1) What type of wheels do you use?
The tires are less than 13", it is pneumatic tire (requires an air pump, 25 maximum psi). The wheels weigh approximately 1.6 lbs/each. The wheel axle have a ball bearing cylinders for a free spinning wheel. The wheels will cost about $38. The wheels are light weight, durable, smooth rolling, and they fit under the airbag. The wheels took a great deal of research and you need to order the plans to find out where to get them.
2) Do the tires have intertubes?
Yes the tires have intertubes just like a bicycle. The intertubes loose air pressure over time (after 4-6 weeks will need air), so check the tire pressure before leaving home.
3) Do you need a the strap for securing the boat to the cart?
Yes, a cam strap 1" wide x 15'. NRS or Strapworks sells quality tie down straps, go to this link: NRS Cam Straps or Strapworks Cam Straps.
4) How difficult is the strap placement around the boat? See photos 3, 4, & 5
It just takes some practice and it gets easier as you learn the process. This method was developed from multiple uses of the canoe cart, loop the cam strap with the strap feed through the cam buckle around the canoe cart on each end of the shaft (same process as tying a canoe to a roof rack). Raise the stern and route the canoe cart wheels under the stern pulling with the cam strap loop with cam buckle on the top side. Walk the strap loop until you get to your tie down thwart and adjust the wheels to be equally apart from the canoe sides. Then tighten the strap snugly (strap buckle needs to be near mid point of thwart after tightening) and use the loose end of strap to wrap around the thwart to firmly secure the canoe cart to the canoe.
5) How wide can my boat be before getting tire rub?
The wheels are 30.5" apart, so giving an 1"+ gap each side, you could have 28" of boat width at the tie down location.
6) Who is jtkcanoes?
I am a whitewater canoeist living in southeast Tennessee. My wife and I have been paddling for over 20 years. We are members of three canoe clubs and truly enjoy the boating experience. I have a fascination for developing canoe accessories. It's rewarding making products that improve the paddler's level of enjoyable. The canoe cart have been in use for over 5 years.
7) Why do you sell the plans and not the canoe cart?
The canoe cart axle is 36" long. The canoe cart has two wheels that are less than 13". This would require a large box for shipment. The shipping charge would be around $25. The canoe cart estimated value is $125.00, so 20% of the cost would be in shipping. My conclusion, is that selling plans to build your own canoe cart is the best option.
8) Where did you get the idea to build your own canoe cart?
I got the idea out of necessity. I wanted a light weight portable canoe cart to take down the river for some long portages at the take out point. I could not find one that met my needs. It has to fit under or beside my air bags. The solution was to use a plastic pipe and about 13" diameter wheels that have a nut and pin. It works quite well on the trail. The canoe cart will occasionally bottom out the canoe stern on large trail humps. The only way to improve the bottoming out of the canoe stern would be to go with taller wheels but they will not fit in a whitewater canoe. It is not a huge issue having an occasional stern rub on a ditch crossing.
9) Have you field tested the canoe cart?
I wanted a quality canoe cart for my own use at take-out points to carry our canoes on a 0.4 mile dirt trail portage. I have field tested the canoe cart 25-30 portages on the Toccoa River, GA Sandy Bottoms to Tilley Bend. The canoe cart will occasionally bottom out the canoe stern on some trail drainage humps. This is not a significant issue having an occasional stern rub on a ditch crossing. The canoe cart has made it possible for us to make this river run. My wife can manage her own canoe cart on the trail (which is uphill). The canoe cart has been 100% reliable, it may require a strap tightening if the wheel hit a large rock that shifts the axle. It is a simple canoe cart design that functions reliably when you need it.
10) Any warnings about cinching down the cam buckle strap for securing the wheels?
You should place the tie down strap with the wheel axle near a thwart. It is possible to deform the gunnels if the tie down strap is strongly cinched at a distant of 9" - 18" away from the thwart. This could seriously damage weak wood gunnels. I placed a tie down strap 10" away from a thwart and deformed the aged wood gunnel creating a small crack in the gunnel (repaired with an aluminum bar with drilled holes, wood screws, & glue). This is a bigger concern if your gunnels are aged and showing signs of wood cracking. Aluminum gunnels are not as big of a concern as wood but beware as you cinch down the strap that the gunnels are staying shaped in a smooth curve front to back. You want the strap tight enough to keep the wheels from shifting when making a turn. It is better at first to under tighten to figure out the the right amount of strap tension. An optional wood thwart size support could be temporarily be place across the location of the strap tie down point. The optional support piece would have to be carried with you on the river trip.
11) Do you have a question you want added to this section?
The Q & A section is for the readers benefit. Please contact me at jtkcanoes[at]gmail[dot]com to ask me a question and I'll add it to this website.
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