Kayak Cart for Rough Terrain?

C-Tug is a fantastic cart with crap-tastic wheels.

Wheeleez Kayak Beach cart is a crap-tastic cart with fantastic wheels. 

If you like cutting and grinding on perfectly good brand new things, google "mullet miller cart".  I think the most cost effective way to do it is to buy a set of 30cm Wheeleez with 1" bearing hubs, then find a used C-tug or buy the C-tug parts separately. 

I have a C-Tug and a Wheeleez cart waiting to be turned into a Mullet Miller when I have time to perform the surgery. 

Wheeleez for sure.  Big balloon tires with 4 lbs pressure they go over everything.  Make sure to get the full sized ones for your revo 13.  The minis wont work for what you want to do with them.

Thanks!  I wouldn't have guessed that.  Saved me anther expensive "Let's see if this works..." experiment!

I have a C-Tug and a Wheeleez cart waiting to be turned into a Mullet Miller when I have time to perform the surgery.

Keep us posted on the surgery. Read one tale of the Mullet-Miller conversion and Holy cow!

Dannybay (Don) corrected me on one thing.  He started using 3/4" pipe and it was too heavy so he changed to 1/2 pipe.  He also used the original Hobie wheels since they are foam filled and nothing on them rusts.  He tried a wheel barrow wheel (air filled) but it had bearing that could rust as well as the stem itself.

If you don't mind spending, the regular Hobie "fat wheels" work great, even in sand,

Thank you for that.  I've read that folks think the Hobie welds are weak and the carts fall apart too soon.  I don't know that, but it seems to be the downside to those carts.

  I have about 5 years on mine, only problem has been a rusty retaining ring that holdst the wheel on, I replaced it with a stainless one, end of problem.

I have about 5 years on mine, only problem has been a rusty retaining ring that holdst the wheel on, I replaced it with a stainless one, end of problem.

Thank you.  I appreciate hearing about the hands-on experience of other folks.

Yup. Wheeleez mini sucks for the Revo or outback. The wheels rub due to clearance and they are simply too small.  I have been using the C-tug now for a couple of years now and absolutely love it. In fact I bought a second one. Two complaints I have with with it though... 1. Keep that kickstand up or you will break it! 2. Sand does get in the axel and grinds away.

I will say I would rather have balloon wheels with sealed bearings for the sand and slog and want to do the Mullet Miller conversion. This looks ideal! Then again C-tug has recently introduced "Sandtrakz" wheel upgrades but I'm not convinced they would be better than balloon wheels with bearings. I'm still holding out.

Then again C-tug has recently introduced "Sandtrakz" wheel upgrades but I'm not convinced they would be better than balloon wheels with bearings. I'm still holding out.

I haven't heard any glowing first-hand reviews of the Sandtrakz.  My C-Tug with the latest revision of the rigid wheels is pretty lousy on the hard-packed gravel lot around my house.  Gravel that my Wheeleez cart will glide right over will bring the C-Tug to a stop.  I just don't see the Sandtrakz wheel being much of an improvement over gravel, rocks, tree roots, etc.  Even if the wheel flexes a bit, it still has a rigid core, and at a certain size of obstacle you're going to have to pull up and over it.  A true balloon tire like the Wheeleez really spreads out the impulse of having to pull the cart up and over obstructions. 

I haven't heard any glowing first-hand reviews of the Sandtrakz.  My C-Tug with the latest revision of the rigid wheels is pretty lousy on the hard-packed gravel lot around my house.

That's really good information about the C-Tug.  Half of my fishing is in rivers with unimproved ramps - loose rock and gravel banks - and the cart has to perform well on that surface.  You, too, may have saved me from a failed experiment.

I like dannybay and Julie's DIY cart, but it helps to have functional but broken cart to begin that project, and I wouldn't re-use the wheels on the Seattle Sports cart on a dare.

INSAYN had a DIY cart using Wheeleez wheels that caught my eye a while back but I couldn't find it again when I searched for it.

