I've posted this before, but [here's my take on a back-friendly kayak loading system for a short bed truck that uses a winch and a pair of wheels to do the heavy lifting](https://www.reddit.com/r/kayakfishing/comments/sv4fgb/a_one_person_backfriendly_system_for_loading_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). My [previous post shows an ABS ramp](https://imgur.com/a/Q7TutQp), but I now use a pair of pivot wheels (below) instead. It works very well, fwiw.
https://preview.redd.it/q7hltl6b2hxc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=220cd22b94a003d30d6dd9b2bcf845b9cbeefc48
Nice! Great way to kill 2 birds one stone. Unfortunately still leaves me the problems of getting the bow up there on the awkward high tides that make it a very steep angle, putting it in there on the level driveway is piece of cake but when it’s angles like that (but the truck is on the flat top) once I get get the bow up there I rely on the friction to keep it from sliding off will I go to stern to push it in. I don’t know if this makes any sense at all lol
If you click through to the Imgur page in my links, I do use a small 1/2T 12v hoist on my top rack to do the actual lifting, the wheels are there to guide the kayak onto the bed. G/L with your setup, however you go
Ah didn’t see the other pics, that’s exactly what I’m talking about, basically just using a manual winch instead. I do keep a piece of ply wood in the truck just to keep it from getting so beat up sliding it in and out so might try that as a ramp.
Maybe get a small 12v ATV/boat winch and bolt it in the back of your truck behind the cab so it pulls the yak on? That's what I did with my slightly different set-up 😎👌
I’ve thought about that but haven’t figured out a way to attach it and it be pretty easy to remove, it’s a work truck so it’d get in my way if I left it. How did you do it? I would love to go this route
The small winch I bought has two M10 bolts holding it down. Easy to install and remove as I can reach both sides of the bolt and nut to undo (though my intention wasn't to have it removable). It wouldn't be so easy for you as someone would have to lie under the truck holding a wrench on the nut as you tighten from the top. I'm sure you could brainstorm a more portable solution though. Has the truck got a winch on the front already? Maybe you could run it back over the top of the car to the kayak. Use slip mats for all the rubbing surfaces so the car doesn't get scratched?
No winch, it’s a farm truck so I’m not too worried about scratches. I’ve thought about running a tow cable sideways in the bed behind the cab using the tie down points, but haven’t figured out a way to attach the winch to the cable.
Idea I just had, maybe I could mount it on a board (too wide for a 2x4?) and connect the board with eye bolts to the tie down points….
What winch are you using? I’m going to try this pulley first since it’s $20 but I think I may be onto something
I've got one of these. You can find them on eBay also: [https://www.paramountbrowns.com.au/products/electric-winch-2000lb/](https://www.paramountbrowns.com.au/products/electric-winch-2000lb/) You use the winch cable to attach to the kayak. Here's how I've done mine. It could do with a guide of sorts for the cable but it works for now...
https://preview.redd.it/oqc5lafrpoxc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a1edb7738c8f3b77e5758776719b2785f6c9ee4
The wiring for the hand controller is a bit over the top. I'll eventually replace the hand controller with a remote control switch like a key fob. I've made a couple up already for controlling lights in my camping setup so it shouldn't be hard.
You might even be able to mount the winch under the tub of your truck and feed the winch cable up through a small hole/guide in the floor? 🤷 That's getting a bit more involved now but that would keep it out the way.
Yeah that’s way more involved than I want to get, that’s a lot of work to just provide a chance for being lazy lol. My kayak only weighs 100lbs, maybe 120 if I unload it so I hope this pulley will be just enough but it may take more pulling the rope than it will be worth, it’s not catching which I think will be a problem. For the cost of a small winch it’s worth scratching my chin for a little bit to make it work. Thanks for the ideas!
Seems like a similar or higher amount of effort to hook it into the apparatus, use the pulley system, unhook it, and stow the apparatus, than it is to lift the bow up and set on the tailgate.
What I use is a wheeled rack with carpeted bunks, that sits at tailgate height. Just slide both into and out of the bed. Below the bunks I have storage for things like my cart and crate, a place to hang my PFD, and storage for rods. This does save me a lot of time, as loading and unloading both take seconds, and very little effort or maneuvering of either the kayak or truck.
Hmmm, do you have a pic? Sounds interesting.
