If you are going to carry a kayak by yourself, be very careful to bend your knees as you lift and not to lift with your back alone. Lift by grasping either side of the cockpit to balance the weight fore and aft, slide the boat up onto your thighs, then boost it onto one shoulder. Before you move, make sure the boat is well balanced. For your own safety and to ensure that you do not drop it, take care that the boat you are lifting is within the weight range that you can carry comfortably. Kevlar/carbon and fiberglass kayaks are often light enough to do this type of carry; other boats may not be. If the boat is too heavy don’t take a chance — get some help carrying it.
Heavily loaded kayaks can be too heavy for even two paddlers to carry. Be safe and do not hurt yourself by trying to lift a boat that is too heavy. If you have a large enough group to have four people who can carry your kayak, then use the mob. Use nylon or polyester webbing in order to lift the boat by putting each strap under the hull of the boat, slightly to the stern and slightly to the bow. Hold onto the boat to steady it as you lift and carry it by the straps. Even quite heavy boats can be easily lifted and walked to or from the water using this method.
Most of the damage we see on kayaks happens when they are being improperly carried on vehicles. Transport damage is preventable with the use of a proper roof rack. A quality roof rack with specialized kayak carriers is a small price to pay for protecting your boat and vehicle. Do not transport your kayak on a set of flat bars unless you pad the bars in such a way as to cradle the hull. Without the padding, you can sustain serious hull damage. Composite kayaks are usually carried deck up and hull down because the hull is built stiffer than the deck. Some paddlers prefer to carry their kayaks on their sides where the boat is stiffest. Rack manufacturers build special towers to allow boats to be carried on their sides. However you transport your boat, make sure that there is adequate padding for protection wherever it comes in contact with a rack or tower. When loading your boat on a rack, avoid over-tightening your tie-down lines. The lines need to be just tight enough to be secure. Many over zealous boat owners, worried about their boat coming off the car, over-tighten the ropes and cause damage to the boat’s gel-coat by putting undue stress on the hull. Snug down the lines over the kayak and be certain to tie down the bow and stern. This will give the boat more lateral stability and will help to better secure the kayak and racks to the car for safety.
Polyethylene kayaks will warp if tied down too tightly on a flat roof rack. Plastic can take the shape of the flat bar if the kayak is not supported with cradles or foam forms.
WARNING: Never transport a loaded kayak on a roof rack. The hull may not support the extra weight. Recommendations:
Consider a kayak cart or dolly for moving your boat — they are back savers. These handy devices allow you to wheel your boat to the beach to launch, and then they pop apart for storage in your kayak while you are paddling if you have no place else to keep them. They are convenient and safe.
When carrying your kayak, always take it easy on your back – you will need it for paddling!
Riverstones Kayak Cart $80.00
Nylon Webbing Cam Strap $7.50-$9.50
Ocean River Sports Newsletter
