Gcosloy Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 I remember seeing an advert in one of the Kayak magazines for a folding set of plastic rollers that you place your hull on in a rocky beach and can move the boat to the water's edge without harming the hull. Does any one remember seeing such a product and if so what was it called and who makes it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/se...gId=1&langId=-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Bradley Gwynn uses a set of rollers he is able to get into his hatch. Not sure if these meet this requirement. Thought you'd like to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Thanks guys but the item I'm looking for is not a kayak cart or set of wheels that attach to the stern. This item looks like a loose collection of 1 to 2" diameter cylinders about 20" wide and 3' long that are somehow strung together and allow a kayak to be dragged over rough surfaces with impunity. I already have a collapsible cart which does stow in my hatches. The item I'm looking for could be used under the following circumstances: You land on a stone cobbled beach. The tide is ebbing. By the time your ready to leave the beach, your kayak is on rocks high and dry and the water's edge is maybe a couple of kayak lengths away. You can now drag the kayak several feet with these rollers underneath and stow them into your hatch. Why don't I just lift my boat and move it those few feet instead you may ask. Mother nature in the form of lower back problems prompts a search for another solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 A suggestion for a cheap fix would be to use PVC tubes cut to a 2' length. Probably need a few of them. They wouldn't fit in small round hatches but should fit in an oval hatch. Would pool noodles work or would they just collapse with the weight of the kayak? Cheapest solution is to paddle with others so you always have someone's help:) If you do have to drag, drag from the cockpit and slide it down lifting slightly. This is better for the boat than lifting one end and just pulling which focuses all the weight on one spot. Suz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Andrew Carnegie, i think , said , "A man who dies rich , dies disgraced.", to which I say, "A man who dies with an unscratched hull, dies disgraced" But, If you are determined to die disgraced: I read somewhere (I think it was Sea kayaker Mag) about using those foam dock bumpers (the cylindrical things that hang from docks to keep boats from bumping into them); they're about a foot and a half long and maybe 6 inches in diameter (?) .) I'm sure West Marine-type stores have them. If you use two, you can lay them down slide the boat up on them , and move the back one to the front when you've dragged the boat one boat -length. The more pieces you use the further you can slide your boat , but then you have more stuff aong on your ride. "Alone,alone, all, all alone. Alone on a wide wide sea..." -Coleridge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin B (RPS Coach) Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Gene, I think you are referring to this: http://www.boatslider.com/boatslider.swf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thief Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 are you meaing the red rollers that had metal wires conecting them together that would then fold/stack up??? i have seen the review in a magazine but cannot for the life of me find it online... post on pnet and i am certain someone there has seen it... r Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Once you slide your boat on the roller/ladder thing, what do you do with it? It would be covering it so you can't slide it forward or backward. Wouldn't want to paddle with that on my back deck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Next question is do they float? Having them on the back deck doesn't look like the best for doing rescues etc. -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 >Andrew Carnegie, i think , said , "A man who dies rich , >dies disgraced.", >to which I say, "A man who dies with an unscratched hull, >dies disgraced" > I understand Carnegie's prescription and your nautical analog and in theory I agree. To be the owner of a boat with actual battle scars, with which I could regale my listeners with tales of gallantry or woe would make me proud indeed. However I see no virtue in celebrating those mars achieved only through misuse or worse, abuse. Rather than dragging a composite hull across the rocks, I'd sooner sell my boat to one without impediment and replace it with plastic. Then any trip that did not encounter rocks would be a disappointment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Thanks Kevin-This is definitely the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob budd Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 I dragged Rodni over a rock or two and it didn't amount to much real damage. I guess it depends on how much you care how the bottom of your boat looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Millar Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 What I liked in the ad was how it showed some "serious" models of sea kayaks being paddled with this contraption on the back -- as if a "serious" kayaker would carry something that could, as Jason pointed out,impede a rescue. Seriously, would anyone out there really want to haul their belly across that thing whilst being rescued? Wearing a dry suit would be bad enough, but imagine it's summer and you're wearing a lot less clothing....ouch!!! I understand your need, but these look about as useful (and safe) as those sponsoon things that the inventor claims can do everything but navigate. Deb "Clear Deck fore and aft" M** **I do, however, carry spare paddles on my foredeck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Yes I think after looking at the product, you are correct. Not being able to fold them up into the hatches is a problem. A better solution is if each roller were self contained and could be secured into the soil with something like tent pins or stakes. When you got to the front, you would simply remove the rear exposed roller and place it forward to continue. Finally, the 4 to 5 rollers could easily pack inside the kayak and nor interfere with rescues. Sounds like a great product for me to prototype and market. What do you think, maybe 6 people world-wide might want a set of these? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leong Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 In an earlier life I used to drag my Lightning sailboat on/off beaches using two blowup rollers (looked like fat hotdogs when inflated). They were each about 3 feet long by 9 inch diameter and were made out of a canvas-like material. I bought them from a marine supply store and don't have any idea if they are available now. When partially deflated they would easily stow into a round kayak hatch. Regards from Singer Island FL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traction Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I have used a little stern mount wheelkit for pulling a loaded boat up in a few places.. it can be handy to keep one in the truck, But the wheelkit i usually use nowadays is by far the most usefull one i have tryed. I can even stack two boats on it! http://www.davisnet.com/marine/products/ma....asp?pnum=01471 Oh and i forgot to mention, it fits in the stern hatch of my avocet or my pintail.. 4 pins hold it all together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/store...001/594/11207/5 They're called fenders. (something probably any power boater or sailboater would know) A stroll trough Home depot may turn up some sort of similar foam tubing that's simpler and cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Why don't you start testing somthing simple like Suz's pool noodle idea. http://www.9thtee.com/pooltoys.htm If it doesn't work out as a kayak skid system, you can use them as pool or lake floats. :-) -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcosloy Posted February 14, 2007 Author Share Posted February 14, 2007 Thanks Jason-I think the 5/8" center could be filled with a 5/8" or 3/4" dowel to stiffen the noodle against collapse. They are cheap enough to experiment with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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