Do through-scupper dollies damage your kayak?

My next goal is finding a dolly that isn't utterly useless on the big fat hull of my Ride 135. I recently busted the sh*t out of my PVC ghetto-dolly, and the standard fold-out aluminum dolly I have don't work for sh*t with the triple-hull-profile my Ride has (where I want to place the dolly.) Any opinions would be appreciated!

don't know about the ride, but for most yaks, the scuppers are one of the weakest parts of the yak.
Hobie reinforces theirs for their cart...but even though there have been issues

I feel your pain.  Though I trailer my Hobie AI while it is fully rigged, there are remote times I'd like to have wheels too but haven't found anything yet that I'm doing backflips over.  For a heavy kayak, the plug in wheels are a huge pain.  The wheels with the "kickstand cart" are an ever bigger hastle (even on my lighter yak), large beach carts are nice BUT where to keep/store it while on the water.  The only rig I've seen that I REALLY like is Jim's Raptor Unicycle.  I could see it working for an AI but you would need 2 people to wheel the yak.

The wheels with the "kickstand cart" are an ever bigger hastle (even on my lighter yak)

Huh?  Set cart next to kayak.  Lift kayak end and place over cart.  What's the hastle?

-Allen

Maybe it's just my cart.  The kickstand always falls down & then I have to strap it all down.  Just didn't work for me.  I'm sure it's just user error 

scupper carts don't damage kayaks.

stress damages kayaks. 

I use a scupper cart on my kayak for easy launches (launch ramps, flat ground, etc) because i find it easier to install, and the scuppers are not very stressed based upon my usage.  i use my beach cart for more difficult launches.

scupper carts don't damage kayaks.

stress damages kayaks. 

I use a scupper cart on my kayak for easy launches (launch ramps, flat ground, etc) because i find it easier to install, and the scuppers are not very stressed based upon my usage.  i use my beach cart for more difficult launches.

I agree.  I haven't had any problems with the scupper carts yet, just be careful of the terrain you are going over.  If you want to beef up your PVC scupper cart a little (the ride is a heavy yak), I inserted a wooden dowel inside the PVC that runs the entire length of the cart height.  This will keep your T's and/or elbows from snapping.  I picked up the dowel from Home Depot for around $3.

seems like every leak I've ever had developed in the scuppers, on my Manta Ray 14'.   I avoid stressing them at all.  you can find a cart that does not rely on the scuppers, though it is less stable.

The only rig I've seen that I REALLY like is Jim's Raptor Unicycle.  I could see it working for an AI but you would need 2 people to wheel the yak.

Don't tell Jim but I used it to wheel my Hobie Revo across the beach once. And it worked great...loaded up my yak w/gear then lifted the bow and pulled it through...picked up the stern and it was a breeze.

The only rig I've seen that I REALLY like is Jim's Raptor Unicycle.  I could see it working for an AI but you would need 2 people to wheel the yak.

Don't tell Jim but I used it to wheel my Hobie Revo across the beach once. And it worked great...loaded up my yak w/gear then lifted the bow and pulled it through...picked up the stern and it was a breeze.

Jim should patent that sh*t man! Santa Cruz Kayaks UniWheel!!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

I have used PVC for a couple scupper cart builds and it works well for lighter use. For my last cart build I used one inch copper tubing with an  wide axle of 5/8ths threaded rod. Copper T joints, four of them, were the expensive parts. One inch copper fits nicely into Hobie scupper holes. Tires were 12 or was it 13 inch, Harbor Freight specials Maybe 12 bucks apiece. Works great especially over rocks and coarse sand.

I have used PVC for a couple scupper cart builds and it works well for lighter use. For my last cart build I used one inch copper tubing with an  wide axle of 5/8ths threaded rod. Copper T joints, four of them, were the expensive parts. One inch copper fits nicely into Hobie scupper holes. Tires were 12 or was it 13 inch, Harbor Freight specials Maybe 12 bucks apiece. Works great especially over rocks and coarse sand.

That would be funny as hell, I could sweat up a copper contraption, but with my luck some crackhead would see COPPER and dive in to try to steal it to recycle....

It's really a balance between weight and size, I am not able to leave my dollies anywhere, so I have to carry them, which means they go on the boat, I could build a bass-ass dolly out of unistrut, but I would need to tow another kayak to carry it... I wish I knew how to weld aluminum, I would build an aluminum version of the ghetto-dolly and set the uprights with a removable pin so I could stow it easily..

I'm on kayak #4 with 7 years of homemade scupper carts & zero problems. I guess it partly depends on how strong your kayak's scuppers are to begin with. My last build was from 1/2" galvanized iron pipe. Pretty much unbreakable but between the frame & the 30cm wheeleze wheels, which are about 5lbs each, it's kinda heavy @ maybe 15 lbs total.

Since you already have a fold out aluminum dolly why not try to make a saddle to attach to the aluminum & better fit/support your kayak hull?

The wheels with the "kickstand cart" are an ever bigger hastle (even on my lighter yak)

Huh?  Set cart next to kayak.  Lift kayak end and place over cart.  What's the hastle?

-Allen

Wondering the same thing Allen.

My next goal is finding a dolly that isn't utterly useless on the big fat hull of my Ride 135. I recently busted the sh*t out of my PVC ghetto-dolly, and the standard fold-out aluminum dolly I have don't work for sh*t with the triple-hull-profile my Ride has (where I want to place the dolly.) Any opinions would be appreciated!

Where are you trying to put the cart on the Kayak? Mine works fine just behind the center of the seat. All I do is lift it up over the wheels, place on cart, hold it to stabilize it, and strap it on. Works great. Never had it fall off. Do we need have a kayak strapping class? I use the beach Wheeleze.