Early canoe carrier

Benson Gray

Canoe History Enthusiast
Staff member
The image below shows how your old canoe may have traveled from storage to the water in the days before internal combustion engines. This version will not fold up for storage like some of the more modern ones do. I don't know the age of this one but it is still in regular use today.

Benson
 

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This is the only one that I have ever seen so I would have to say no. However, you could probably build some reproductions in that nice new work shop of yours. The other trick would be finding a way to get them to the Assembly and back without a huge trailer. Actually, the alternative shown below may be a better option for the Assembly, especially before and after the paddle by.

Benson
 

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I actually had experience with a very similar device. Back in 1957 a friend of the family, my parents and myself canoed from Old Forge to Saranac. At our first portage the was an old guy waiting with a number of carts similar to the one shown which he would rent to you for the portage. Being new at the game it sounded great, we wouldn't even have to unload the canoes. After the first couple hundred yards the road turned to deep sand. By the time we reached the put in we looked like the foriegn legion emerging from the Sahara. It would have been so much easier to have just carried everything. We figure the old guy made a good living from the novices on their first trip.

Richard
 
Thanks for posting that picture....I have started to design one very similar to move my collection around the yard .....Will use bicycle wheels and tires. That is very functional and I love the old concept of the double/reverse springs! ( might use a couple of old snowmobile springs on this one!.)B]
 
wheels at least

I was wandering around our local Harbor Freight tool store one cold day last week, and noticed that they have new wagon wheels for sale. These are intended to be decorative, but with a few modifications could probably stand up to carrying a canoe. If I can't find a cool old canoe carrier, maybe I can make a sorta cool new one. I guess I am a little desperate for a winter project that will fit into the basement...
 
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