This was definitely a case of necessity being the mother of invention. I don't have the tools or skills to craft one of those beautifully contoured yokes myself, so figured out a way to do it easily and cheaply. LOL Cheers, - Martin
OK I was building my own carry yoke and it was getting way too complicated, what with all the mounting hardware, so I went to UA-cam and this popped up first thing. Wow, a beautiful idea, and so simple! A big thumbs up! It'll be done tonight.
Your a regular modern day MacGyver. Lots of tips and tricks. I love your canoe cart video. Currently looking for materials to build a cart so i can attach and portage the canoe to my mountain bike and drive the 1k to the welland canal from my home. Leaving a 0 carbon footprint. Thanks for being so inspiring.
MacGyver? I consider that high praise! Thanks for the compliment, for watching, and for leaving a comment. With respect to a cart intended to be pulled by a bike, you might need to incorporate some sort of breaking or slowing mechanism for the cart itself. I can well envision a tail-wagging-the-dog mishap if you had to suddenly stop on a downhill or if a big crosswind hits your canoe while towing it. Whatever you come up with, I'd love to see it! Cheers, - Martin
PineMartyn thanks so much for the input and the macgyver comment was totally meant as a huge compliment. So far the plan is to re-purpose a childs bike carrier (wide base so the canoe sits low) to offset the top heavyness (low center of gravity) and as far as hills go it’s flat as Saskatchewan here in welland. Lol. I’ll make a video of the process. 😊👍
Great idea. I think I would need to make mine out of ash or maple. My canoe weighs 80 lbs. I like this idea I think it will work great. Thanks for posting this Martin. Have a great week
THanks. Glad you like the idea. You would definitely need a stronger wood, such as ash or maple for a canoe of that weight. You definitely don't want to risk having a boat of that weight come down on you because you used a yoke too weak for that weight. Just make sure your hull is flexible enough to be able to squeeze the two gunnels together a wee bit to ensure that the ends of the yoke will be able to be affixed and removed without a struggle or damage to the gunnels. Enjoy your new boat and happy paddling, - Martin
Hey Martin, I have a Pack 12 and really like it's light weight. Prefer paddling as a canoe not a kayak. Will be making a yoke just as described. Nice lake in the background. Well demonstrated. Thanks
I sometimes use a single-blade paddle with my pack boat just because I love paddling in the traditional canoe style, but when I have a lot of miles to cover, or when I want to go fast, or if I will be paddling in wind and waves. Cheers, - Martin
@@PineMartyn Just ordered a 13.6 and I too like traditional paddling and I was hoping that it would be possible on occasion to do, so glad it`s possible. Thank you for your good advise.
You gave me a very good idea for mine; I will get the pad and a lightweight wood but also strong and will make my own but also doing it following the pad contour; will try to stay about a pound or at least under a pound and half. I am a carpenter and have all the tools to do it, have not done anything in carpentry for years but that will be an excuse to dust off my tools, lol. I like the Carbon one they sell at Swift but the $400.00 tag is crazy, although they told me if buy from US it is about $300.00 with the current exchange, still, its weight is about 2 pounds so it is not really superlight to justify the price tag in my opinion; so i am glad I found your video! Thanks!
I know it's 4 years now ... but wondering how this has held-up for you? I just got a yoke-less Swift and want to copy your design. Thanks for any thoughts.
Good question. I am still using mine. But, keep in mind, this design, with it's small wheels, is intended for carting your canoe along roads, lawns, flat trails, etc, and not over rocky, log-strewn portages when the canoe is loaded with gear. So, mine is still working fine, but I use it for it's intended purposes will within the limits that the materials can withstand. Hope this helps, - Martin
So awesome, i just got a pack 12, do you happen to still use it and if you do what are the dimensions so i can make my own. Also do you think kevlar skid plates would be good on the pack 12? thinking of going to swift and getting those kits to put on my boat.
