Thoughts on folding dock cart

I recall a post by James of Dirona fame, regarding his folding dock cart. He feels it is one of the handiest things he has on his boat.

I believe it is this one:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/tipk...t-marine-utility-cart--P000388959?recordNum=9

Anyone else have one, want to speak to usefulness? Do you find that when you need a dock cart, none can be found?

Suppose you know that your own is clean/dry?

You don't have to feel bad about having it loaded up sitting on your dock (i.e. no one else can use it that way)?

JustBob said:

You don't have to feel bad about having it loaded up sitting on your dock (i.e. no one else can use it that way)?

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Except that it would be partially blocking the main dock (inconvenient to anyone in slips beyond yours) or the finger pier (inconvenient to your neighbor).

I'd request the marina put more out. Are you going to store it on the boat, or carry it around with you? I would find them to be inconvenient.

I was thinking of getting something like this that can be attached to a bike when on the loop for a grocery run (or Beer).
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-.../55079724?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0
I would probably have to modify or add a handle for the dock cart option.
For $75 you would not have to worry too much.

Shrew said:

Except that it would be partially blocking the main dock (inconvenient to anyone in slips beyond yours) or the finger pier (inconvenient to your neighbor).

I'd request the marina put more out. Are you going to store it on the boat, or carry it around with you? I would find them to be inconvenient.

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I gather they find it useful when visiting other marinas than their own. Good points about blocking the dock if it is that small.

l'll have a sizable lazarette, storage should not be a problem. It folds up to pretty small.

I keep one of these Costco folding utility wagons in my trunk. With a couple bungie cords which always are stored inside, it holds all I need for a huge load to and from the boat.

When not in use at the marina, it's stowed flat against the dock box which is out of everyone's way.

EDIT: I forgot to mention it folds and fits easily in the laz for trips away from our home marina.



https://www.costco.com/Mac-Sports-Folding-Utility-Wagon-Green.product.100371844.html

We have that same aluminum folding cart for well over 10 years now and use it all the time both on and off the boat. Use it a lot visiting other ports as well as loading and unloading the boat. Used it to help move our daughter back and forth to college a few years back.
It will hold a lot but cannot hold huge amounts of weight - like 10+ cases of soda/beer.
The tires we have are air filled and need topping off every couple of years or so.

Tipke folding cart is absolutely a must have on our boat. Our first one lasted 25 years on the boat and is now in use at our home as a garden cart. We replaced it with a new one as I took the old one back home and Mcgivered some repairs on it. We've used it for everything-groceries, laundry, oil, engine parts and even anchor rode. And we don't have to go chasing down a marina cart ,that might be dirty, when we need one. After you get the hang of it, it can be folded and unfolded in 10-15 seconds. We leave it folded up when in port and leaning against the bull rails. When getting underway, I lift it up on top from the dock and bungee it to the rails. Not the cheapest in the short run, but the best.

Tator

mcgann454 said:

I was thinking of getting something like this that can be attached to a bike when on the loop for a grocery run (or Beer).
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-.../55079724?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0
I would probably have to modify or add a handle for the dock cart option.
For $75 you would not have to worry too much.

Click to expand...

I have a much larger one (250lb cap w/fatbike wheels) that I use to haul trail tools behind an electric mountain bike. Even when it is over loaded it is easy to use it as a one handed garden cart when unhitched. If I was getting fancy I would get a second handle that was bent up for a person to pull or push it while keeping the bed level when it wasn't being towed. YMMV on a steep tidal dock!

JustBob said:

I recall a post by James of Dirona fame, regarding his folding dock cart. He feels it is one of the handiest things he has on his boat.

I believe it is this one:

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/tipk...t-marine-utility-cart--P000388959?recordNum=9

Anyone else have one, want to speak to usefulness? Do you find that when you need a dock cart, none can be found?

Suppose you know that your own is clean/dry?

You don't have to feel bad about having it loaded up sitting on your dock (i.e. no one else can use it that way)?

