There are several DIY canoe dolly/trolley/cart plans via a Google search.

Are you sure you want to go this route though as there are many canoe carts for almost any price range. For example, we have a cart similar to this one here that we picked up second hand for $40.00. I am sure if you looked on Ebay, there would probably be some that will fill your needs. Also you can search on the Paddling.net classifieds section.

Pomeranian river dogs! I love it.

A canoe trailer is a great invention - carrying a heavy caonoe for 200 meters isn't fun.

With a trailer, you can also stack most of your luggage in the canoe, so you don't have to do multiple trips for loading and unloading. The trailer can (usually) be packed reasonably flat and just come along on the trip without much trouble.

I'm interested in a DYI canoe trailer project myself. I'm targeting bigger wheels than shown here, though - big wheels run much easier over roots and rocks.

My goal is to be able to hitch my canoe+trailer it to my bike. No, I'm not kidding: There are lots of really nice waterways where the obvious canoe landing sites has a very nice dirt road all the way down to the water - but that road is blocked for cars. Being able to park at the gate and wheel or bike all my gear plus canoe from there down to the water vastly expands my options.

Well I got the canoe, its a tank al right, but in excellent condition. We spent 5 hours on the lake with it. i found it a bit difficult to maneuver but still fun. it was a battle keeping it straight. is that normal? My other Coleman was 18 foot fiberglass and I cant recall this much work. But it was a blast however. We were the envy of many people in their tiny narrow over loaded canoes. lol. I found it rocked a lot too. How can I stabilize it with DIY method?

- It's hard to keep straight if you have 2 different strength people. This'll normalize with time as you learn each other's tempo. I'd put the stronger person in back.

- If you have items in the canoe with you, balance the load better. Second, stop moving around so much! Canoes rock. It shouldn't be too much. If it is, chances are one of the two above are the problem. The only other DIY is to make an outrigger, in which case, welcome to the South Seas!

I was the weaker one and I was in the back, he was the stronger and tallker and bigger in general and he was in front. So perhaps we will try this weekend and see if its any better with him behind. He is the one who kept moving his booty and causing it to rock. also coming out of it ws difficult cuz it rocked like hello. I suppose this is not a boat you can put a little anchor in and jump off for a swim is it`? Getting back on will surely tip it, wont it?

It takes a while to work out how the rythm and teamwork of a canoe. It is a good idea to swap places to see what works out best.

Yes, the strongest and heaviest in the back is the usual configuration. But don't take it for granted that this is the best solution for you and your husband. Try out different configuration and see what works and what doesn't.

A redistribution of weight can also get you there: If you want to continue to be in the captain's positon (to the rear) then put a rock or a couple of gallons of water behind you. You may also shift the luggage around.

The goal is to trim the canoe so it is ever so slightly deeper in the back than in the front. It is much easier to steer. If your husband now applies all his muscle power then you just steer while he does the propulsion... (As long as he is well behaved, that is - I have no problem wrecking the steering of my wife from that position if I want to. But then I'm about 60 pounds heavier and twice as strong as her... But if I'm well behaved and the canoe trim is good then it's no problem for her to steer)

Happy padling!

Myself, I usually sit in the back - that's the best place to put me with my big ego. (On the other hand, I'm not only stronger and heavier, but I'm also a better paddler. Not that it matters much on the family oriented splashes we do now - no challenge at all, except to keep the kids fed and warm ...).