How to Build a Canoe or Kayak Carrier

Getting your canoe to the water isn't hard if there are two of you and you're both young and healthy with good knees. If, however, you're a solo canoer or you and your partner have bad knees or arthritic joints, a canoe or kayak carrier will help you transport your boat from the car to the water. A simple carrier adaptable for canoes or kayaks can be made from PVC pipe.

Things You'll Need

  • 12 feet of schedule 40 1-inch PVC pipe
  • 5 schedule 40 1-inch T-Joints
  • 2 one-inch schedule 40 PVC pipe caps
  • 1 six-foot Styrofoam swim noodle with center holes
  • Two lightweight wheels with a 34-inch axle and end caps
  • PVC cleaner and glue
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Instructions

  1. Assembling the Carrier

    • 1

      Glue two T's to the ends of an 18-inch piece of pipe with the perpendicular ends of the T's pointed up with the pipe horizontal. Cut the pipe pieces with a hacksaw to the lengths specified. Attach two, 3-inch pieces of pipe to the ends of the T's and glue caps to the ends of these short pipes.

    • 2

      Drill holes the same diameter as the axles, insert the axle through one cap, through the pipe and two T's and out the other cap. Place the wheels on the axles and cap the ends so that they don't come off.

    • 3

      Attach two, 2-foot-long pipes to the perpendicular ends of the axle T's. Attach two T's to the top of the two pipes so that the perpendicular end of the T's are glued to the two upright pipes. Turn the two straight-through ends of the T's so they face perpendicular to the axle pipe.

    • 4

      Glue three, 2-foot-long pipes to the open ends of the top T's, two facing toward the front of the cart and one facing toward the rear.

    • 5

      Glue a 4-foot-long pipe into the remaining hole in the T's facing toward the rear of the carrier. Glue the fifth T to the end of the 4-foot-long handle.

    • 6

      Cut four 1-foot-long lengths of Styrofoam swim noodles halfway through lengthwise. Spread the foam open and wrap it over the upper four pipes to provide a padded cradle for the canoe or kayak to rest on. Zip tie the Styrofoam noodles in place.

    • 7

      Set one end of the canoe or kayak onto the cart and tie it down with bungee cords. To transport the boat lift the other end and roll it wherever you want to go. To launch you can simply roll the boat to the shore and out into the water. Flip off the bungee cords and roll the cart out from under the boat.