Click to expand...

We’ve had that cart for about ten years. Couldn’t imagine not having it with us. Just the other day the dock cart provided by our marine was full of fish guts and used motor oil. Yikes!

A while back, our local Costco was selling the same cart for less than the big box marine store. Amazon might offer it cheaper as well.

If our current cart fails beyond repair, we’ll replace it with the same. Good stuff!

Edit: Just found this on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006LPP...t=&hvlocphy=9032467&hvtargid=pla-312414617172

We have had one f those carts for over 10 years. Absolutely love it. It will carry more weight than I want to pull any significant distance. We have a S/S cable with a padlock if we are going to leave it on a dock. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

Bob, I have found that the skinny wheel types just don't last and can not carry the loads from the grocery store back to the boat. I would recommend this. I have had this thing LOADED! Easy for the Admiral... We have blue


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/creative-outdoor--collapsible-folding-wagon-red--18078931?recordNum=6

FlyWright said:

I keep one of these Costco folding utility wagons in my trunk. With a couple bungie cords which always are stored inside, it holds all I need for a huge load to and from the boat.

When not in use at the marina, it's stowed flat against the dock box which is out of everyone's way.

https://www.costco.com/Mac-Sports-Folding-Utility-Wagon-Green.product.100371844.html

Click to expand...

We have one of these in our garage at home. Well done product - only one issue. For me the handle is too short (I have long legs). When I pull it my ankles are continually getting hit.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Bob, I have found that the skinny wheel types just don't last and can not carry the loads from the grocery store back to the boat. I would recommend this. I have had this thing LOADED! Easy for the Admiral... We have blue


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/creative-outdoor--collapsible-folding-wagon-red--18078931?recordNum=6

Click to expand...

I have had the Tipke for over 10 years. As to weight capacity, I used mine to carry a Splendide washer/dryer about a half mile from the truck to the boat. No problem. It is rated for 330 pounds and I believe that mine would carry it, if I could pull it...

Comodave said:

I have had the Tipke for over 10 years. As to weight capacity, I used mine to carry a Splendide washer/dryer about a half mile from the truck to the boat. No problem. It is rated for 330 pounds and I believe that mine would carry it, if I could pull it...

Click to expand...

Wow that a load......

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Bob, I have found that the skinny wheel types just don't last and can not carry the loads from the grocery store back to the boat. I would recommend this. I have had this thing LOADED! Easy for the Admiral... We have blue


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/creative-outdoor--collapsible-folding-wagon-red--18078931?recordNum=6

Click to expand...

This thing looks like a lunar rover! LOL. I will check it out at West Marine tomorrow.

I have a twenty plus year old Tipke cart that is mostly used for yard work now. The only thing I’d like to change is the pneumatic tires. The tires seem to always be flat when I want to use it. One of these days I’m going to track down solid tires for it. They will add a few pounds, but I won’t have to pump them up every time.

FlyWright said:

I keep one of these Costco folding utility wagons in my trunk. With a couple bungie cords which always are stored inside, it holds all I need for a huge load to and from the boat.

When not in use at the marina, it's stowed flat against the dock box which is out of everyone's way.

EDIT: I forgot to mention it folds and fits easily in the laz for trips away from our home marina.

https://www.costco.com/Mac-Sports-Folding-Utility-Wagon-Green.product.100371844.html

Click to expand...

Got mine at Walmart for $49, no frills.

As far as the handle being too short, agree, but I use a liggage carrying strap over my shoulder and I can and have pulled well over a hundred pounds over a mile more effortlessly than those other dockcart like wheelbarrows.

The docklike carts are fine from the parking lot to the boat, but for longer distances the wagons win hands diwn.... and they are just as handy around the marina....and store very well.

Some of these could use a small towing tractor.
My marina is all class, they provide shopping trollies that once belonged(probably still do) to a supermarket chain.

