In Paddling around New South Wales I recommended that everyone have a kayak trolley as part of their equipment – “If you aren’t able to park right next to your launch site, a kayak trolley will save you the pain of a long carry. A trolley that comes apart into smaller pieces is handy as you can put it in the hatch of your kayak when paddling. The size of the wheels is also important. Wide wheels are better on sand, and tall wheels let you position the trolley closer to the centre of the boat (lengthwise) when in use, thereby reducing the weight you have to support.”
Liquid planet has developed a trolley that meets all my requirements. It’s lightweight, compact, comes apart to fit in most hatches, has good sized wide wheels, and comes with a tie-down strap to hold your boat in place. The trolley will carry up to 85 kilograms so it easily handles kayaks, canoes, and even some dinghies. In a clever piece of design, Liquid Planet has used snap lock pins to hold the wheels in place. This means there are less parts to lose, which is handy if you’re absent minded like me.
The real surprise is the price. Most comparable trolleys retail for between $150 and$200. The Liquid Planet Kayak Trolley is just $99 and available now from Global Paddler.
Have you got any detailed documentation on how to use your trolley – where to place it on the kayak, how to secure it to the kayak. (1-2 straps needed?, how and where to hook the straps on both the kayak and the trolley).
It seems to me that there are no provisions to feed the strap(s) into specially designed eyelets to avoid having the straps sliding. Furthermore, my kayak (Mirage 530) does not have any devices either to feed the straps through them with the view to tightly secure the kayak to the trolley.
Any tricks I’m missing?…
Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Hi Gerard,
Placement of the trolley will depend on the kayak. It should be towards the rear of the boat but as close to the cockpit as is possible without dragging the rear of the boat when in use.
A tie down strap is included. This should be used to hold the boat onto the top of the front half of the frame. This is done by looping it under one side, then over the boat, then under the other side.
It is not necessary to have two straps but if you feel more comfortable with two, you should be able to get one for $5-$10 from a hardware or camping store.
All the best!