Cheap(er) Plug in Cart for Hobie Outback

Today I just blew out my second home-made PVC plug in cart that I built for my Hobie Outback and had to hoof my boat on my head about 50 yards uphill.  I really don't want to do that again.

Anyone have any good recommendations on stronger home made carts (not PVC) or cheap(er) manufactured carts?  I saw a nice looking plug in cart from Seattle Sports on Amazon for about $110, but it didn't get great reviews, and that price still seems really high for three pieces of tube and two wheels.  There was a similar cart likely produced from the same company available from West Marine.  Would really like to avoid paying $200 for a Hobie brand cart - that price is just crazy. 

Thanks in advance!

Copper water pipes instead of pvc!

Ask INSAYN.  He built the best DIY scupper cart I've yet seen and I think he may still be using it.

I would say just pay out the $200 for the Hobie cart which is solid built and with good sand tires and consider it a cost of doing business. It was hard for me to pay out that much but I have no regrets.

A jogging stroller makes a great cart. 12" bicycle wheels. 1st one, no cutting, just drill a few rivets and reconfigure. Currently working on strap-on model for canoe.

I have been rocking the same PVC cart since 2010 when I purchased my first Hobie. 
The first trick is to use Sched 80 (gray) PVC.
The second trick is to use a spade bit and hog out the crossbar "T's" so your vertical legs can go straight through them from the axle "T" to the scupper hole.  Then pin it from moving with a snap safety pin. Do this on both legs.

By doing it this way, you don't glue the crossbar "T's" in the middle of the vertical legs.  Thus, no breaky! 

Pro tip:  Take your time to get the safety pin holes perfectly square, straight and just the right sized hole for the pin to fit snug.  If you do this, you can install either leg into either "T", in any direction.  If you have to open the hole to take out any misalignment, the cart can get sloppy.  The beauty of this cart allows you to break it down and put the whole thing inside the kayak.  Shy of the wheels, everything will fit in an old camp chair bag. 

I have abused the snot out of this cart and never had an issue with it.

All,

Thanks so much for the feedback. INSAYN's idea of the SCH80 PVC is a great one. Both of my breaks in the SCH40 model have been at the tee. The idea of passing the pipes straight through is genius. This will reinforce the joint and distribute the bending moment throughout the vertical pipe instead of concentrating it all into the glued joint. Can you tell I'm an engineer?

I'll buy the parts and reuse what didn't get thrown away from the 1.0 SCH 40 version and post some photos... might be a week or two.

Thanks to all!

I have been rocking the same PVC cart since 2010 when I purchased my first Hobie. 
The first trick is to use Sched 80 (gray) PVC.
The second trick is to use a spade bit and hog out the crossbar "T's" so your vertical legs can go straight through them from the axle "T" to the scupper hole.  Then pin it from moving with a snap safety pin. Do this on both legs.

By doing it this way, you don't glue the crossbar "T's" in the middle of the vertical legs.  Thus, no breaky! 

Pro tip:  Take your time to get the safety pin holes perfectly square, straight and just the right sized hole for the pin to fit snug.  If you do this, you can install either leg into either "T", in any direction.  If you have to open the hole to take out any misalignment, the cart can get sloppy.  The beauty of this cart allows you to break it down and put the whole thing inside the kayak.  Shy of the wheels, everything will fit in an old camp chair bag.

Just picked up a Perception Pilot and had to haul it by hand on the maiden voyage.  Not doing that again.  My wife is rocking a 2013 Hobie Revolution 11 and has the Hobie Cart for it.  Thanks for sharing your home built cart.  I was going to make out of regular PVC but will switch my plan based upon this, my plans have changed.  I am still debating on just bending some metal electrical conduit to copy the Hobie cart.

I have been rocking the same PVC cart since 2010 when I purchased my first Hobie. 
The first trick is to use Sched 80 (gray) PVC.
The second trick is to use a spade bit and hog out the crossbar "T's" so your vertical legs can go straight through them from the axle "T" to the scupper hole.  Then pin it from moving with a snap safety pin. Do this on both legs.

By doing it this way, you don't glue the crossbar "T's" in the middle of the vertical legs.  Thus, no breaky! 

Pro tip:  Take your time to get the safety pin holes perfectly square, straight and just the right sized hole for the pin to fit snug.  If you do this, you can install either leg into either "T", in any direction.  If you have to open the hole to take out any misalignment, the cart can get sloppy.  The beauty of this cart allows you to break it down and put the whole thing inside the kayak.  Shy of the wheels, everything will fit in an old camp chair bag.

Just picked up a Perception Pilot and had to haul it by hand on the maiden voyage.  Not doing that again.  My wife is rocking a 2013 Hobie Revolution 11 and has the Hobie Cart for it.  Thanks for sharing your home built cart.  I was going to make out of regular PVC but will switch my plan based upon this, my plans have changed.  I am still debating on just bending some metal electrical conduit to copy the Hobie cart.

Conduit will work, but it will rust in a heartbeat if you get it salty.  PVC, with an aluminum axle, won't do diddly in the salt. 

All,

Thanks so much for the feedback. INSAYN's idea of the SCH80 PVC is a great one. Both of my breaks in the SCH40 model have been at the tee. The idea of passing the pipes straight through is genius. This will reinforce the joint and distribute the bending moment throughout the vertical pipe instead of concentrating it all into the glued joint. Can you tell I'm an engineer?

I'll buy the parts and reuse what didn't get thrown away from the 1.0 SCH 40 version and post some photos... might be a week or two.

Thanks to all!

Glad I could help, bud. 

Can you tell I am NOT an engineer? 

All,

Thanks so much for the feedback. INSAYN's idea of the SCH80 PVC is a great one. Both of my breaks in the SCH40 model have been at the tee. The idea of passing the pipes straight through is genius. This will reinforce the joint and distribute the bending moment throughout the vertical pipe instead of concentrating it all into the glued joint. Can you tell I'm an engineer?

I'll buy the parts and reuse what didn't get thrown away from the 1.0 SCH 40 version and post some photos... might be a week or two.

Thanks to all!

Glad I could help, bud. 

Can you tell I am NOT an engineer? 

Engineers drive trains..... aren’t you the crazy train engineer?

Love me some solid DIY stuff, but my vote went toward a Boonedox Landing Gear.  Crazy easy to deploy and just sweet.  A small amount of install time turned into the best system that I have ever used.  I pedal a PA 14.

I made a similar one as Insayn, but it was the Saturday afternon before my departure for a trip where I needed a cart.  I did not have time to go get the Schedule 80 so I made mine out of leftover electrical conduit I had laying around from a kayak rack I had made and welded the parts together. The axle is 1" gas pipe that was part of a 6 foot bar clamp.  I had plenty of long clamps and was in a hurry so I cut about 3 feet off.  I made some washers out of HDPE (self lubricating plastic) on my CNC machine and collars were 3D printed to hold the wheels on and so they would not rub on the cart frame. It works great, but is a little heavy.  I will make a permanent one like Insayn's sometime in the future. I believe his design and choice of materials is the best way to go, especially for someone with limited access to tools. 

printed collars - outer collars are printed with a #10-24 thread for stainless machine screws.

collar holding wheel on

Finished product has so far held up to nearly a mile of soft sugar sand (better than I have). 


Also, Wobbler makes carts from copper pipe.  He made me one several years ago and it is still going strong. It only had an axle long enough for Harbor Freight wheels though which is why I made mine out of the emt conduit.