24" wheel Cartasaurus is alive!

[gellfex]

We're ready for some real off-roading rocky launches! I pulled out the ball bearings the wheels came with and made 4 polyethylene shouldered bearings on the lathe. the rest is 1x4 PVC lumber, 1.5" PVC pipe, and a 1/2" SS tube for the axle. The boat wasn't loaded with gear and a cooler but I had no problem pulling it over a 4x4. The lengthwise pieces of 1x4 are mortised 3/8" into the cradle pieces.

 

Obviously this is a cart that goes back to the van after the boat is at the water.  

 

 

 

 

 

[dbjpb]

Wow that looks great John. You might want to add some padding where the kayak touches the rack.

[gellfex]

On 5/18/2023 at 8:12 PM, dbjpb said:

Wow that looks great John. You might want to add some padding where the kayak touches the rack.

Thanks, I think it'll be ok, that PVC lumber is way softer than the 'carbonlite' of the hull. 

[dbjpb]

It could also help the kayak from sliding?

[atv223]

You are quite the craftsman!  Nice Work!

[gellfex]

On 5/18/2023 at 8:41 PM, atv223 said:

You are quite the craftsman!  Nice Work!

Thanks, but I'm a ringer! I'm a pro craftsman. 

 

@dbjpb The strap always seemed to keep my regular cart from sliding just fine,  I've always found the problem was the cart twisting, which the contoured cradle will keep from happening. I'm trying to think of a good way to make it work with my Scupper Pro if I feel the need, maybe add some removable vertical pipe to catch it's seat scuppers.

[puppet]

@gellfex
   Nice chariot Sparticus!

 

Please keep us posted in how it works in the field!

[computeruser]

Looks great ...congrats...the only remark I would have that maybe wider wheel would work better if riding on soft sand...or you can add double wheels to improve that.

[Africaster]

Nice Jon, looks good … one thing that jumps out is the upward pressure of the cradle and downward pressure of the yak is pretty concentrated on a rather narrow/thin/small surface area of the hull … one hefty jolt on a loaded yak after going over a large rock/pavement and you may end up needing all your pro craftman’s skills stitching it back together again.

[gellfex]

On 5/20/2023 at 2:18 PM, computeruser said:

Looks great ...congrats...the only remark I would have that maybe wider wheel would work better if riding on soft sand...or you can add double wheels to improve that.

The point of this isn't sand, it's rocks! I have my regular art with Sandtrakz for sand. 

[gellfex]

On 5/20/2023 at 2:52 PM, Africaster said:

Nice Jon, looks good … one thing that jumps out is the upward pressure of the cradle and downward pressure of the yak is pretty concentrated on a rather narrow/thin/small surface area of the hull … one hefty jolt on a loaded yak after going over a large rock/pavement and you may end up needing all your pro craftman’s skills stitching it back together again.

 

Thanks. The load is actually well distributed by the 2 fitted cradles compared to my other PVC cart, or a typical scupper cart. Below is an old version of my PVC cart with a cross to use the scupper instead of the current T 18" wide. I've not had a support problem with that, but it twists when one wheel hits an obstacle. The fitted cradle solves that problem.

 

[Africaster]

On 5/20/2023 at 3:40 PM, gellfex said:

 

Thanks. The load is actually well distributed by the 2 fitted cradles compared to my other PVC cart, or a typical scupper cart. Below is an old version of my PVC cart with a cross to use the scupper instead of the current T 18" wide. I've not had a support problem with that, but it twists when one wheel hits an obstacle. The fitted cradle solves that problem.

 

But therein lies my point, your old design distributed the weight lengthways and not sideways … anyway, probably edgecase 

[gellfex]

On 5/20/2023 at 6:50 PM, Africaster said:

But therein lies my point, your old design distributed the weight lengthways and not sideways … anyway, probably edgecase 

But now it's being distributed not only lengthwise about the same distance, but supporting the full width of the hull not just 2 tubes 20" apart. Plus those 1" PVC pipes probably flex enough that a lot of the stress was on 2 small patches nearest the T. 

 

That all said, these boats are topologically 'tubes' with vertical struts where the scuppers are, and are damn strong even if they're thermoformed like the C14. I don't recall hearing of a hull failure of any boat from anything other than scupper cart or pedal mount stress. 

 

Material failure and fatigue are a lot of what keeps me up at night on my regular work of custom theatrical widgets. It's not like a real product where they can run FEA simulations and endless tests. I usually make stuff once, or twice if they need a backup, and if it breaks I can get nasty, panicked calls from production managers on the road with their shows. At least if its on Broadway or a local set I can pop in and fix it!

[puppet]

@gellfex
 That sounds like an awesome occupation.  I suspect you have some interesting stories to tell.  I lived in nyc just short of a decade I miss the creative energy resonating from the arts.  The big apple!!!!

[gellfex]

On 5/21/2023 at 7:21 PM, puppet said:

@gellfex
 That sounds like an awesome occupation.  I suspect you have some interesting stories to tell.  I lived in nyc just short of a decade I miss the creative energy resonating from the arts.  The big apple!!!!

Thanks, but like many arts careers it's feast and famine, no stability. That's why I have another gig managing our rentals. I've got colleagues who've worked steady their whole careers and hit their 50-60s with hardly a pot to piss in but their home, if that.

 

That said, I could tell you about the time I hung a 1/4hp electric motor on a supermodel's ass....