Hobie dolly questions

I currently use the Hobie plug in beach wheels for my outback kayak.  I was looking at the Hobie dolly the other day online and was wondering if it might suit me better.  Has anyone modified it so that isn't as wide?  I don't need the two areas on the side to support amas, I was wondering if its possible to shorten the axle and remove the Ama support part of the cradle, reducing the width of the dolly? 

Do you mean something like this thing?  It helps if you post pictures or links when asking questions about specific products.  If that is the dolly you are talking about, then I would have to say no.  It wouldn't be better than a pair of Wheeleez (the best kayak cart, ever).  What do you not like about your current cart?

your right, I'll stick to what I'm using now (the large wheels from Hobie). Always looking for easier but that dolly is too wide for the paths I use.  Thanks for the reply.

Not a Hobie user and I assume they have bulked up the scuppers over time, but I would never use a cart that concentrates bounces and torque into the scupper holes.

Not a Hobie user and I assume they have bulked up the scuppers over time, but I would never use a cart that concentrates bounces and torque into the scupper holes.

I get what ur saying, I was concerned too but
I’ve used the Hobie Scupper cart for 3 years now and no problem at all!
Maybe the new generation Outback is just plain TOUGH!   Lol!

Not a Hobie user and I assume they have bulked up the scuppers over time, but I would never use a cart that concentrates bounces and torque into the scupper holes.

I get what ur saying, I was concerned too but
I’ve used the Hobie Scupper cart for 3 years now and no problem at all!
Maybe the new generation Outback is just plain TOUGH!   Lol!

I’ve seen and repaired a lot of hobies that had damaged scuppers from those carts.   You either have tough plastic or lucky.   Hard to fix scupper cracks inside the scupper holes.  Be careful kayaks are expensive. 

I too have been using the plug in for my Outback and wondering long term effect. My cart gets “stuck” in the holes when I am dead lifting the kayak off. I have been tapping it with my fish wacker; however, I am concerned about the impact as well. Right know it is just irritating as the yak is heavy and I am doing a one handed lift at the moment I need to tap it free. 🤔

I've not had a problem using a Hobie scupper cart, but there is still potential to damage your scuppers either way.  But at least Hobie designs their scuppers to be used with their cart.  It's not true on any other kayak that I know of, yet people still build and use scupper carts on them.  Hobie did reinforce the scuppers, but others can be very thin and the weak point where the two halves of the mold meet.

My cart gets “stuck” in the holes when I am dead lifting the kayak off. I have been tapping it with my fish wacker; however, I am concerned about the impact as well. Right know it is just irritating as the yak is heavy and I am doing a one handed lift at the moment I need to tap it free. 🤔

When my cart gets stuck I just move the kayak sideways as I pick it up so the wheels drag a little and it drops right out.

My cart gets “stuck” in the holes when I am dead lifting the kayak off. I have been tapping it with my fish wacker; however, I am concerned about the impact as well. Right know it is just irritating as the yak is heavy and I am doing a one handed lift at the moment I need to tap it free. 🤔

When my cart gets stuck I just move the kayak sideways as I pick it up so the wheels drag a little and it drops right out.

Thanks for idea! I will give that a try. 🤞

There are some cool videos on how people use bungees to insert their cart by just lifting up the kayak. I wanna try it someday

So Hobie makes a set of “cradles” for the outback. It’s front and rear. You could use the rear half to make a cart, maybe modify an existing cart in some way. At any rate I built a frame for them and that is how I store and transport my outback. For wheels I just use the Hobie scupper cart.

I installed Landing Gear on my Outback.  I have 2 sets of axels.  One with the Wheeleeze style balloon tires and the other with more rigid wheels.  When not dealing with sand launches, the rigid wheels are great.  They can be removed and inserted into the bar with the kayak in about waist deep water eliminating the need to lift or drag the yak.  Landing Gear is a pricy option and not an easy install with the backing plate but a really elegant wheel solution. 

There are some cool videos on how people use bungees to insert their cart by just lifting up the kayak. I wanna try it someday

This is how I do this, but somehow, once loaded the plug in scupper cart rods tend to get stuck in the scupper holes and need that tap. I am going to try the side to side wiggle to see if that will work. The bungee to get the yak aligned and the plug in works great… most of the time. I thought about the cradles and may need to look at John’s set up next time we end up at the same place to launch. 

loving the Wilderness cart for my PA14. Have both regular and sand-balloon wheels. Can change wheels in less than 5 min by redoing axles placement.

Friend had used Boonedox Landing Gear. Less than 2 years later his Hobie hull is cracked on both sides. Installed himself, he knows plastics as in the industry for 30 years. He backed up underneath with polymer plates too instead of the steel.

Hobie denied warranty hull coverage. So, beware if your yak is still covered by 3-year hull warranty if installing these types of bolt-on landing gear systems.