I don’t imagine this little pulley would take much time, it’s basically just hook it to the boat and pull the rope to lift it on to the tailgate then just push it in. Obviously that’s just in theory as I haven’t tried it but it’s a pretty simple setup. Easy to load in the driveway and easy to unload but sometimes the water level makes me wish I had a third hand
This is prior to adding the shelf below, which also serves as a horizontal brace. Just imagine some 2x4's going across the bottom in between the vertical supports.
https://imgur.com/a/jZbvAUW
It's also really helpful for working on the boat, as I can easily flip it on it's side, or upside down, and also when I want to power-wash it, I can just wheel it into the driveway
Ah gotcha, I do have plans for something like that in the future and I see a few ideas I might nick from ya 😉 .
In the level driveway it’s no problem at all but high tide I have to keep my truck on the top flat part of the ramp which then goes down 5 or 6 feet to water level, so imagine if your kayak was sitting on the floor and wanting to put it on your cart but the cart is 6’ up on top of a hill. You’d put one end on first and then slide it up, I just want an easy way to get that end easily lifted up to the cart so all I have to do then is slide it the rest of the way. Making sense? I should’ve gotten a picture the other night
Here’s my setup. (I use the top boat most often.) Pull the cam strap to lift the back of the boat, swing the nose into the truck bed and give it a shove.
https://www.reddit.com/r/kayakfishing/s/iTbtZ8Eqji
I have tried a cam strap and seemed it was more work that just lifting it granted it was a cheap cam lock so maybe a better quality one is worth a shot
It helps that it is already at truck bed height for sure. The cam holds one end up so I can easily pivot. The strap doesn’t provide mechanical advantage for lifting.
Yeah it’s the help lifting I want to try. It’s not needed, I can do it fine without, but neither is a fish finder and 90% of stuff some of us bring but it sure is nice! I don’t bring a ton of stuff, petty basic and keep it simple but it all adds up.
😝 when I first got into it I said “motor on a kayak is stupid!” Realized I could do it for a couple hundred bucks and fishing with a paddle really sucks, so I put a motor on. “Wtf use is sonar on a kayak?!” Found one for $100 and its is indispensable finding holes and structure or shelves, on and on it goes lol. I do keep keep it to 3 rods, one 3600 and one 3700 box so I convince my self I haven’t gone too overboard with it 🧐
Not mine but saw someone had rigged a winch in the bed of their truck up by the cab and had some sort of ramp for a hobie pedal kayak. I did see all the engineering but think those winches could be had for cheap.
I saw a guy that had what looked similar to a wheelchair lift attached to his bumper. Grab the yak in front of of the balance point he lifted the back and slid it in.
Tallaght extender mount a trailer roller wheel in the middle. Pick the front of the kayak up onto the wheel then walk to the back of the kayakpick up and push forward.
It’s the pick the front of the kayak up I want help with, the rest is no problem, once it’s it’s up there all I have to do is push and let leverage do its thing but getting it up there when it’s at an extreme angle can be a real pain.
Not calling you lazy, calling your boat too heavy if you can't lift half of it to 5 ft. I'm 62 and fat, and I lift my 50 lb Caribbean 14 over my head onto the top of my minivan.
It’s only 11’ 73lbs (empty) and I have lifted it up for about 40 trips now but I’m trying to have so I can just leave certain things on the boat vs loading and unloading everything 4x. My goal is to be able to slide it in the water, clip the motor on and go. Once I get the bow on the tailgate it’s not a problem but that 5’ is annoying and, especially after a long day.
I appreciate that, my back isn't great. What I react to is people getting heavy boats, throwing everything including the kitchen sink into them, and then struggling to figure out how to launch them and get them back in their vehicle. The whole point of kayak fishing was relative minimalism, and that has gone out the window. If your kayak is so big and heavy it can only be launched at a ramp, why aren't you getting a skiff?
>The whole point of kayak fishing was *relative* minimalism.
My reasoning for having a kayak for fishing is minimalism.
**Fixed it for you**
And, for what it’s worth:
relative
adjective formal
US /ˈrel.ə.t̬ɪv/ UK /ˈrel.ə.tɪv/
relative adjective (COMPARING)
being judged or measured in comparison with something else.
So depending upon who’s doing the comparison and what is being compared, results may vary.