I do indeed use my Pack 12, all the time. I love it, whether I am using a double-blade or a more traditional single-blade, it's a joy to paddle. I didn't put skid plates on mine because I didn't want to add any excess weight and, while I do not baby my boats and am fine with scratches on the hull, I avoid ramming the shore when landing, so have never felt the need to install skip plates. It's really a matter of how rough you want to be with it, so you are the best judge of how you will treat your boat. Cheers! - Martin
Great video! I’ve been looking for a solution to portage a sit-on-top kayak, and this item is a good starting point. There’s virtually no head room/clearance, so the next step is to somehow attach some vertical supports so I’m not completely supporting the boat with my head.
Hey, friend! I'm a little late in seeing your comment, but you might find a tump line to be a more suitable solution for a kayak. In case you're not aware, a tump line is a strap that attaches to the sides of a load - such as a backpack or kayak, and is supported on the top of one's head. The hips carry the majority of the load, while the head-strap provides stability. All this sounds complicated, but it's pretty straightforward - do a Google image search to see what I mean. Most outfitters would be able to set you up with a purpose-made tump line pretty easily, or you can readily make your own with any sort of broad strap (as long as it will bear the weight needed) and a bit of knot-work. Good luck!
Great light-weight diy project... for the day I ever get that tremendous boat! I have been using the same pad with a 50 lbs canoe but am finding the foam flattens and wears out after a season of tripping. I may try to re-pack it with a better foam, or find a better pad if one exists (-:
Great idea! I've been thinking about getting one of these boats. Did you get yours directly from swift? And curious, why did you decide on 12ft rather than 13.6?
I bought it directly from Swift Canoe & Kayak at their Oxtongue Lake location in Dwight, Ontario. I have a very recent video where I offer a detailed review of the Pack 12, it's handling characteristics and how I outfit it and I explain why I chose it over the Pack 13.6. But the short answer is that, for a person my size and weight, the 12 is as much boat as I need for canoe-tripping. I wanted the lightest and smallest boat because a lighter boat is easier to portage and the smaller size means it's easier to negotiate very tight turns on narrow winding creeks. Another reason is that the 12', being shorter, handles better in waves because the longer 13.6 tends to plunge into an oncoming big wave, whereas, the shorter 12' rides up and down them, meaning less water gets shipped into the boat, not being slowed as much by waves, and there's less need to quarter a wave coming right at you. It's also easier to turn or correct one's course in a short boat, which is an advantage in a head wind, tail wind, or cross wind. In windy with big waves, it's a big advantage to be able to efficiently change the angle of the boat. The advantages of the 13.6 would include more carrying capacity for both a larger paddler and more voluminous and/or heavier gear. It tracks straighter than the 12', so fewer correction strokes are required (though with a double-bladed paddle, neither boat requires much in the way of correction strokes). Hope this helps, - Martin
I'm a little worried about the useful lifespan of my current DIY thwart made of PVC and pool noodle. I think I'll try this and use have my pvc as backup. Gonna use a stronger wood for my 45lb boat. Seems genius. A little worried about sliding up and down the gunwales. I'll report back.
That's true. Although the odd angles on the cuts were deliberate. I didn't mention it in the video, but the hooked ends were cut at an angle (not 90 degrees) so as to better conform to the angle of the hull. But, I take your point...I'm not fine craftsman. lol Cheers, - Martin
Very clever! Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
Ingenious ... my packet will need one of these for a trip to a walk in only lake here in northern Saskatchewan
Great DIY project. Works great, simple to make and much better than spending over 100$ to buy one.
This was definitely a case of necessity being the mother of invention. I don't have the tools or skills to craft one of those beautifully contoured yokes myself, so figured out a way to do it easily and cheaply. LOL
Cheers,
- Martin
A very crafty and simply elegant solution!
Thanks Colette.
Cheers to you,
- Martin
OK I was building my own carry yoke and it was getting way too complicated, what with all the mounting hardware, so I went to UA-cam and this popped up first thing. Wow, a beautiful idea, and so simple! A big thumbs up! It'll be done tonight.
Thanks Larry. I appreciate that comment. Best of luck with that project.
Cheers!
- Martin
Thanks for the link to the pad. Will get one for sure. Perhaps this yoke provides another option.
