Household Move with 2 18 foot Kayaks.

I have to move 2 kayaks to my new home. My single carrier is off the car because there will be a roof basket full of stuff. I was thinking of using a Uhaul 12 foot utility trailer (its short) or even better for length a car hauler trailer and improvise a cradle with those foam carriers. Has anyone done this and had any surprises, or is there a national firm that rents longer trailers? Any other ideas?

Get a U Haul box trailer. Put the roof basket and stuff in the trailer. Carry the kayaks on the roof.

@Overstreet said:
Get a U Haul box trailer. Put the roof basket and stuff in the trailer. Carry the kayaks on the roof.

Agree…

I agree also, and make the kayak haul trip twice, since you can carry only one per trip.

If this is a long-distance move, that might not be practical. There are longer flatbed trailers made, which we frequently see here for agricultural or construction hauling. I doubt U-Haul rents those, and you need a truck capable of towing it.

Another option is to freight one kayak with a commercial carrier. This has been done by a few other posters here (not me, since we own a kayak trailer).

I’m just wondering how one moves and only has two kayaks and a basket of stuff.

@magooch said:
I’m just wondering how one moves and only has two kayaks and a basket of stuff.

I let the movers take the rest.

The really important stuff stays with us. Two drives is not economical and a huge loss of time.

I looked at the larger Uhaul auto carrier and for all intents the wheel trays are flatbeds but the front lip is too high. I would have to fasten on some 2x4s and get those rooftop foam kits to protect the kayaks from scrapes.

So far its looking like the best plan, other than finding and reselling a kayak trailer.

Reselling a kayak trailer? Who ever heard of that?

A high capacity trailer, ie vehicle trailer, will give a rough ride to a light load. Perhaps a utility trailer with cradles .

Not sure what sort of single carrier you have, but for most it is possible to put one boat in the carrier and strap another on it side to the rack using the first boat as a vertical support. I’ve done this with a J-cradle.

@Peter-CA said:
Not sure what sort of single carrier you have, but for most it is possible to put one boat in the carrier and strap another on it side to the rack using the first boat as a vertical support. I’ve done this with a J-cradle.

Or a vertical bar.

You could buy a simple utility trailer like one of these:

https://harborfreight.com/1195-lbs-capacity-48-in-x-96-in-heavy-duty-folding-trailer-62648.html

It would be easy to make a kayak holder for the trip, and then the trailer would be much easier to resell than a dedicated kayak trailer.

@Peter-CA said:
Not sure what sort of single carrier you have, but for most it is possible to put one boat in the carrier and strap another on it side to the rack using the first boat as a vertical support. I’ve done this with a J-cradle.

Or one on the carrier and one of foam blocks with the straps from West Marine and others for about $40.

I will have to assume a lot here. You have roof bars on car right? If so buy some j-bars put two kayaks on roof. Use trailer for other stuff. I have never seen a roof rack that cant take 2 kayaks. If you don’t have roof bars and own two 18 foot kayaks well its time to buy a roof rack bars any way. Maybe get used jbars off craigslist if lucky. Kayal trailer are BIG $$$, why not put BOTH on roof like I said. Iam not seeing the logic in spending more when ANY roof rack can take two 18 foot kayaks. I have done it on my little Nissan Versa note.

Here is a picture of one kayak on a J-hook and one on some $79 for set of four cradles from Yakima. The foam blocks are similar. I just can’t find the picture.

Wow. Thanks for all your great ideas.

Unfortunately I cannot use the roof of the vehicle, and assembling a trailer is a big deal. Its hard to communicate how important time is. Just being under the stress of the move sucks.

Things turned out well, and I just happened to bump into a used Load Rite K1000-2t which is in good shape–the dealer will even get the plates. Its a lot less costly then a unassembled malone. In the short run it saves a couple of days that I really don’t have. In the long run, it would be nice not have to lift the kayaks up on the vehicle and keep the cargo basket,

Any thoughts about the K1000-2T?

looks like s decent trailer. no experience with one though. https://www.paddleva.com/kayak-trailer-2-position-k-1000-2-torsion-axle

@ExploreNE said:

Any thoughts about the K1000-2T?

If the load capacity is really 1000 lbs as specified in the link, two kayaks will hardly compress the suspension. So it may be a very stiff, bouncy ride for the kayaks. You may want to cradle the kayaks in some foam blocks, rather than a stiff mount like J-cradles, just to give them a little cushioning and avoid any sort of localized stress cracks if the kayaks are composite.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailers/Malone/MPG526G-V.html?feed=npn&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkoDmBRCcARIsAG3xzl9fq-UOBRqqEWoD6Iod6031XbMgWy_JGs0yKsmiyb8thGK2fGan-FgaAhWkEALw_wcB

@Wolf said:

@ExploreNE said:

Any thoughts about the K1000-2T?

If the load capacity is really 1000 lbs as specified in the link, two kayaks will hardly compress the suspension. So it may be a very stiff, bouncy ride for the kayaks. You may want to cradle the kayaks in some foam blocks, rather than a stiff mount like J-cradles, just to give them a little cushioning and avoid any sort of localized stress cracks if the kayaks are composite.

Thanks for the advice- I did buy the inexpensive 4 pieces J-hook (far east) kit from Amazon, and foam to square or blade bar kit. I will see which is better.

. The trailer has torsion suspension (variable rate suspension), so light loads are not so stiff. Plus it is independent suspension-- there is no axle across the breadth of the trailer.

I can’t imagine 1000 lbs of kayaks on a 4 unit trailer…the 1000 lb rating is probably because they use the same frame for 6 and 8 kayak units plus the weight of the A frame superstructure. Perhaps they use different torsion “axles” for the heavier units too.

The torsion suspension is fine for hauling kayaks. I loved the ground clearance it allowed on our old modified snowmobile trailer.

One thing to keep in mind is that they are supposedly more prone to sagging on one side than leaf springs IF a load is kept stored on one side of the trailer for long term.

Our snowmobile trailer was rated to more than 1300 lbs, though after we had the tongue extended by sliding out the doubled square tubing, I halved that rating. Still more than enough for a couple of sea kayaks and rack hardware.

Thanks for the point. I will be sure to use left and right.