Tweet
Some launch spots allow the user to back up their vehicle to the water's edge. That makes moving your kayak into and out of the water easily. But at many spots, you can get your vehicle close to the water but still have some distance to cover. If the surface between your vehicle and the water is paved, then using a cart makes sense. Or if your kayak has a built-in stern wheel, like my two kayaks do, you can lift the bow and roll the kayak to the water or down a paved boat ramp.
2021-04-11-002a.jpg
If the ground between your vehicle and the water is soft (grass, mud, sand) or if you are moving along a wooden boardwalk, you can use a cart or stern wheel, but can also drag the kayak. The first impulse when dragging is to lift the bow and walk forward. This requires a combination of lifting and pulling, which tends to put a lot of strain on my back. Years ago, I came up with a simple alternative that involves very little lifting and mostly uses the stronger leg and trunk muscles.
In this approach, I use a sturdy rope (I like a 12' to 15' dock line for a boat) and run the rope through the front handle. I grab an end of the rope in each hand, lean forward, and walk slowly.
2021-01-28-010.jpg
Most of the hull is in contact with the soft surface of the ground. Depending on the angle of the rope (over my shoulders or at waist level) I can put some of the weight on the stern wheel or just let the hull slide along. If you are highly concerned about getting any scratches on your hull, then this approach may not be for you. Likewise if you have a heavy kayak and add a lot of gear, this technique may not be practical. But for many of us, getting a few scratches on the hull bottom is not a big deal. My 11' Manta Ray 11 paddle kayak has been used on over 1,000 trips since 2014, with many of them involving short drags. The bottom has plenty of scratches, but is nowhere near getting holed.
I have one favorite launch spot where I slide my kayak more than 100' down a grassy slope to the water. When returning to my vehicle at the end of the trip, I drag it uphill using the technique described above. If I launch at Jonas Green Park, I typically drag my kayak 100' across the grass and wooden foot bridge, then another 50' across the grass. I could use a cart (and did use a cart in the past when I had a heavier pedal drive kayak) here, but nowadays, I simply drag using the tow rope. I plan to fish later today at a spot where I have a 20' drag from the pavement across moist soil to get to the water. I use the rope when launching, toss it in the back of the kayak, and use it again when I return to the launch point.
2021-04-11-002a.jpg
If the ground between your vehicle and the water is soft (grass, mud, sand) or if you are moving along a wooden boardwalk, you can use a cart or stern wheel, but can also drag the kayak. The first impulse when dragging is to lift the bow and walk forward. This requires a combination of lifting and pulling, which tends to put a lot of strain on my back. Years ago, I came up with a simple alternative that involves very little lifting and mostly uses the stronger leg and trunk muscles.
In this approach, I use a sturdy rope (I like a 12' to 15' dock line for a boat) and run the rope through the front handle. I grab an end of the rope in each hand, lean forward, and walk slowly.
2021-01-28-010.jpg
Most of the hull is in contact with the soft surface of the ground. Depending on the angle of the rope (over my shoulders or at waist level) I can put some of the weight on the stern wheel or just let the hull slide along. If you are highly concerned about getting any scratches on your hull, then this approach may not be for you. Likewise if you have a heavy kayak and add a lot of gear, this technique may not be practical. But for many of us, getting a few scratches on the hull bottom is not a big deal. My 11' Manta Ray 11 paddle kayak has been used on over 1,000 trips since 2014, with many of them involving short drags. The bottom has plenty of scratches, but is nowhere near getting holed.
I have one favorite launch spot where I slide my kayak more than 100' down a grassy slope to the water. When returning to my vehicle at the end of the trip, I drag it uphill using the technique described above. If I launch at Jonas Green Park, I typically drag my kayak 100' across the grass and wooden foot bridge, then another 50' across the grass. I could use a cart (and did use a cart in the past when I had a heavier pedal drive kayak) here, but nowadays, I simply drag using the tow rope. I plan to fish later today at a spot where I have a 20' drag from the pavement across moist soil to get to the water. I use the rope when launching, toss it in the back of the kayak, and use it again when I return to the launch point.