Great job nice and simple thanks 🇨🇦👍
Your a regular modern day MacGyver. Lots of tips and tricks. I love your canoe cart video. Currently looking for materials to build a cart so i can attach and portage the canoe to my mountain bike and drive the 1k to the welland canal from my home. Leaving a 0 carbon footprint. Thanks for being so inspiring.
MacGyver? I consider that high praise! Thanks for the compliment, for watching, and for leaving a comment. With respect to a cart intended to be pulled by a bike, you might need to incorporate some sort of breaking or slowing mechanism for the cart itself. I can well envision a tail-wagging-the-dog mishap if you had to suddenly stop on a downhill or if a big crosswind hits your canoe while towing it. Whatever you come up with, I'd love to see it!
Cheers,
- Martin
PineMartyn thanks so much for the input and the macgyver comment was totally meant as a huge compliment. So far the plan is to re-purpose a childs bike carrier (wide base so the canoe sits low) to offset the top heavyness (low center of gravity) and as far as hills go it’s flat as Saskatchewan here in welland. Lol. I’ll make a video of the process. 😊👍
I would love to see what you come up with. :-)
Cheers,
- Martin
Outstanding! Great simple engineering and demo!
Thanks! 🙂
Awesome idea Martin. Works very well. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Jen. :-)
- Martin
What a neat DIY project! I've got that same yoke pad. If/when my yoke ever breaks, I think I may just give this a whirl.
Thanks for sharing.
Chris
And thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Cheers,
- Martin
Great idea. I think I would need to make mine out of ash or maple. My canoe weighs 80 lbs. I like this idea I think it will work great. Thanks for posting this Martin. Have a great week
THanks. Glad you like the idea. You would definitely need a stronger wood, such as ash or maple for a canoe of that weight. You definitely don't want to risk having a boat of that weight come down on you because you used a yoke too weak for that weight. Just make sure your hull is flexible enough to be able to squeeze the two gunnels together a wee bit to ensure that the ends of the yoke will be able to be affixed and removed without a struggle or damage to the gunnels.
Enjoy your new boat and happy paddling,
- Martin
Hey Martin, I have a Pack 12 and really like it's light weight. Prefer paddling as a canoe not a kayak. Will be making a yoke just as described. Nice lake in the background. Well demonstrated. Thanks
I sometimes use a single-blade paddle with my pack boat just because I love paddling in the traditional canoe style, but when I have a lot of miles to cover, or when I want to go fast, or if I will be paddling in wind and waves.
Cheers,
- Martin
@@PineMartyn Just ordered a 13.6 and I too like traditional paddling and I was hoping that it would be possible on occasion to do, so glad it`s possible. Thank you for your good advise.
Wow! Thanks for sharing this.
You're welcome. 🙂
You gave me a very good idea for mine; I will get the pad and a lightweight wood but also strong and will make my own but also doing it following the pad contour; will try to stay about a pound or at least under a pound and half. I am a carpenter and have all the tools to do it, have not done anything in carpentry for years but that will be an excuse to dust off my tools, lol. I like the Carbon one they sell at Swift but the $400.00 tag is crazy, although they told me if buy from US it is about $300.00 with the current exchange, still, its weight is about 2 pounds so it is not really superlight to justify the price tag in my opinion; so i am glad I found your video! Thanks!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing.
Hi my friend! Awesome video! Thanks so much for sharing!
Stay Blessed!
Glad you enjoyed it. Stay great.
Cheers,
- Martin
I know it's 4 years now ... but wondering how this has held-up for you? I just got a yoke-less Swift and want to copy your design. Thanks for any thoughts.
Good question. I am still using mine. But, keep in mind, this design, with it's small wheels, is intended for carting your canoe along roads, lawns, flat trails, etc, and not over rocky, log-strewn portages when the canoe is loaded with gear. So, mine is still working fine, but I use it for it's intended purposes will within the limits that the materials can withstand.
Hope this helps,
- Martin
By Golly, Martin; Great setup for what you have there, Thanks ! ATB T God Bless
Thanks Terry. Best wishes to you and yours in return.
- Martin
So awesome, i just got a pack 12, do you happen to still use it and if you do what are the dimensions so i can make my own. Also do you think kevlar skid plates would be good on the pack 12? thinking of going to swift and getting those kits to put on my boat.
