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Bowron canoe cart advice

BCbear

Paddler
Joined
Jun 4, 2005
Messages
10
I'm doing my first Bowron canoe circuit next week and I'm hoping to use a canoe/kayak cart that I have, rather than renting. I've read that the bigger carts are recommended with mixed reviews on narrow vs wide tires. Perhaps someone on this forum has done the circuit this year with up-to-date conditions of the portages? My current air tires do lose air over several days but I have my small bike pump I can bring. I have considered purchasing solid tires and perhaps even larger diameter ones since it looks like I have the clearance to go bigger.

My main reason for avoiding a rental cart is the size and weight while canoeing. I'm paddling a solo canoe, a Clipper Solitude, which is a great straight-ahead, fast but narrow canoe so a larger cart will go across the gunnels and raise my centre of gravity. On a side note: I'll probably portage around the Chute and the roller-coaster section since the canoe doesn't turn easily and the sharp entry line of the canoe will punch through standing waves rather then float over them.

Is there any pros and cons to my thinking? As you will see in a photo I plan on bringing my new removable yoke as a back up and/or option for short portages. Since I carry a bit of photography gear I would like to use a cart to avoid three-carry portages.
 

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I might forgo the wheels and carry the canoe. BTW, a fun way to do the chute is to run it with an unloaded canoe. Then, if it was fun, carry the canoe back and do it loaded, or just go back and carry the gear down the portage.
 
There are plenty of posts on this site about carts shortcomings around Bowron. Search them out and see what you then think.

[I'd change out those wheels to be at least 10" diam [12"+ would be golden if fit under canoe] and widen the straps to firm fixed canoe locations that roughly align with the frame leg angles. ]
 
After a few times around the Bowron circuit in a canoe, I took my kayak for the past trip. I was with two other canoes and we all had rented wheels for the portages. There are approved ones allowed due to the erosion issues as people carry a lot of gear. You are allowed to carry 60lbs. in the canoe; anything else is carried in a pack. I discovered that my kayak was perched on the wheels giving it a very high center of gravity. With only me pushing the boat, it fell over a number of times on the uneven trails. As most canoes have a paddler at each end, pushing/pulling, it is easy to stay upright. Many times, I had to unload my boat enough to be able to right it and replace it on the carriage.
DSCF6757.JPG
 
I might forgo the wheels and carry the canoe. BTW, a fun way to do the chute is to run it with an unloaded canoe. Then, if it was fun, carry the canoe back and do it loaded, or just go back and carry the gear down the portage.

That might be an option on the shorter trails but on the 2+ km trails I would like to avoid multiple trips. Are the long first day portage trails the best (i.e. smooth) surface or pretty rough?
 
The first portage is the longest and it is with the most weight. The portages are fairly smooth and are designed with using wheels to carry your boats. Some trails are heavily crowned in the middle and only a few spots were difficult to travel on. The wheels really are a great way to do the trip. It is especially true if you encounter a few days of heavy rain.
 
After a few times around the Bowron circuit in a canoe, I took my kayak for the past trip. I was with two other canoes and we all had rented wheels for the portages. There are approved ones allowed due to the erosion issues as people carry a lot of gear. You are allowed to carry 60lbs. in the canoe; anything else is carried in a pack. I discovered that my kayak was perched on the wheels giving it a very high center of gravity. With only me pushing the boat, it fell over a number of times on the uneven trails. As most canoes have a paddler at each end, pushing/pulling, it is easy to stay upright. Many times, I had to unload my boat enough to be able to right it and replace it on the carriage.
Wayne Bowron wheels.jpg
 
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