Here’s a new article called Wheels for Fishing Kayak Transportation.
It summarizes various rigging projects that we know about in this field, thanks to W kayak anglers who’ve contributed their creativity, insight and pictures…
Donavan Campbell is a W kayak stream fisherman from North Carolina, who contributed a fishing kayak review of his W300.
His wheel system offers the advantages of being low-cost, simple, easy to make, and lightweight for carrying on board. It’s all-terrain, and easy to attach to the kayak.
-”Wanted to pass along pictures of the wheel system my dad and I created for the W300.
We utilized a 1/2″ aluminum tube as an axle inside a 3/4″ aluminum tube, attached plastic wheels and mounted (drilled through both tubes) aluminum shelf brackets as guides and as a place to attach the bungee.
Important thing to me was keeping the weight to a minimum (complete set weighs about 3lbs) because when you river fish, where you put in is not where you get out; the wheel system goes with you.
Additionally no ball bearings or anything that would rust as the wheel spins on a plastic bushing, the axle does not turn.
Has proven to be very stable and quick to attach and detach. Everything was purchased at Lowes Hardware for little less than $50.
No problem maneuvering any terrain now.
I imagine in a couple of years the plastic bushings and wheel will need to be replaced but this is a minimal investment. Hope someone finds this helpful.
–Donavan”
Jeff’s kayak rigging skills have produced this handy solution for carrying your W fishing kayak anywhere you want to go:
-”I was out yesterday much closer to home over at Pellicer. I was by myself and had quite bit of time to reflect on the W kayak and just how well it does work for fishing.
It was raining yesterday and of course you have to be able to keep some items dry. Having those 2 Rubbermaid trash cans one on each side in front of me is ideal. They slide very easily out of the way and in fact deep enough in you can still tuck up into the bow with your knees in the hulls to fight larger fish.
Between the two cans I have all the tackle I need plus drinks, snacks, and assorted tools.
When I transport the boat I put both cans into one hull still out of the rain by the way. The other hull gets the paddle, stakeout pole, net, etc.
I’ll have to do another short video of moving those cans around. I think the only place I really moved one was in that rigging one months back.
Dragging the W kayak is so much easier than any other paddle craft. Yesterday I had lots of dragging over sand bars to get where I wanted. Most kayaks or canoes are horrible to drag. Way too much hull contact and then they tip around throwing your gear all over. Also retry into deeper sections is easy. Just hop in at the edge and tip you way into the water then off you go. Kind of like the ice paddling movie.
–Jeff”
And since this blog is about fun, here’s the movie that Jeff mentioned:
Unless you live in a waterfornt property you need to get your fishing kayak and gear form your car to the launching spot, and back.
It can’t be easier and simpler than doing it with a Wavewalk fishing kayak: Just toss your gear and tackle inside, grab the carrying handles, and drag it on practically any surface except concrete and asphalt pavement…
It’s as easy as it gets, and as Jeff points out – you really don’t want to have to carry a kayak trolley on board if there’s another solution.
Portaging (‘carrying’ in normal English) is a problem for many paddlers, especially for those who fish from their kayaks, since they have to carry their fishing gear in addition. Jeff’s new movie shows how easy this problem is solved with his W fishing kayak: He simply drags it from the beach, up the stairs that lead to the parking, and he doesn’t have to unload the kayak first – All his fishing tackle and gear stays in, and that’s how he uploads it to his pickup truck. Cameraman: Jeff Moran.
Easy, isn’t it? -No problem, no hassle…