw a "big wheel" in my neighbors trash can on trash day. So with the stealth of an indian I pirated it out of the trash at 1:30 am so people wouldn't think I was a trash digger.
This puppy rolls on the sand great! The hardest part of this build was trying to get that darn "big wheel" apart. It took a few different tools but basically I ended up getting three great wheels and one axle out of it. I built it the same way as the first cart except I glued all the joints together except for the two "T"s which remain removable. The only problem with this cart is that the wheels are so big I cannot take them off and store them below my hatches, they would take up too much room. So I just bungie the whole thing to my kayak and now I guess you can say I have two added floatations!
A close up view, you will note it's pretty much the same as the first cart
Note the huge size of the tires in relation to the "T" bars. This thing rolls on the sand great!
Disclaimer:
If you follow these dirctions and the kayak cart falls apart and your kayak falls on the ground it is considered an ACT OF GOD and therefore like the insurance company says, I cannot help you out, lol!