A Guide to Fishing Kayak Carts

Transporting a fully loaded kayak or canoe from your vehicle to the launch and back at the end of the day can be one of the most challenging parts of any trip on the water. However, with the use of a cart getting on and off the water is made far easier and safer for you and your watercraft. Additionally, using a cart allows for reduced opportunities for conflict with other users at busy boat ramps and can provide access to unimproved launches more conveniently located closer to your favorite fishing grounds or home.

[@judymitchell9863]

Thank you! Great!

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Glad it proved to be helpful for ya!

[@bigmac183]

Always great info!!

[@NolanHauke]

Great to see you on this channel! Looking forward to seeing all your adventures this year!

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Thanks for being here on our adventures!

[@WanderingYooper]

Great tips , thanks for the video.

[@youknowit5mil]

Thank you so much, I feel like this explained everything pretty well!

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Great to hear you enjoyed!

[@bbowen4629]

Useful information.

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Thank you!

[@cm6031]

Could you do a quick video of where and how you store the kayak cart AFTER you launch? Thanks!

[@spiltmilt]

Those darn chickens!

[@FishingFloridaWithKO]

Great tips my brother 😎 🤙

[@justingordon9384]

Let's see you do that with the beach tires 😂

[@darinfry1543]

Just purchased a sportsman 10.6. Love it. Ps laughed at the chicken photo bomb lol

[@Harleywindtherapy]

I have an embarrassing # of carts. The #1 tip I learned is run-flat wheels are a MUST....for me! I have sit-in, sit on tops, and canoes...don't always use or need a cart, but when I do I want to grab it and go. Dealing with inflatable tires is awful and to me, they are junk. I'd rather have wide run-flat tires like the c tug or others.

[@Larry77777]

Completely agree.

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Absolutely, inflatable tires can be problematic.

[@3brosthatsk8]

Sell me one

[@jelly_fishing]

I modified my Ctug with pvc to transport my MK106 and works great

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

That is another common setup we see among Old Town Sportsman owners. Glad to hear it works well!

[@camperdan8771]

Pablo. Have a picture of your modifications?

[@jelly_fishing]

@@camperdan8771 Yes, I do

[@ShenpaiWasTaken]

I'll have to try load my kayak onto the cart in the water sometime, I've always just brought it out of the water and lifted it.

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Once you get the hang of it, loading in the water is a breeze!

[@gerard2620]

Thanks ! I just bought the Malone WideTrak, that has a brake on it. When loading, should the 'brake side' of the cart be positioned to the rear end of the kayak, or to the front end of the kayak ? Or does it depend ? Thanks!

[@kathyeller1621]

You make that look so easy! I keep struggling with mine

[@franktirado8357]

Me too. I’m only 5’-3” 134 Lbs. Also loading it into my pickup.

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

Keep trying!

[@toddkohut5993]

How about wheels for going off-road like on moderate portage trails?

[@dbsean]

For the Big Water 132 PDL, if you had to choose between Malone WideTrak ATB with the adjustable bunks or the Wilderness Systems HD cart, which would you pick?

[@delpernicus4847]

Is the wilderness cart good for an old town 136? Will it rub against the tires?

[@jbro800]

I came here to see if I was loading it wrong because I find the process to be very annoying when loading on an incline as the wheels always roll away while I'm lifting the kayak. Then when I get it loaded the amount of weight I feel like I'm carrying is more than my Hobie that weighed considerably more and have no idea how. The only other sit on top I've ever owned was that Hobie with the scupper cart and it was so much easier to insert the cart that I find myself wanting it back for that reason alone.

[@freddyj5845]

How heavy are the balloon tires?

[@mike_manning_fishing3198]

Which cart would you recommend for the Big Water 132 PDL? I constructed a DIY mod for my C-Tug cart that I use on my Top Water 106 PDL. The mod works great on the Top Water 106 PDL but not so much for my Big Water 132 PDL.

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

We're big fans of the Malone WideTrak ATB with the adjustable bunks. Many BigWater owners also like the Wilderness Systems HD cart.

[@watchluver]

Not sure why Old Town hasn't prepped their kayaks to use a mounted landing gear like a Native side-kick? Those strap on carts suck, they fall off you have to store them on your kayak or walk them back to your vehicle. Mounted landing gear is way more convenient.

[@markyurchisin4825]

What are the makes and model #s of the old town autopilot 136 cart ?

[@bobbyg6662]

I am pretty sure he is using the Wilderness Systems Heavy Duty Kayak Cart

[@OldTownCanoeKayak]

The two demonstrated in this video are the Malone Traverse TRX and the Wilderness Systems HD Cart.

[@markskibo5159]

Still can't believe you got rid of your 120 auto.

[@coldspring624]

Heavy kayaks hey

[@mjt1214]

I really wish Old Town would have put in owners manual that their scupper holes are not reinforced and that they don’t recommend using boonedox landing gear. I used the landing gear for one year without any issues , now my hull has two cracks next to scuppers and the kayak is junk.!Take my advice people; buy a jonboat and don’t waste your $ on these massive kayaks

[@matthhh]

Was it an AutoPilot 120?

[@mjt1214]

@@matthhh it was a 106 MK , slightly lighter than the Auotpilot 120

[@bostonbeanman6173]

Queue the chicken - check…

[@chuckmatses6803]

Ah, a bit too legaleze for kayak talk. Let's get to the point, not that complicated.