trailer

We have a 13ft and an 11ft kayak (sit-ons). Looking to get a trailer. Is a 12 foot trailer long enough. Or what size should we look at. Also any suggestions, we travel to NH and NC at least once a year.

I have a Rack and Roll trailer and love it. It folds up for storage, is light so you can move it around by hand. It will carry 4 kayaks with racks. I carry a Revo and a Sport by laying the up side down on the bars. The standard one will carry a 14' boat. You can see them at rackandroll.com

Bruce

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Everything before 60 is just a rehearsal!

Those are very slick trailers. One of our kayak reps has those in his line too. I keep trying to talk the boss into carrying them. The only downside to them that I see is the price. I would be curious as to how they pull in a West Texas crosswind.

Brian C

I can't say I have puled it in high winds but I don't see the wind effecting them much as the tires are wide and at the end of the trailer. If the wind did effect it you could move your load to put more weight on the hitch.

As for price, they are not cheap. However they do what they say they will and Rack & Roll has good support. I haven't regretted getting it.

There are some interesting things you can do with it. Example, take the tongue off, stand it on end with the tires against the rear bumper and lock it to the hitch with a cable. Only takes one parking space.

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Everything before 60 is just a rehearsal!

You've not driven West Texas, have you Bruce?

I'm not as much worried about the trailer having a negative impact on the tow vehicle, as I am worried about the wind tossing one. Even my heavy trailer gets tossed around pretty good.



I'm sure no one has. But like the price of the Mirage boats, $2k for a trailer tends to draw the whistle or gasp reaction. We get precious few people buying our $855 trailers to haul yaks. A $2k yak trailer is a niche market....

And I still wish we carried that trailer here. As you describe, they have some really neat features. And they'd take up a whole lot less room in the store.

Brian C

I use a 4x8 utility trailer from Harbor Freight. I've towed kayaks local and on several thousand mile trips with no problems. Some pics - http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/75339788oTcAIx
Get the one with the 12" wheels, they tow better.

Tough to justify the rack and roll when you can do something like ^ for so much less. Either get one of the $800 ones or if you are handy, look for something used that you can convert for your uses. I plan for that to be my winter project for this year.

I have been using a Trailex trailer to haul my OB and Sport for over 3 years now, and it has worked great. However, there is a kind of art form to the tie down method that was taught to me by Andy, the guy who sold me both my yaks from the Wilderness Way here in Tallahassee some years ago.

First, forget the ratchet-type tie down straps. They can put enough pressure on your yak to actually deform or damage the hull unless you are careful. Use the pressure (spring-type) buckles as you see in the below post. It is important not only to use the Mirage Drive well and/or the scupper holes, but to also have some sort of fixed central attachment point, as well as a non-skid surface (you can use pool noodle halves attached with cable ties) on which to place the yak to prevent lateral movement. The fore and aft movement is no problem if you secure at least part of one strap thru the Mirage well, or a scupper hole. Also, IMHO, transporting yaks usually works best if they are cockpit down on the cross bar or trailer frame--less chance for slippage when you hit the inevitable bump on a two-lane or back country road. This, of course, assumes that you are NOT using saddles that are designed to support the hull itself when the boat is cockpit up. Here are the details re these trailers.

http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee/forums/a/ ... 030751/p/1

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I picked up a used jet ski trailer for free from a guy that got another jet ski and had one tow vehicle and upgraded to a single trailer for both units. I made it in to a small flat bed trailer to carry a couple of water pumps around but some minor welding modifications and it would be a great custom yak trailer.

Found this small sailboat trailer (and a small sailboat) from craig's list for less than the Harbor Freight model ($150). I had grand plans to add central uprights and be able to carry 8 kayaks (?). After not using it for 4 months and realizing that I don't have 8 kayaks (yet), I decided to scale it back a bit and return to "keep it simple stupid".
I re-wired the lights and added two horizontal bunks made out of treated 2x4's on edge.