The Mullet-Miller cart looks promising, but starting from nothing, it's a lot more expensive than a Wheeleez cart - and I'd have to do some work...   

Someone needs to design a cart around bicycle wheels for those of us who don't store their carts in the kayak but haul the cart back to the truck...   Mojo!  Are you listening?

Until then, the Wheeleez is looking like the best option.  That, or I need to find different spots to fish.

Chris bought this cart at the shop on Hayden island then we made it a trailer. Can't remember the price but I want to say $150ish

Tinker,

I should probably write up a "How to" on my cart.  It shows up in another thread for rigging a Revo.   

Several folks told me in the beginning that a PCV cart won't work.  Sure, if you use the wrong material.
PVC is your friend, but not Sched 40. With my cart(s), I use Sched 80 for the bulk of the cart, and 3/4" solid aluminum for the axle.  The first cart I made with Sched 80 PVC was built back in 2010 when I got my Revo. 

I still use that same cart today.  It has never failed me over the years, so I built another when I got my Adventure Island.  It too can handle a fully loaded Island.  Knowing that I wasn't going to be launching the Island from a surf zone, I didn't think it would be necessary to invest in the Wheeleez balloon tires, and went with the Wheeleez run flats narrower tires.  Now that my son has started fishing with me in the ocean, he uses the Revo and I use the Island stripped down to just the hull and plan to make another cart with Wheeleez balloons for that. 

My cart breaks down into three PVC parts, an axle, two wheels and stores in the hull easily during travel, or float trips when a cart isn't needed very often, but available if needed.

Here are the teaser pics you were looking for. 

Chris bought this cart at the shop on Hayden island then we made it a trailer. Can't remember the price but I want to say $150ish

I have two of these carts.  They work great for just about anything but dry sand. I bought one of them used, and found several for sale on Craigslist in brand new condition for $50, which is a big savings over the standard retail price.  They carry your kayak up high enough so you won't drag the stern on the ground, and the big wheels ride nicely over obstructions.  I strap it on just behind the kayak's center of gravity, so I only need to support a couple of pounds of weight when pulling the kayak, even when it's fully loaded.

Chris bought this cart at the shop on Hayden island then we made it a trailer. Can't remember the price but I want to say $150ish

I knew it!  Seek Mojo and ye shall find!

I have two of these carts.  They work great for just about anything but dry sand. I bought one of them used, and found several for sale on Craigslist in brand new condition for $50, which is a big savings over the standard retail price.  They carry your kayak up high enough so you won't drag the stern on the ground, and the big wheels ride nicely over obstructions.  I strap it on just behind the kayak's center of gravity, so I only need to support a couple of pounds of weight when pulling the kayak, even when it's fully loaded.

And seconded by pmmpete!  I'm having a very good day.

But guys, you didn't tell me the name of the cart or who makes it or any other way that I might find them.  Teasers!

Tinker,
I should probably write up a "How to" on my cart.  It shows up in another thread for rigging a Revo.   

That's the one - thank you!  I remembered that your cart(s) have lasted a long time.  I would expect no less.

In the pictures it looks like there are bushings in the T-fittings for the axles.  If so, what are they made of?

But guys, you didn't tell me the name of the cart or who makes it or any other way that I might find them.  Teasers!

It's a Seattle Sports all-terrain center cart, about $135 new.  Cabelas makes a similar cart for about half the price, but I haven't seen one in person.

The bushings are nothing more than 3/4" Sched 40 PVC to neck down and accept the 3/4" solid aluminum axle. The bushings are not glued in, rather I have a small stainless grub screw holding them in place. This way I can easily replace them when they get worn sloppy. So far everything is holding up just fine.

Also, since these pictures, I took a tennis ball and cut it in half, and drilled holes in the center of each half. Then slid these down on the two vertical bits that go into the scupper holes. It gives the hull some cushion around the scupper holes.