DIY Kayak Cart Using a Golf Pull Cart
Transporting your kayak to the water can be this easy.
Chris Mills
Make Your Own Kayak Cart
If you own a kayak or plan to soon, you'll want a way to transport it from your vehicle to the water and back again. Carrying the boat is exhausting, and dragging it is a bad idea because it can cause severe damage to the hull.
You can purchase a kayak cart—it's a great item to add to your gear. But, you'll spend $50 to $250 or more. I want to show you how I made my kayak cart out of an old hand-pulled golf bag cart for next to nothing.
The steps in this DIY project are simple. The only thing you are doing is padding the parts of the cart that might scratch the kayak.
Finding a Golf Bag Cart
You may have an old golf bag cart in the garage or the basement. If not, consider going to a second-hand store. I found mine at Goodwill. When I first saw it, the price was $20. I didn't want to pay that much, so I waited a few weeks. When I went back, it was $1.99.
You could also find a golf bag cart at a yard sale or see if a friend has one you could have for little or nothing.
For your reference, I based my alterations on the golf bag cart below.
Obtain an old golf bag cart like this one.
Photo by cam8510
Modifying Your Golf Bag Cart
Once you have your cart, you will need the following parts and tools to modify it into a DIY kayak cart:
Tools and Supplies
- Two feet of one-inch foam pipe insulation (from any home improvement store)
- 4 wood screws long enough to go through a piece of foam and into, but not through, the plastic of the golf bag holder
- Kite string or cable ties for fastening the foam to the golf bag holder (the photos show string, but cable ties are a sturdier choice)
- 2 straps with cam buckles to hold your kayak to the cart
- Utility knife for cutting the foam and the ends of the cable ties
- Electric or battery-powered drill for the screws
Foam pipe insulators, screws, washers, string or cable ties are all you need.
photo by cam8510
You'll need a drill and a few other common tools.
Photo by cam8510
How to Begin Making Your Kayak Cart
Start by cutting your foam to create padding for the cart.
Step 1
Cut two lengths of foam to go over the curved cross braces on the "spine" of the cart. Cut them about an inch longer than the brace itself.
Step 2
Cut one length of foam to cover the u-shaped platform (where the golf bag would sit) at the bottom end of the spine. Cut the foam one inch longer than the platform.
Photo by cam8510
Photo by cam8510
Attach the Kayak Cart Padding
In these steps, you will attach your foam padding to the cart.
Step 3
Attach one foam piece to the top brace. Foam pipe insulation has a slit running the length of the tube. Open the slit with your finger and wrap the foam around the top brace, as shown in the photos below.
Using the electric driver, run one screw, with a washer attached, through the foam and into the plastic on each side of the brace. Be careful not to tighten it so much that it rips the foam but tight enough that the screw head dimples it slightly. Sinking the screw below the surface will keep the screw head from coming into contact with the kayak.
Step 4
Follow the instructions for step three to attach the foam to the bottom brace.
Photo by cam8510
Photo by cam8510
Finishing Your Cart
Finalize the foam placement to provide maximum protection for your kayak.
Step 5
Slip the last piece of foam around the u-shaped platform at the end of the spine.
Step 6
Secure the foam to the u-shaped part on each end and in the middle with several wraps of kite string or a cable tie.
At this point, you have successfully modified the golf bag cart so that it will serve as a kayak cart.
Photo by cam8510
Putting the Kayak on the Cart
Line the cart up behind the kayak with the handle pointed at the keel. Lift the kayak and roll the cart under the back end. Let the kayak down, so the keel fits into the u-shape at the back end of the cart. Wrap the two straps around the kayak and the spine of the cart and pull them tight.
Using Your New DIY Kayak Cart
Your DIY contraption may not make it into the top 10 list of kayak cart reviews on any major outdoor media site. Still, by following these step-by-step cart plans, you will be ready to pull your kayak with ease—no more carrying or dragging.
Good luck modifying your golf bag cart to be a homemade kayak cart, and happy paddling.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
Comments
Chris Mills (author) from Traverse City, MI on March 03, 2018:
Mac, I pulled the bungees up over it on top of the boat behind my seat. It isn't pretty, but it's there when you need it at the end. Thanks for reading and for the question.
Mac on March 03, 2018:
Hi Chris, I've bern looking at a variety of ways to make a small transportable kayak dolly. I ran into a golf cart at a yard sale today for a dollar! My question, can you show how you pack this on your kayak while in the water? I need to get this rather large device from the water to the shuttle vehicle at the end of the trip as well. I mostly ride the river. Thanks!
fishingman on April 25, 2017:
very useful article .i think i can make it now following this article
Chris Mills (author) from Traverse City, MI on February 05, 2013:
jimmar, thanks for stopping by and reading my article. Actually, this little contraption does help a bit with loading onto a car top. Lift the free end up and set it on top, then go to the back of the kayak where the wheels are and push. Remove the cart and continue pushing. If you position the cart more toward the middle of the kayak, the lifting will be easier, although the back will touch the ground sooner as well. I hope this helps.
jimmar from Michigan on February 05, 2013:
hmmm. I suspect soon I won't be able to carry my kayak. I'll keep this in mind. Got any ideas to help lifting onto car top carriers?
Chris Mills (author) from Traverse City, MI on October 24, 2012:
freecampingaussie, Thank you. Actually, when I stepped back and looked at the project, I didn't make any structural changes to the cart. I just put padding on it to protect the kayak. Otherwise, I just tip it horizontal and strap it on tight. It works great, especially if you get the kind of cart that has the "U" shaped part at the bottom. The keel fits right into it. Have fun on the Europe trip. I'm jealous.
freecampingaussie from Southern Spain on October 24, 2012:
What a great idea ! I will keep this in mind for if we get another kayak while we are traveling . We are selling the 2 we have before we do our trip to Europe . Voting you up & shared on facebook.
Chris Mills (author) from Traverse City, MI on October 07, 2012:
tipstoretireearly, thanks for reading and commenting. I look for ways to not buy new things. I was in the Goodwill store and saw this cart. The idea came to me at that point. I sure could have used a hub on the roof rack. I spent the hundreds on that. Thanks for stopping by.
tipstoretireearly from New York on October 07, 2012:
Very resourceful! Always great to build something yourself rather than pay the inflated prices for most kayak accessories. I built a roof rack for my kayaks rather than spending the hundreds for a commercial one.
