portage cart

[dharter]

I'm hoping that santa will bring me a canoe cart for christmas. Does anyone have a suggestion for wheel size, carrying capacity, weight? So far the one from LL Bean looks pretty good.
Thanks for the help!

[stripperguy]

Mr. (or Ms.) Harter,
I have an old Roleez folding cart with large, low pressure polyurethane tires. It has worked well for me, better than most hard tired carriers that I have used.
Try this link: http://www.wheeleez.com/canoe-kayak-cart.php#kcc

[Wldrns]

I'm hoping that santa will bring me a canoe cart for christmas. Does anyone have a suggestion for wheel size, carrying capacity, weight? So far the one from LL Bean looks pretty good.
Thanks for the help!

It kind of depends on what your usage is. Mostly you need a relatively flat dry portage trail, with few rocks or roots - otherwise a cart tends to be more of than a pain than it is worth. For example, don't expect to use any cart on the Low's - Oswegatchie carry without cursing most of the way.

I'm not sure which of the several LLBean carts you looked at. For years I have used and liked what used to be called the "Canadian Walker", now known by various other names. Mountainman in Old Forge carries them, but they are pricey there. Anyway, it has large bicycle type wheels, good for getting over obstacles and it is sturdy enough to carry a heavy War Canoe on the fast and rough portages of the 90 Miler canoe race, several times. For storage the wheels do fold together under the frame.

[mainenyyac]

Building your own

I am going to try and make one of these this winter:

http://oakpwrd.tripod.com/kayakcart.html

[Ordin Aryguy]

Tha canoe cart pictured below has been through absolute hell. That one has, and many more of its' brethren. The load that is in canoe in the picture is a relative lightweight, probably 200lbs or so. On many an occasion those carts have traveled MILES with 600+ lb load and lived to roll another day.

Nope, you won't find them in a catalog anywhere, but I believe they can be had.

Each one of those lunatics from Lean2Rescue have developed their own love/hate relationship with those carts. Some moments they're hated, but at the end of the day they're usually loved.

Gather up three or four Old Town Penobscots full of contruction and camping gear (400-500lb average!), a cart on steroids lashed to each canoe, a bunch of lunatics with a loose plan to get somewhere and do something, and pretty soon the whole Five Ponds Wilderness has all its's leantos looking like brand new.

Not all canoe carts are the same. Some have attitude.


Ordin

[Woodspirit]

Wheel-a-weigh is a great cart with the 4X16 tires. Pygmy boats has it as a wherry cart. Also available elsewhere. Great for a canoe, difficult to store in a kayak.

[DRIFTER]

We once needed a heavy duty cart to wheel in a weeks worth of supplies and gear to Beaver lake in the MRP. A friend , was a carpet installer, and had access to the carts they use to wheel carpet rolls. Although alot heavier than the ones sold for canoes, they worked out great and can handle alot of weight.......H.