Re: Foam Boat Design

Posted by Mark Camp on Feb 7, 2006

Jesse, you may want to also consider beach wheels, or something similar. I don't know if they will work for the kind of portage you are doing.

I use them for carries of about a half mile at the beach, with a plastic yak of about 80 or 90 lbs, including gear. I do go through a small protected "dunes" park that has a narrow trail, but other than that, nothing like a mountain/woodland portage.

On the river, I have only short carries between parking lot and river. The river banks are a bit steep and muddy, and have some trail-type steps. The beach wheels handle all this with no problem.

So if the terrain of your portage has any rock climbing, the wheels wouldn't work. If it is all hiking trails, then check them out.

You can balance the boat on the wheels so it's weightless at the hand. Pulling a heavy yak on the flats is effortless. In deep dry sand, there is some effort, not bad. On hills, obviously, weight is weight...on a 10% grade with a 90 lb load, you must supply 9 lb. of force to overcome gravity.

I've been delighted with the beach wheels I got, and wish I had bought them earlier. The only minus for me was the price.

The inflatable balloon wheels remove easily for stowing. But my Old Towne has a fairly open cockpit. Stowing on a typical S and G kayak will be an issue to consider.

In Response to: Re: Foam Boat Design by Jesse on Feb 6, 2006

Replies:

• Re: Foam Boat Design by Jesse on Feb 7, 2006
  • kayak beach wheels by Mark Camp on Feb 7, 2006
    • Re: kayak beach wheels by Laszlo on Feb 7, 2006
      • Re: kayak beach wheels by James Eager on Feb 7, 2006
        • Re: kayak beach wheels by kerry on Feb 8, 2006