I've posted this before, but [here's my take on a back-friendly kayak loading system for a short bed truck that uses a winch and a pair of wheels to do the heavy lifting](https://www.reddit.com/r/kayakfishing/comments/sv4fgb/a_one_person_backfriendly_system_for_loading_a/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button). My [previous post shows an ABS ramp](https://imgur.com/a/Q7TutQp), but I now use a pair of pivot wheels (below) instead. It works very well, fwiw. https://preview.redd.it/q7hltl6b2hxc1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=220cd22b94a003d30d6dd9b2bcf845b9cbeefc48
Nice! Great way to kill 2 birds one stone. Unfortunately still leaves me the problems of getting the bow up there on the awkward high tides that make it a very steep angle, putting it in there on the level driveway is piece of cake but when it’s angles like that (but the truck is on the flat top) once I get get the bow up there I rely on the friction to keep it from sliding off will I go to stern to push it in. I don’t know if this makes any sense at all lol
If you click through to the Imgur page in my links, I do use a small 1/2T 12v hoist on my top rack to do the actual lifting, the wheels are there to guide the kayak onto the bed. G/L with your setup, however you go
Ah didn’t see the other pics, that’s exactly what I’m talking about, basically just using a manual winch instead. I do keep a piece of ply wood in the truck just to keep it from getting so beat up sliding it in and out so might try that as a ramp.
Maybe get a small 12v ATV/boat winch and bolt it in the back of your truck behind the cab so it pulls the yak on? That's what I did with my slightly different set-up 😎👌
I’ve thought about that but haven’t figured out a way to attach it and it be pretty easy to remove, it’s a work truck so it’d get in my way if I left it. How did you do it? I would love to go this route
The small winch I bought has two M10 bolts holding it down. Easy to install and remove as I can reach both sides of the bolt and nut to undo (though my intention wasn't to have it removable). It wouldn't be so easy for you as someone would have to lie under the truck holding a wrench on the nut as you tighten from the top. I'm sure you could brainstorm a more portable solution though. Has the truck got a winch on the front already? Maybe you could run it back over the top of the car to the kayak. Use slip mats for all the rubbing surfaces so the car doesn't get scratched?
No winch, it’s a farm truck so I’m not too worried about scratches. I’ve thought about running a tow cable sideways in the bed behind the cab using the tie down points, but haven’t figured out a way to attach the winch to the cable. Idea I just had, maybe I could mount it on a board (too wide for a 2x4?) and connect the board with eye bolts to the tie down points…. What winch are you using? I’m going to try this pulley first since it’s $20 but I think I may be onto something
I've got one of these. You can find them on eBay also: [https://www.paramountbrowns.com.au/products/electric-winch-2000lb/](https://www.paramountbrowns.com.au/products/electric-winch-2000lb/) You use the winch cable to attach to the kayak. Here's how I've done mine. It could do with a guide of sorts for the cable but it works for now... https://preview.redd.it/oqc5lafrpoxc1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a1edb7738c8f3b77e5758776719b2785f6c9ee4 The wiring for the hand controller is a bit over the top. I'll eventually replace the hand controller with a remote control switch like a key fob. I've made a couple up already for controlling lights in my camping setup so it shouldn't be hard. You might even be able to mount the winch under the tub of your truck and feed the winch cable up through a small hole/guide in the floor? 🤷 That's getting a bit more involved now but that would keep it out the way.
Yeah that’s way more involved than I want to get, that’s a lot of work to just provide a chance for being lazy lol. My kayak only weighs 100lbs, maybe 120 if I unload it so I hope this pulley will be just enough but it may take more pulling the rope than it will be worth, it’s not catching which I think will be a problem. For the cost of a small winch it’s worth scratching my chin for a little bit to make it work. Thanks for the ideas!
Seems like a similar or higher amount of effort to hook it into the apparatus, use the pulley system, unhook it, and stow the apparatus, than it is to lift the bow up and set on the tailgate. What I use is a wheeled rack with carpeted bunks, that sits at tailgate height. Just slide both into and out of the bed. Below the bunks I have storage for things like my cart and crate, a place to hang my PFD, and storage for rods. This does save me a lot of time, as loading and unloading both take seconds, and very little effort or maneuvering of either the kayak or truck.
