How to Make a Canoe Carrier Out of PVC Pipe

When you want to carry a canoe to the water, you can hoist it overhead and portage it on your shoulders, or with one person at each end carry it using the handles. Both require a strong back. On smooth paths, consider using a canoe cart. You center the canoe on the cart, load it with your gear and simply pull it to the water. Commercial canoe carts range from $80 to $200 (See Reference 1), but you can make a homemade cart out of PVC for much less.

Things You'll Need

  • 6 1-inch PVC T-joints
  • 2 1-inch PVC pipes, 30 inches long
  • PVC cement
  • 2 1-inch PVC pipes, 2 inches long
  • 6 1-inch PVC pipes, 8 inches long
  • Side-release buckle strap
  • 2 1-inch screws
  • Screwdriver
  • 1 3/8-inch all-thread steel rod, 40 inches long
  • 6 1-inch washers
  • 2 12-inch lawnmower wheels
  • 2 3/8-inch locking nuts
  • 3/8-inch wrench
  • Saw
  • 1-inch pipe insulation
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Instructions

    • 1

      Glue a T-joint to each end of a 30-inch piece of 1-inch PVC pipe. Glue the joint so you can pass a steel rod through the entire piece. This becomes the axle casing.

    • 2

      Glue a T-joint to each end of a 30-inch piece of 1-inch PVC pipe. Glue the joints on the pipe so that the open ends are perpendicular to it.

    • 3

      Glue an 8-inch piece of PVC pipe into same side of each T-joint. On the other side, glue a 2-inch piece of PVC pipe. This becomes the uprights.

    • 4

      Glue the 2-inch side of the uprights into the axle casing.

    • 5

      Glue a T-joint to the top of each upright. Make sure both exits are perpendicular to the upright and perpendicular to the axle casing. Glue a 8-inch piece of 1-inch PVC pipe into each end. This becomes the canoe supports.

    • 6

      Center the side-release buckle strap between the two canoe supports, and then use a screw backed with a washer to fix it to each support. The strap wraps around the canoe and holds it on the cart.

    • 7

      Pass a 40-inch piece of all-thread steel rod through the axle casing to become the axle. Thread a 1-inch washer, a wheel, a second 1-inch washer and finally a locking nut onto the axle in that order. Tighten the locking nut until each side is snug against the PVC pipe. Keep it loose enough that the wheels turn freely.

    • 8

      Cut off the excess steel rod from the axle.

    • 9

      Put pipe insulation cut to 8 inches over each canoe support. The insulation protects the canoe during transport and helps prevent it from falling off the cart.