when good ideas go bad

This could also be called,"The little cart that couldn't" .  Went out to Fisk Mill cove yesterday to perform some long overdue fish accupuncture at one of my favorite spots  I have never been out there on my kayak but after some thought I knew it would be the best dive ever at a very inaccessable area.  I get to my spot unload, hook up the boat and start off down the trail toward the cove.  Nice smooth grass covered trail and my maiden voyage of the PVC cart is going great.  I'm now about ten feet from the cliff and hit one final gopher hole and CRACK there goes my cart.  I'm easily 1/2 mile from the truck and my cart is in 3 pieces on the ground.  OH S*&^&T.   Well it is 9 am I have all day, I'll deal with it when I get back.  Launch and get outside.  Speared 6 blues to 16 inches, two blacksand a copper.  There were 100's of blues.  Saw 3 lings and an otter.  Serious lack of other rockfish.  Drug my kayak up the hill and back to the truck.  What a bitch!  Great day other than the post dive anaerobic work out.

I've seen that trail when I met Sean, Erik, and Stu there.  If a cart can survive that nasty little trail then it's a keeper.

That hike is brutal with just fishing equipment and no diving stuff (weight belt, full wet suit, ect)...  I'm not sure how you managed all by yourself.  Must have taken a million trips back and forth.  Sounds like it was worth it.

Kevin

I've felt your pain I have gone through 2 PVC kayak carts and both broke when I needed them the most  

I got fed up and bought this STEEL bad boy! No regrets even though it cost me some bling bling. At least I know it will NEVER break down on me  

http://www.kayakfishinggear.com/catalog/kayak_wheels_-_quality_and_assembly_done_in_the_usa_2676192.htm

I debated making several trips and then opted to tie two ropes to the front of my kayak and then to my paddle, put the paddle across my chest and bull the thing up the hill gear and all.  I had to stop about every ten yards with my legs on fire, but once I got going I just took my time and grunted it out.  It took somehwere between 40 min and an hour.  I stopped checking  the time after a while because it was too depressing.  I kept hoping to see the life guard truck and whine and wimper  and get a ride back but it was not to be.  I would do it again but this time I want a cart made of metal.

Hey guys, I've gone through a few carts myself and this one is by far the best.  Most of my bad experiences have been when traversing the loose sand between the beach and the truck.  My other carts either sank, or peeled themselves off the bottom of my kayak.     This bad boy cruises over everything!!! No problems at all.
 
http://www.primexmarketing.com/view_canoe_kayak_tote.htm

Ken

Dave-sorry your day went sideways, but at least you shot some dinner.

I am with Loomy, I have tried several other carts and they all sucked.  I even tried the one Hana has and it broke on me and Stu in less than 5 minutes...DOH

Sean - what part of the cart broke on you? Just curious - I've hauled mine through some rough terrain and never had problems with it.  

I've been toying w/ an idea of making a wooden cart? Couple of 2 x 4s cut to size, axle and 2 wheels. Cheap & sturdy - any drawbacks that I didn't think of? I'm not takin it in the water so warping shouldn't be a factor.

I've been toying w/ an idea of making a wooden cart? Couple of 2 x 4s cut to size, axle and 2 wheels. Cheap & sturdy - any drawbacks that I didn't think of? I'm not takin it in the water so warping shouldn't be a factor.

I've never seen a wooden kayak cart.  I'm guessing it will be great on the hard surfaces and hard to pull in the sand.  Let us know how it turns out.

Hana-The strap broke, but I also found that cart hard to attach and get it to stay put since it doesnt have a kickstand and only one strap.  BTW-it is a Malibu Kayaks cart.

Oops! Sorry Sean, I didn't realize that you sell the same kayak cart that I posted   I certainly wouldn't want to turn biz away from a fellow NCKA member.  

Ken

Loomy- no worries.  Although I am a MK dealer, but I don't stock that cart, because I don't sell stuff I won't use myself.  I sell Roleez carts for essentially the same price.

tat rolleze link with the seat got me thinking I wonder if i can modify a folding hunting seat to take my power wheels wheels that i grabed from a trash pile?

it doesnt have a kickstand

- I actually made a kick stand with a PVC  - that slides into the hollow tube (I took off one of the yellow caps)