I do indeed use my Pack 12, all the time. I love it, whether I am using a double-blade or a more traditional single-blade, it's a joy to paddle.
I didn't put skid plates on mine because I didn't want to add any excess weight and, while I do not baby my boats and am fine with scratches on the hull, I avoid ramming the shore when landing, so have never felt the need to install skip plates. It's really a matter of how rough you want to be with it, so you are the best judge of how you will treat your boat.
Cheers!
- Martin
@@PineMartyn for the Velcro did you use fabric Velcro or would regular industrial Velcro stick in the level six yoke pad fabric?
Really cool ! I might have to look into this ! Thanks for sharing. Peace ✌️
Great video! I’ve been looking for a solution to portage a sit-on-top kayak, and this item is a good starting point. There’s virtually no head room/clearance, so the next step is to somehow attach some vertical supports so I’m not completely supporting the boat with my head.
I'm glad you found the video of some help for your portaging situation. Thanks for leaving a comment.
Cheers,
- Martin
Hey, friend! I'm a little late in seeing your comment, but you might find a tump line to be a more suitable solution for a kayak. In case you're not aware, a tump line is a strap that attaches to the sides of a load - such as a backpack or kayak, and is supported on the top of one's head. The hips carry the majority of the load, while the head-strap provides stability. All this sounds complicated, but it's pretty straightforward - do a Google image search to see what I mean.
Most outfitters would be able to set you up with a purpose-made tump line pretty easily, or you can readily make your own with any sort of broad strap (as long as it will bear the weight needed) and a bit of knot-work.
Good luck!
Thanks!!!
this does help ,thanks..
Great light-weight diy project... for the day I ever get that tremendous boat! I have been using the same pad with a 50 lbs canoe but am finding the foam flattens and wears out after a season of tripping. I may try to re-pack it with a better foam, or find a better pad if one exists (-:
Love it.
Thanks, glad you liked it. Nice to see you, my friend.
Cheers,
- Martin
heck yeah
Great idea! I've been thinking about getting one of these boats. Did you get yours directly from swift? And curious, why did you decide on 12ft rather than 13.6?
I bought it directly from Swift Canoe & Kayak at their Oxtongue Lake location in Dwight, Ontario. I have a very recent video where I offer a detailed review of the Pack 12, it's handling characteristics and how I outfit it and I explain why I chose it over the Pack 13.6. But the short answer is that, for a person my size and weight, the 12 is as much boat as I need for canoe-tripping. I wanted the lightest and smallest boat because a lighter boat is easier to portage and the smaller size means it's easier to negotiate very tight turns on narrow winding creeks. Another reason is that the 12', being shorter, handles better in waves because the longer 13.6 tends to plunge into an oncoming big wave, whereas, the shorter 12' rides up and down them, meaning less water gets shipped into the boat, not being slowed as much by waves, and there's less need to quarter a wave coming right at you. It's also easier to turn or correct one's course in a short boat, which is an advantage in a head wind, tail wind, or cross wind. In windy with big waves, it's a big advantage to be able to efficiently change the angle of the boat.
The advantages of the 13.6 would include more carrying capacity for both a larger paddler and more voluminous and/or heavier gear. It tracks straighter than the 12', so fewer correction strokes are required (though with a double-bladed paddle, neither boat requires much in the way of correction strokes).
Hope this helps,
- Martin
Thanks so much!
I'm a little worried about the useful lifespan of my current DIY thwart made of PVC and pool noodle. I think I'll try this and use have my pvc as backup. Gonna use a stronger wood for my 45lb boat. Seems genius. A little worried about sliding up and down the gunwales. I'll report back.
Nice... your a better engineeer then you are a wood worker ;)
That's true. Although the odd angles on the cuts were deliberate. I didn't mention it in the video, but the hooked ends were cut at an angle (not 90 degrees) so as to better conform to the angle of the hull. But, I take your point...I'm not fine craftsman. lol
Cheers,
- Martin
Yak yak yak..ffs.
POOR-TAAAAAWWWWWWGGGG
😆😅😂🤣🤣