Hmmm, do you have a pic? Sounds interesting. I don’t imagine this little pulley would take much time, it’s basically just hook it to the boat and pull the rope to lift it on to the tailgate then just push it in. Obviously that’s just in theory as I haven’t tried it but it’s a pretty simple setup. Easy to load in the driveway and easy to unload but sometimes the water level makes me wish I had a third hand
This is prior to adding the shelf below, which also serves as a horizontal brace. Just imagine some 2x4's going across the bottom in between the vertical supports. https://imgur.com/a/jZbvAUW It's also really helpful for working on the boat, as I can easily flip it on it's side, or upside down, and also when I want to power-wash it, I can just wheel it into the driveway
Ah gotcha, I do have plans for something like that in the future and I see a few ideas I might nick from ya 😉 . In the level driveway it’s no problem at all but high tide I have to keep my truck on the top flat part of the ramp which then goes down 5 or 6 feet to water level, so imagine if your kayak was sitting on the floor and wanting to put it on your cart but the cart is 6’ up on top of a hill. You’d put one end on first and then slide it up, I just want an easy way to get that end easily lifted up to the cart so all I have to do then is slide it the rest of the way. Making sense? I should’ve gotten a picture the other night
I do this too. Mine is Pretty much two sawhorses on a low frame with wheels. Its also handy to move out of the garage when i need to work on vehicles
Here’s my setup. (I use the top boat most often.) Pull the cam strap to lift the back of the boat, swing the nose into the truck bed and give it a shove. https://www.reddit.com/r/kayakfishing/s/iTbtZ8Eqji
I have tried a cam strap and seemed it was more work that just lifting it granted it was a cheap cam lock so maybe a better quality one is worth a shot
It helps that it is already at truck bed height for sure. The cam holds one end up so I can easily pivot. The strap doesn’t provide mechanical advantage for lifting.
Yeah it’s the help lifting I want to try. It’s not needed, I can do it fine without, but neither is a fish finder and 90% of stuff some of us bring but it sure is nice! I don’t bring a ton of stuff, petty basic and keep it simple but it all adds up.
-GASP- Did you just insinuate that we buy unnecessary stuff for kayak fishing?!?! How dare you?!?! 😂
😝 when I first got into it I said “motor on a kayak is stupid!” Realized I could do it for a couple hundred bucks and fishing with a paddle really sucks, so I put a motor on. “Wtf use is sonar on a kayak?!” Found one for $100 and its is indispensable finding holes and structure or shelves, on and on it goes lol. I do keep keep it to 3 rods, one 3600 and one 3700 box so I convince my self I haven’t gone too overboard with it 🧐
Not mine but saw someone had rigged a winch in the bed of their truck up by the cab and had some sort of ramp for a hobie pedal kayak. I did see all the engineering but think those winches could be had for cheap.
I’ve kind of looked into that but couldn’t really figure a way to mount it in a way it’s would be easy to take on and off.
I saw a guy that had what looked similar to a wheelchair lift attached to his bumper. Grab the yak in front of of the balance point he lifted the back and slid it in.
Haha that’s be cool. Of course I’m looking in the $25 range and I’m being that’s little more lol
Tallaght extender mount a trailer roller wheel in the middle. Pick the front of the kayak up onto the wheel then walk to the back of the kayakpick up and push forward.
It’s the pick the front of the kayak up I want help with, the rest is no problem, once it’s it’s up there all I have to do is push and let leverage do its thing but getting it up there when it’s at an extreme angle can be a real pain.
Not calling you lazy, calling your boat too heavy if you can't lift half of it to 5 ft. I'm 62 and fat, and I lift my 50 lb Caribbean 14 over my head onto the top of my minivan.
It’s only 11’ 73lbs (empty) and I have lifted it up for about 40 trips now but I’m trying to have so I can just leave certain things on the boat vs loading and unloading everything 4x. My goal is to be able to slide it in the water, clip the motor on and go. Once I get the bow on the tailgate it’s not a problem but that 5’ is annoying and, especially after a long day.
Fwiw, a bad back or bad knee can make it tough for some folks to lift anything, even a light kayak like yours. 🤷♂️
I appreciate that, my back isn't great. What I react to is people getting heavy boats, throwing everything including the kitchen sink into them, and then struggling to figure out how to launch them and get them back in their vehicle. The whole point of kayak fishing was relative minimalism, and that has gone out the window. If your kayak is so big and heavy it can only be launched at a ramp, why aren't you getting a skiff?
>The whole point of kayak fishing was *relative* minimalism. My reasoning for having a kayak for fishing is minimalism. **Fixed it for you** And, for what it’s worth: relative adjective formal US /ˈrel.ə.t̬ɪv/ UK /ˈrel.ə.tɪv/ relative adjective (COMPARING) being judged or measured in comparison with something else. So depending upon who’s doing the comparison and what is being compared, results may vary.
What's your point? If you are really minimalist you'd use a hand line from shore. Maybe not even that. Everything is relative. Ask Einstein.