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

Thanks Larry. I appreciate that comment. Best of luck with that project. Cheers! - Martin

Thanks Colette. Cheers to you, - Martin

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

Thanks Jen. :-) - Martin

Thanks! 🙂

You're welcome. 🙂

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

And thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Cheers, - Martin

Thanks, glad you liked it. Nice to see you, my friend. Cheers, - Martin

Thanks Terry. Best wishes to you and yours in return. - Martin

Glad you enjoyed it. Stay great. Cheers, - Martin

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.

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!

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

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?

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!

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