My kayak weighs 66 pounds and all of my gear including food, water, life jacket, and kayak seat weigh 45 pounds. When portaging, I put nearly all of my gear in a Duluth Pack usually leaving no more than about 15 pounds in the stern of my kayak. The gear that I left was only the gear that would be balanced over the the portage wheels. This apparently is too much weight for the portage system I was using. What I don't understand is that other people seem to have been portaging similar weights without their portage system failing.
Kayak
I'll build a light weight cedar strip kayak that will give me the option of portaging it on wheels or on my shoulders when the portage trail is rough. I did not have that option on this trip. Due to the length of the portages, my only option was to portage my kayak on wheels. I'm going to build the kayak with a cockpit shaped and balanced to be used as a portage yoke.
I believe kayaks are safer and faster on the water, but harder to portage. They are less vulnerable to the wind and waves than solo canoes. If I can get the cockpit shaped and balanced correctly, I might be able to design a kayak that is almost as easy to portage as a canoe.
Cart
I'm likely going to build a cart with the following features:
- Fits under the middle of my kayak so that it takes less effort to hold up one end.
- Has a bracket that fits over the kayak which will help keep the kayak and cart in alignment.
- Has very large diameter wheels that can go over rocks and roots.
- Is sturdier than the commercially available carts.
- Can be folded and strapped to the back of my kayak.
Am sorry to learn about the difficulties you encountered, but you did right by trusting your instincts. Experiment using Thule straps to hold the kayak to the cart (centering.) By using two straps and cinching it to both the front and back frames, I was able to secure the canoe. You can see it in the pictures in this posting of mine. (The wheels are actually intended to be used more for kayaks.) These didn't fail me, but I also had rides over some of the longer road portages. And when the trail was indeed a trail, I portaged the canoe on my shoulders instead--something which I found easier most of the time instead of strapping on the wheels.
ReplyDeletehttp://kdaanen-nfct.blogspot.com/2011/07/day-14-july-17-sheldon-springs-dam-to.html
Have fun building your next boat. So cool that it is part of the journey too! -Katina
I really appreciate your advice on portage systems.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found interesting was how few outfitters in the Adirondacks seemed to understand portaging. They sold and rented equipment, but did not seem to understand what the portages are like. No one seemed to be selling portage yokes for kayaks. I mistakenly believed that was because they are not needed. I therefore brought a kayak that was too heavy to carry on all but the shortest of the portages.
I'm mostly thinking of this trip as a second recon trip. I have lots of new ideas that will help in making my next kayak. I actually bought plans for a new kayak today. I should have a new kayak in a couple months.
Try talking with Dave Cilley at St. Regis Canoe Outfitters in Saranac Lake. So far (200+ miles into the thru paddle), my Sea to Summit "Small Cart" has worked out. It is the weak link in my gear, but nobody has a perfect solution. I think that a muscular design that can withstand max abuse is best, even if other features are not optimal. Some portages beyond where you stopped are much more stressful on the gear (and paddler!). Wish you success on your next attempt.
ReplyDeleteTeam Collett in 2011 also had serious problems with portage system. Wheels failed, they had to buy a complete bike from a bikeshop to replace the wheels, owner wouldn't just sell them wheels. They left the frame behind.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in your experiences with the cart. I'm paddling sections one and two this September with two other guys. We're short a cart and I'd like to build one since I haven't seen many rugged ones. Most use sleeve bushings rather than bearings. I own the paddlecart.com and hope it holds up.
ReplyDeleteI built a cedar strip kayak and made my j-craddles with left over carbon fiber and fiberglass. They are rugged, light weight and fit the hull perfectly since I used it as a mold. I'm thinking I could use the same technique for a collapsible cart. I want decent wheels with ball bearings as well.
Well, I just completed the trip with my home made cart. You can see it in this video. Maybe it'll inspire you with some ideas.
Deletehttps://vimeo.com/49812344
https://vimeo.com/49824755
The aluminum cart used the same 12" wheels from Northern tool, but the axel would bend when the loaded boat bounced up on one wheel. My cart also used a 1/2" aluminum axel. but seemed stronger since encapsulated in cherry wrapped in carbon fiber. I can see how those trails chew up carts and spit them out.
I am very interesting making a cart similar to the one you made Craig. I looked at the video you posted below, and the cart seems optimal for the trail. Where did you source the axle? Is it embeddeded completely in the cherry wood?
DeleteThe cart you made craig, seems really good. I am planning a NFCT trip this summer, also with a strip boat I made. thanks for sharing your experiences
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