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:

Bob, I have found that the skinny wheel types just don't last and can not carry the loads from the grocery store back to the boat. I would recommend this. I have had this thing LOADED! Easy for the Admiral... We have blue


https://www.westmarine.com/buy/creative-outdoor--collapsible-folding-wagon-red--18078931?recordNum=6

Click to expand...

I beg to differ, we have the skinny wheel type and it works great! It hauls just as much as yours does, and is a bit easier to fold up and stow. So there!
I cant imagine not having a fold up cart on the boat for long trips. It made provisioning and supply hauling much more enjoyable.
Now I will say this, if you buddy boat around with another cruiser like ASD, you may have to make several trips just to restock the “Adult beverages”, just saying!

Cheers

I have a small two wheel folding cart with canvas sides. when I don't to carry anything, it just folds up and I can carry it in one hand. When open, it pulls easy and holds about a large grocery bag plus some.
I use it if we're walking in to town, but that's about it. If we're on a dock, most have carts easily available. I just don't like carrying around a large one that I'll likely use only rarely.

Parks if you find a fix for the flat tire problem please post it as our Tipke cart tires have the same problems. I haven’t tried to find tubes for my tires, that was mentioned as a fix but I think solid tires might be a better solution.
Bill

HiDHo said:

Parks if you find a fix for the flat tire problem please post it as our Tipke cart tires have the same problems. I haven’t tried to find tubes for my tires, that was mentioned as a fix but I think solid tires might be a better solution.
Bill

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Bill, I’m not near my cart to measure it, but I think it has a 3/4” axel. If so, these wheels should work https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660576_200660576

The Tripke website also mentions airless foam filled tires. They don’t say how to order them but I suspect a phone call would solve that.

They also make a bicycle hitch.

Crusty Chief said:

I beg to differ, we have the skinny wheel type and it works great! It hauls just as much as yours does, and is a bit easier to fold up and stow. So there!
Now I will say this, if you buddy boat around with another cruiser like ASD, you may have to make several trips just to restock the “Adult beverages”, just saying!

Cheers

Click to expand...

Oh bla bla bla bla!! I will say it's true on the adult beverages.

We really like the large bicycle type of tire on our folding aluminum dock cart. They pull easily even when loaded, go up and down over curbs and easily bridge gaps in the dock planks. When we brought our boat home from Virginia we used it for all of our grocery shopping. What is nice is that it will carry 4 to 6 large paper grocery bags full. It folds up pretty easily and stores in our forward cabin. It is really nice not to have to hunt around the docks for a cart at the marinas that do supply a cart. When we had our boat in San Diego the dock cart hunt was always at least 10 to 15 minutes of searching and then you found the cart that was last used to haul greasy engine parts or dead fish. It is well worth the effort and cost having our own cart aboard.

For around marinas, carts are fine and big tires great.

But for long haul, larger loads....... pulling a wagon has proven to me to be much easier than perfectly balancing the load. If you dont, it causes you to fight lifting or pushing down the handle over a longer distance say of a mile to a grocery and back.

HopCar said:

Bill, I’m not near my cart to measure it, but I think it has a 3/4” axel. If so, these wheels should work https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200660576_200660576

The Tripke website also mentions airless foam filled tires. They don’t say how to order them but I suspect a phone call would solve that.

They also make a bicycle hitch.

Click to expand...

How about some thing like ( SLIME tire sealant) I used it once on a small garden wagon and it worked well.

Just a thought.

Thanks Parks and KenK, my tires are showing signs of dry rot so I will try sliming them first.
It is true about balancing the load with the two wheel cart vs four wheeled wagons. But the Tripke seem to haul a bigger load, we use the wheel barrow method.
Bill

Hopcar, if it has pneumatic tires, fill it with slime and have it self - seal any leaks... Put enough in there and you have a non-pneumatic tire.

FlyWright said:

I keep one of these Costco folding utility wagons in my trunk...

Click to expand...

I use that as well. Works for us.