The roof antenna is removable and takes seconds to remove. I remove it to put my boats and roof rack on
I use a simple removable roof rack. I put two 12ft boats on. Make sure to have plenty of straps to hold the boats down and a front and rear tie. If I could get a trailer, I would. I don’t know the towing capacity of my Prius and the cost of getting a hitch, but it would be easier to take the boats farther. I have used my rack on the highway but it is a little unsettling and if it’s far, stopping to check the straps is a must. I have taken mine 4 hrs on the highway from Gainesville to West Palm. It went with no issues but was just a nervous drive, so I don’t know if I would do it again, just takes the fun out of it.
With small light, short boats car topping is easier if you can find a decent rack to fit a Prius.
I have used a wood and canvas OT Guide for tripping for the last 25 years. It weighs about 90 pounds so I haul it on a trailer. Hauling a trailer is not so good looking for the put in, especially in traffic. On rough roads it tends to hop violently. Hard to turn around. Harder to park. But I love the boat so I put up with it.
I’ll continue the revival of this old thread since the information is useful in general. I have a small trailer that’s set up to be either a utility trailer or kayak hauler. The convenience just can’t be beat if you have a place to store the trailer. It’s my preferred way to haul my kayak.
However, I also have a Thule rack because there are some launches where a trailer just isn’t convenient. Some have marked parking spaces that fit cars only, and some with roadside parking have signs specifically prohibiting trailers.
So to ensure you aren’t excluded from some launches, go with a roof rack.
1 Like
I sure don’t see why this surfaced from way back. But kayaks get heavier every year it seems. The trailer is easier to load, especially heavy designs.
One thing not mentioned was a Prius has a lower tow rating. Older models were not rated for towing.
I have five trailers of various descriptions. I find their listed “difficulties” amusing.
1 Like
Trailers have the advantage of being easier to load and somewhat better gas mileage if you routinely travel long distance to kayak.
Disadvantages:
- Initial cost
- License, registration, insurance, and possible inspection fees
- Increased tolls
- In some states like Maryland, parking and then launching a car top boat is free. Trailers require a permit or launch fee for each county
- Maintenance
- Storage
- Parking
- Cost of electrical lookup and hitch if not already present
1 Like
I have a Sportsrig micro trailer, which I have owned for about 14 years and towed all over the country with a variety of canoes, kayaks and accessories aboard. I’ve towed it behind a Honda civic and two Prius’s. I have never had any maintenance issues, and the trailer, which rides on two motorcycle tires, tows like it’s not even there. It is currently configured for my 22’ double kayak and a large rocket box. I towed it to Canada behind my 2017 Prius last August and noticed only a very slight decrease in mpg. One advantage to a trailer that hasn’t been mentioned is the ability to detach it from your car and walk it closer to your launch point, sometimes much closer. I would highly recommend the Sportsrig trailer.
1 Like
I loaded kayaks on top of my cars for years, but as we’ve gotten into bigger, heavier boats, I finally decided no more lifting kayaks over my head. We’ve always had a trailer hitch on the back of our Subaru for a bike rack, so I found a very nice, lightweight trailer that can hold our two 10’ fishing kayaks plus gear easily. It is light enough to move by hand, (as short trailers are harder to back). I wouldn’t go cross-country with it, but it make me VERY happy for the trips we take here in the SE. Go for the trailer, your shoulders will thank you.
Extremely important; the check the tires on all HB trailers. Some ship with tires that are not rated for highway use and some are rated for only 55 mph. I upgraded mine to a better and larger diameter tire.
Trai!ers are a great luxury and convinent if you have a place to store the trailer when not in use.
Trailers can be easier to load provided you have a trailer hitch and a place to store the trailer. I have a ultra light by Malone and it works quite well for hauling 2 rec kayaks. Easy to load and tow behind a CRV.
G
Trailer over cartop is my preference:
+No lifting overhead.
+Back hatch of the car is usable.
+Backing up can be learned.
+No need for capacity, leave the trailer at home.
+When not in use, no hit on gas mileage (aerodynamics not affected).
+Rack and roll is light, has suspension. Just as a previous poster said about his sportrig, you don’t know it’s there. They both have larger wheels than other small but heavier generic trailers.
+Anything you bought for the roof rack will fit on the trailer so nothing you already have is wasted.
I’ve used the same trailer behind two different Priuses and now a Crosstrek.
Towing is not an option for our electric Chevy Bolt, but we can get two decent sized kayaks on it. Here it is with 16’ and 17’ boats. Since the photo was taken we have replaced the J cradles with Dockglide saddles to make loading easier.
1 Like
Love seeing the short cars with long kayaks. Car = 14 ft & kayak = 17.5 ft in my case. Here is my addition which has changed a bit. Now I have an 8 ft spread with the goodboypaddlesports.com v-rack system which is much more secure than the 2 ft 8 inch spread of just the bars on my VW Jetta TDI. No photo yet with the goodboy rack system.
PS - I also have an adapted jet ski trailer for three kayaks that I tow behind a Ford Explorer sometimes. My preference is car topping on the high mileage Jetta.
@kayakhank
Another shorty transport: 13 foot car, 17 foot kayak. Six speed manual, so MPG is great. Having such a small footprint opens up lots of off-the-beaten-path sites to the water.
1 Like
If you anticipate needing to trailer on primitive roads, get a design with high clearance.
Our first trailer was a Triton Blizzard XT snowmobile trailer with Dexter torsion axles. This type of suspension allows maximum ground clearance because there is no axle running low to the ground between left and right wheels. There is plenty of height for clearing uneven ground and the trailer platform is at the rear of the boom tube—very little overhang at the rear.
Contrast that with the kayak-specific Trailex trailer we bought after 10 years of using the other trailer. The box platform is a few feet forward of the boom tube’s rear and taillights, so when hand-moving the trailer it is crucial to make sure the rear end does not dip down and hit the ground. More importantly, the low axle clearance limits this trailer to use on paved or well-graded dirt roads.
All trailers even within a weight category are not alike.
Trailer all the way! After 30 plus years of car topping, I got a trailer this year, and love it. Takes all the work out of loading and unloading, plus some trailers can help store the paddles, wet jackets, coolers etc. Except for thos places where parking a trailer is difficult, I use the trailer. My SOT yaks are heavy as well which makes the trailer even more of a better idea. Good luck, i am very happy i went with a trailer this year.
.