Wheel-Cat Set-up

[Heg]

I just finished reading the “Upper Sheep Creek” thread, and started thinking about building/buying a heavy-duty wheel cart set-up for my cat. Dragging and carrying a cat to some rivers is necessary, but it can really suck. It would be great to have a set-up that could attach to a frame and be able to wheelbarrow-style over rough terrain to the put-in; then, fold it away neatly on the frame when running the river, so it’s not sticking up, creating a potential hazard or snag. My thinking is, with difficulty, I would be able to self-sufficiently access runs like Upper Sheep Creek, Upper Eagle River, the Lower Kings, and a couple others I have my eye on.

After watching a video of a lady and her husband using two-wheeled NRS carts, in order to access the Class V Forks of the Kern in California, I got a few ideas. The plastic frames of at least one of the NRS set-ups broke, so that seems like a pretty poor set-up for AK. They also lacked clearance, making them problematic to go over obstacles. One of the other guys had what appeared to be a custom made old BMX type mag wheel with higher clearance, and he apparently made it the two miles to the river without incident.


Here is a photo of my set-up: sans pump, pfd, drysuit, rescue gear, and any overnight camping gear.


I was thinking of putting a wheel where the ski boot is located.

Anyone have any ideas on a tire configuration? Frame attachment? A break system would be cool too. I want something burly, yet light that can go over Alaska’s diverse terrain.

Thanks,
Josh

[dirtysteev]

hey josh, i have been toying with this idea too. i have a bunch of extra tubing and knuckles to play with, i was thinking if a wheelbarrow tire fitted on an axle between/under the long frame tubes, but i thought the wheel should go under the center of the load, not the front. patterned more like a rescue litter than a wheelbarrow. of course litters are easier with two people operating, but i think the center balance point is way easier than a front wheel, where you have no leverage if your wheel gets stuck.

[scott_rn]

Josh,

I like it. I've thought about using a mountain bike fork/tire. My only raft is a 14 foot round boat, probably not packable enough to make it work, but the thought has crossed my mind.

On a similar note, I've even thought about a little cart like they make for canoes to help get my raft to and from the water. It would probably have to be bigger, but it would especially be helpful at places like the takeout at the willow (where you can't get the trailer to the water).

[danattherock]

Josh,

I like it. I've thought about using a mountain bike fork/tire. My only raft is a 14 foot round boat, probably not packable enough to make it work, but the thought has crossed my mind.

On a similar note, I've even thought about a little cart like they make for canoes to help get my raft to and from the water. It would probably have to be bigger, but it would especially be helpful at places like the takeout at the willow (where you can't get the trailer to the water).

Good idea Scott. I have a 16' two person kayak back in NC. I use something similar to the below cart. If you had your rafting gear bound up tightly, something like this may work. Perhaps a cam strap or two to hold the rafting gear down on the cart.

http://www.amazon.com/Paddleboy-Nemo.../dp/B0024QAPZ8




-Dan

[Ibex]

WOW Heg..........look how neat and orderly your garage is!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brian Richardson]

Emergency Tactical to Rafting Practical

I'd really consider something along the lines of body-bagging your gear then strapping it down to a 4-way folding tactical stretcher or a plastic body-board. The surplus GI body-bag is pretty useful by itself as a drag-bag, has lots of pick-up and carry loops, plus makes an easy-entry Bivy. Looking along the lines of stretchers, body/back-boards, etc. is very practical... you could always add a cruiser tire and fork especially to sturdy/proven aluminum break-away and scoop designs that are easy to make at home with steel or aluminum pipe.

Cheers... Ya owe me another Brew!!! :topjob:

[Michael Strahan]

What if?

I like the way you think. That's exactly how new ideas are born that benefit the whole community.

What if you simply made a long rectangle out of your frame, with the ends sticking out like handles (you might need two cross-bars with NRS fittings on each end, to give you the span you need). Then mount your oar stands under it (at the midpoint of the long bars). Remove the oarlocks from the oar stands and replace them with long carriage bolts with a stopper nut snugged up against the oar stand, so it can't slip out (a threaded rod would even work if you put nylock nuts on it on each side of the oar stand hole). I'm thinking of rods that are a couple of feet long or so. Drill a hole in the end of each bolt that's big enough to accommodate the axle of one of those fat bicycle tires and rims. Make the bolts long enough to offer enough clearance for the bike tire. Then mount the tire to the end of the bolts, strap your gear to the modified "litter", and off you go! The fat tire should give you enough support in softer ground, and should offer enough clearance that it will roll on the level without having to bend over too much while you wheel it across the tundra. Ideally you would operate it with two guys, but you could use it "wheelbarrow style" by simply moving the tire closer to one end. And if you needed to, you could even take it off the boat on your hunt, and use it as a way to move meat out of the field, if your back was giving you trouble...

When you're on the river, the only unusable parts you'll have is the bicycle tire and the long bolts / nuts. Just a way to use what you already have, without having to add a lot of parts and pieces.

If you preferred a fatter tire, it would be no trouble to use an ATV tire or something similar...

Hopefully the description makes sense?

-Mike

[Heg]

WOW Heg..........look how neat and orderly your garage is!!!!!!!!!!!

Dude, that is not a garage, it's my man cave- free from cars, legos, dolls, and bills. Only gear, beer, maps, and a few tools (most of which I don't use) in that room.

Brian, the body-bag is kind of morbid, but I see some potential. And, yes I owe ya a couple beers. Give me a call if you are ever in Eagle River.

Mike, dirtysteev, Scott, and Dan thanks for the ideas...keep 'em coming. I do a lot of solo boating, so it needs to be a one man operation.

This weather/snowpack is horrible leaving me nothing better to do than sit in my "garage" and dream about rivers...My thinking so far is some type of a burly, fat mountain bike tire on a fork with some type of braking mechanism....

Josh