The shock cord Wheel Cart Retrieval system is a clever concept that we shamelessly copied and up until very recently we were building Wheel Cart Retrieval kits for Hobie wheel cart frames for our customers. However we’ve got bigger fish to fry (and not enough staff to cook) so we’ve decided to stop making them. To counter the bad news we offer this good news: they are very easy to make yourself.
The kit included 2.5mt of 7mm bungee cord, along with 3 x Stainless Steel Snap Clips, 2 x screw-in padeyes and 4 x 1/2″ Hog Rings. which are used to replace the wheel cart post end caps. We also included a couple of tiny stainless steel self tapping screws for customers who wanted to make sure the padeyes could never be dislodged from the cart frame posts.
There isn’t any one length of shock cord to rule them all when it comes to making these. The right length will depend somewhat on the size of your kayak, but more so dependent on where you plan to hook it up to on deck when using it. This may take a bit of experimentation to get right. We used a 2.5 mt length of 7mm shock cord for our kit and anywhere around that sort of length should work OK.
We use half inch hog rings to create a loop at each end of the shock cord, which secure the stainless steel snap clips in place. The other snap clip can either run freely along the length of shock cord, or centered by tying a loop into the cord as pictured above. A short length of heat shrink tubing was used to cover the hog rings, although this is more cosmetic than anything.
Padeye installation on cart frame
Replace end caps on wheelcart posts with the provided padeyes. Orientate the saddles perpendicular to the cart frame axle, as pictured above (cart frame not included). The video below demonstrates how we installed them:
If you decide to take the extra step of securing the padeyes in place with self tapping screws, drill a small hole into the top of the frame posts and into the padeye, then install the screws. Note: you really want the smallest self tapping screws that will do the job, so that the head of the screw doesn’t cause any friction when using the retrieval system.
Using a wheel cart retrieval system
To use the wheel cart retrieval system, put the wheel cart on the ground next to the kayak. Then pick up the rear of the kayak, shift it across and then lay it down on top of the cart. Ideally you want the wheel cart positioned so that the cart frame posts are directly underneath the scupper holes. Then feed each tag end of the bungee assembly down each scupper tube. Secure each snap clip to the padeye saddles on the cart frame posts.
Use the hook the snap clip at the other end of the bungee assembly somewhere onto the deck of kayak so that the bungee line becomes taught. Lift up the stern of the kayak high enough so that the bungee cord retracts the wheel cart posts directly under and into the scupper holes.
Safety Tip: To minimize potential for injury in the event of a failure under load it is always best to hook the bungee cord somewhere forward of the deck. If the tension is coming from the rear and a snap clip / saddle is pulled off the cart post the bungee will launch them backwards, right where you’re standing.
Pete Ritchie’s DIY Example Video:
