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I decided today that my pier cart needed replacing, and having the afternoon free I went about constructing a simple and cheap new one. My budget on this thing was $30, and I still have some left over.
My design includes space for six rods, a cooler, a tackle box and a 5 gal bucket. You can adjust the number of holders to suit your needs.
Supplies
1.5" PVC - Can be bought at Lowes in 5' sections for $3.47. I bought 10'.
11" Zip Ties - Pack of 100 runs $9.98 at Lowes
Hand Truck - This is the expensive part. You want one with crossbars that bow towards the handle (see pics). The most basic version is $20. A good one with pneumatic tires will run $45 at least. I was able to find a used one in good condition at Goodwill, which happens to be right next to the Lowes. Cost: $5.50
2 x 1.5" PVC pipe caps - $0.25 each
Extra: Accessory Clip - Found this in the hardware isle for $1.97, figured I could use it.
Hand Saw
Bolt cutters or Wire cutters
Super Glue
Now we're set.
The Build
I started out by cutting the PVC. You want to end up with six 18" pieces. Sand the edges to remove the "fuzz" from the cuts and to smooth out the pipe edges. Rounding the edge helps prevent scratches on your rods. I did mine with a curved woodworking knife and some fine-grit sandpaper.
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The first thing that goes on the cart is the accessory hook. Use two zip ties to attach the hook to the top crossbar.
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Now you need to figure out where on the hand truck you want to rod holders. The reason for the bowed crossbars is that there will be enough clearance for two holders on the inside of the frame. Place them side by side, near the center and high if you have long rod butts (surf rods) or lower if you have shorter butts. Zip tie these holders in place using a cross pattern, one set of ties near the top of the pipes and the other near the bottom.
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Place your rods in these holders before you tighten the ties to make sure the butts don't drag on the ground. Raise or lower as necessary and tighten the ties.
Take the two caps and super glue them on one end of two pipes. These pipes are going low on the side bars. Zip tie one pipe on each sidebar, making sure that they don't rub on the wheel. I used six ties on each of these pipes, evenly spaced to keep them from rotating or slipping down. Squeeze a small line of superglue onto the pipe where it touches the sidebar for a bit of extra hold.
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Next you need to break out the rods again. If there is enough space to run a rod through the handle, you can attach the last two pipes on the back side of the crossbars. If not, the other two holders could be placed high on the sidebars. I chose to place one holder high for a surf rod and one low for a king rig.
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You can also see the spacing on the bottom side holders here.
![]()
Another picture of the cross ties.
Now let's take a look at the wheels. The stock wheels on my cart have plastic rims and bushings. I like the bushings because sand and salt tend to permeate wheel bearings. The plastic rims, on the other hand, could turn out the be a problem if the plastic is thin. A trek down the pier causes all kinds of banging, shock and stress on the wheels and my old cart developed cracks in the rims.
To remove the wheels, start by removing the retainer pin. It might require straightening, which is a simple lob with pliers. DO NOT LOSE THE PIN!
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You can now remove the wheel, just make sure you remember the order that pieces came off the axle.
![]()
You can now switch the wheels out for metal ones or pneumatics. Replacement wheels can be found at any hardware store. The plastic on these looks pretty thick, so I just greased the axle and the bearings before reattaching the wheels.
All that's left is to clip the tag ends of the zip ties and you are ready to fish!
The completed cart, empty in the driveway:
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And all loaded up:
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Here's a closeup of the accessory hook, with bucket attached:
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Final Cost: $26.14 after taxes
All you need is two bungee cords to hold the tackle box and cooler.
The best thing about this cart is that you can change the setup to fit the fishing you are doing. Add pneumatics and move the holders higher on the cart for a surf cart. The way I have it now is good to carry two complete pin-rig king setups (two fighting rods, two anchor rods and two bait rods) or just a variety of tackle. Move the holders lower and add pipe caps to the other holders to carry multiple jigging or bottom rods.
This cart is easy to transport, and if you have limited cargo room it is much better than the commercial cart.
And it is a lot cheaper than a pier mate for someone like me who doesn't get down out on the beach enough to justify buying one.
Enjoy!
Evan
My design includes space for six rods, a cooler, a tackle box and a 5 gal bucket. You can adjust the number of holders to suit your needs.
Supplies
1.5" PVC - Can be bought at Lowes in 5' sections for $3.47. I bought 10'.
11" Zip Ties - Pack of 100 runs $9.98 at Lowes
Hand Truck - This is the expensive part. You want one with crossbars that bow towards the handle (see pics). The most basic version is $20. A good one with pneumatic tires will run $45 at least. I was able to find a used one in good condition at Goodwill, which happens to be right next to the Lowes. Cost: $5.50
2 x 1.5" PVC pipe caps - $0.25 each
Extra: Accessory Clip - Found this in the hardware isle for $1.97, figured I could use it.
Hand Saw
Bolt cutters or Wire cutters
Super Glue
Now we're set.
The Build
I started out by cutting the PVC. You want to end up with six 18" pieces. Sand the edges to remove the "fuzz" from the cuts and to smooth out the pipe edges. Rounding the edge helps prevent scratches on your rods. I did mine with a curved woodworking knife and some fine-grit sandpaper.
The first thing that goes on the cart is the accessory hook. Use two zip ties to attach the hook to the top crossbar.
Now you need to figure out where on the hand truck you want to rod holders. The reason for the bowed crossbars is that there will be enough clearance for two holders on the inside of the frame. Place them side by side, near the center and high if you have long rod butts (surf rods) or lower if you have shorter butts. Zip tie these holders in place using a cross pattern, one set of ties near the top of the pipes and the other near the bottom.
Place your rods in these holders before you tighten the ties to make sure the butts don't drag on the ground. Raise or lower as necessary and tighten the ties.
Take the two caps and super glue them on one end of two pipes. These pipes are going low on the side bars. Zip tie one pipe on each sidebar, making sure that they don't rub on the wheel. I used six ties on each of these pipes, evenly spaced to keep them from rotating or slipping down. Squeeze a small line of superglue onto the pipe where it touches the sidebar for a bit of extra hold.
Next you need to break out the rods again. If there is enough space to run a rod through the handle, you can attach the last two pipes on the back side of the crossbars. If not, the other two holders could be placed high on the sidebars. I chose to place one holder high for a surf rod and one low for a king rig.
You can also see the spacing on the bottom side holders here.
Another picture of the cross ties.
Now let's take a look at the wheels. The stock wheels on my cart have plastic rims and bushings. I like the bushings because sand and salt tend to permeate wheel bearings. The plastic rims, on the other hand, could turn out the be a problem if the plastic is thin. A trek down the pier causes all kinds of banging, shock and stress on the wheels and my old cart developed cracks in the rims.
To remove the wheels, start by removing the retainer pin. It might require straightening, which is a simple lob with pliers. DO NOT LOSE THE PIN!
You can now remove the wheel, just make sure you remember the order that pieces came off the axle.
You can now switch the wheels out for metal ones or pneumatics. Replacement wheels can be found at any hardware store. The plastic on these looks pretty thick, so I just greased the axle and the bearings before reattaching the wheels.
All that's left is to clip the tag ends of the zip ties and you are ready to fish!
The completed cart, empty in the driveway:
And all loaded up:
Here's a closeup of the accessory hook, with bucket attached:
Final Cost: $26.14 after taxes
All you need is two bungee cords to hold the tackle box and cooler.
The best thing about this cart is that you can change the setup to fit the fishing you are doing. Add pneumatics and move the holders higher on the cart for a surf cart. The way I have it now is good to carry two complete pin-rig king setups (two fighting rods, two anchor rods and two bait rods) or just a variety of tackle. Move the holders lower and add pipe caps to the other holders to carry multiple jigging or bottom rods.
This cart is easy to transport, and if you have limited cargo room it is much better than the commercial cart.
And it is a lot cheaper than a pier mate for someone like me who doesn't get down out on the beach enough to justify buying one.
Enjoy!
Evan