The front bunk is bolted to the brackets that held the roller (rotated 90 degrees). The extra spacers move the front bunk back a bit on the trailer and give it a wider base. I'd love to say I planned it that way, but the truth is that bolts I had were too long



The trailer gives me the equivalent of a roof rack on a stretch hummer but only 2' off the ground. Needs a paint job, but its BEAUTIFUL after a day of fishing and I don't have to de-rig and put the yak on the roof.



Carries these two just fine and should carry 3-4 boats easy. I may get around to adding uprights, but this will do just fine for now.

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tight lines,

Wali


"for when sleeping I dream of big fish and strong fights"

kayakinriverrotter, i'm acuqiring an adventure island next week and was wondering is the 16' length going to cause me problems with the harbor freight trailer, or am i going to need to add length to the tongue to accommodate?

I have a 5x10 utility trailer that I converted to a kayak trailer. I used Yakima Control Towers, Thule cross bars and J-style carriers, and the entire setup is easily removed if I want to use the trailer for nonkayaking purposes. I also added a lockable box to store PFDs and other gear. With this setup I can transport 5 kayaks.

Like Seafarer, I am using a utility trailer with Thule kayak cradles. I love the utility trailer for carrying gear that accompanies a Hobie Mirage, along with other gear. Especially important for us with 2 dogs in the car, one who must be crated.






A few other notes:

Two Adventures are a little heavy for the span of the Thule Racks. I have added support in the middle. I saw another guy who used Yakima racks. The cross tube seems to be stronger with Yakima and may not need the support.

I have also added carpet to the Thule cradles, as the black rubber will discolor a light colored hull, if you permanently store the boats there. If you only travel with them in the cradles, it shouldn't be a problem.

A cargo net (as used on a Yakima roof rack or for a pickup truck) helps keep any contents from bouncing or blowing out.

A PVC tube works great for holding the sails.

Trailer is made is a Versasport trailer, made by Snowbear, but I don't see that exact model anymore. Mine is 2yrs old. Look at Snowbear.com or versasporttrailers.com. I got mine at Costco. Snowbears are readily available at Home Depot. Costs range from $650 to $750 for the trailer.

rferre2000,

Is that a picture of Bear Lake? What a beautiful body of water! Good point on adding the carpet to the carriers to avoid staining the kayak - happened to me and it's tough to remove. Also, I agree that the Thule crossbars are weaker than the Yakima and I'll be switching over. I have a big bow in my Thule crossbars from the last time I carried a kayak on them.

Seafarer

This trailer worked very well being towed from FastLane Sailing at Mission Bay San Diego to Albuquerque. Bought it with the Tower unit and Hobie AI cradles. Good Choice.

Took on the winds during a sandstorm south of the Salton Sea and the eastern plains of New Mexico with no problems.

Originally thought I would car top the AI and I'm so happy I did not go that route. Saves so much time with the cradles that I put in more time using the AI.

The Tower places the trailer lights up high enough also that I don't worry about submerging the "waterproof" but usually not submersible trailer lights.

303 the carpeting on the cradles for long time durability and for a little bit of "slide".

I did buy a 18' x 18' safety flag with bungee sewn along the top with two bungee hooks. Use it clipped to the eyes on the amas when the AI is trailered. Also added DOT red/silver reflector tape in the rear and on the sides and a couple of lower red reflectors screwed in where the normal location of the trailer lights would be placed if you did not buy the Tower option. Last weekend a piece of tire took out the trailer electrical connections and I ran it in the dark on I-40 for about 30 miles before noticing in mixed traffic and no one "accidentally" crawled up the trailer..

The Tower arms can be a problem if the angle of launch of the AI is a bit steep. Recommend wrapping the rear arms carpeting all the way around and secured with black electical wire ties, othewise you stand to loose a chunk of plastic if you catch the edge. (Carnai, how about some compression rubber plugs for those ends?)

I intend to mount a storage box on the top but also a set of cross bars for two traditional sit inside kayaks. Those bars will have a set of Yakima cradles on the front and Hully rollers in the back.

The trailer with two AI's in cradles are easy enough to handle by one person with the addition of a Fulton Handle on the tongue. You will have to change out the 1/2" dia. bolt to one that is 4-1/2" long. to put it on. It also gives you a point of attachment to a pulley system if you need to bring it up a bit of a driveway hill.