Not to mention
that it would look a little silly using a great big 5th wheel to haul 50 lb kayaks!
A trailer will be better than a roofrack
…?? Have you tried this stuff at all? Must have a lotta boats…
It doesn’t matter…
– Last Updated: Jun-26-07 11:22 PM EST –
if I've got my boat on the roof or the trailer. People (at least most) still think it's odd. The last time I took my 14 footer down a slow river, a guy called down to me from a dock and asked if I was looking for whitewater...yeah, that's EXACTLY what I'm doing....how'd you know??? Oh course, he appeared to have had "one too many" from the 'ole six-pack that day!
Trailer Parts Depot!
Check out this site…it has all the parts you’d need to convert a small utility trailer into a all out boat haulin’ trailer:
http://www.trailerpartsdepot.com/items.asp?Cc=A%2DTONG%2DL&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=
Don’t forget the stuff
We took an old Hobie 18 trailer, pulled the hull mounts off, added a 4x8x2 box, then welded a tree for the boats. The tongue was plenty long, enough so that we actually took 5 feet off.
The “branches” on the tree are adjustable up and down so we can compress them for surf/sail boards or expand them for kayaks.
We also wired in extra lights to put on the sterns of the longest boats on the trailer. Beats a flag and impresses any DIY trailer junkies to boot.
The box is key for keeping wet clothes, PFDs, paddles, and other smelly stuff out of the car.
We get 26 mpg with the yaks on top, 24 towing the trailer.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2674486000101618429IEuOyZ
How do you attach
the lights on the sterns of the boats? I’ve been looking at doing that for a while.
Little bungies
I use round LED lights from the auto parts store. Our boats are usually the longest and they have rudders, so it’s pretty easy. We just bungie them to the rudder hinge.
With rudderless boats, I would carve a foam block that slips over the stern.
Great Link
Thanks for posting. That’s the most complete trailer parts dealer I’ve seen online – good prices as well. Very helpful.
RV Store
You might could also find lights to go on the ends of the boats (for transport) at a RV supply place (like “Camping World”). I was thinking of the ones they use to put on a car in tow would work and should come with extra long wiring harnasses. I’m not sure how best to attach them to the boats.
Tongues, Couplers
I’ve got a small utility trailer in mind to convert but it’s only got a 3 foot tongue. I found 5 or 6 different tongues of the exact height and width I would need in various lengths. They even had the couplers to match…all for less than $90. Definitely someting that could be done yourself without having to track down a good welder and pay who knows how much in labor and material cost.
Red flag
I don’t know the DOT regulations in other States. In Ohio we are required to fly a red caution flag on loads that over-hang the back of a trailer or truck by 5.5’ or more - that’s my understanding at any rate. Less than that amount of over-hang no flag or electric lights are necessary. With my canoe loads I over-hang less than 5 feet, but I do go ahead and fly a strip of red marking tape on at least one of our boats. The clamp-on electric lights are cool and super safe I’m sure, but not really legally required – probably. Obviously one would want to check into the laws on this State by State.
Question: mUD
WHen I see kayak trailers like the ones on Pnet, TrailRyder, and the converted flatbed trailers, I think of one major downside as being mud and crap flying all over the trailer and the boats in rainy climes. I think the spray from the back of the pull vehicle, not to mention the potential for rock and pebble damage for such a low kayak to the road (as opposed to being up in a rooftop rack) would be significant.
Thoughts?
Mud/dirt/gravel
I don’t really consider mud to be much of a problem, mud washes off. A bigger concern is chips from gravel on rough country roads. I would also question the potential for damage to my boats from using a low/flatbed trailer. I haven’t experienced much of a problem with flying debris with the trailer I’ve been using for the last 3 years, but then it has a storage box below the boats (utility type trailer rather than flatbed). The storage box takes the brunt of the road abuse plus the boats ride higher. Obviously fenders on the trailer are a must. Mud flaps on the trailer and the tow vehicle would probably be a good idea as well, but I don’t have them on my present rig & haven’t had any problems. I might add them to the trailer I’m in the process of building now.
Here’s a link with DIY possibilities:
http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html
Mud
Yes, they do get muddy, but as Arkay mentioned, it washes off. As for gravel, stones, road debris, I haven’t noticed any problems. But then my boats are plastic and get a lot of use. I probably wouldn’t notice a few extra scratches. Arkay, I like that web site for mud flaps!
Flaps
Glad you liked that link Redmond – just stumbled across it while searching for mud flap info in response to Cooldoctor’s query. I love low cost DIY ideas like that – appeals to my cheapskate nature I guess… I think I might try putting flaps on the new canoe trailer I’m working on now – we’ll see. - Randall
Pimp trailer/rack
I have both trailer and a camper shell mounted rack. Unless we are taking more than three boats the trailer is to much hassle. The trailer can haul 6 canoes and all of the gear with the mesh basket thats in between the “trees”. I have never noticed any damage from road debris as the trailer has fenders.
Redmond, I like some of the things you did to your trailer. Like hanging the boats on webing and plenty of eyebolts. We normaly put the glass boats ontop of the camper shell and the plastic ones on the trailer.
TRailer
Thanks for the replies. I trust your experience, and the mud flap is a great idea, arkay. I think adding mudflaps to the tow vehicle is much more crucial than mud flaps on the trailer. The tow vehicle (assuming it;s a truck or SUV), is rear wheel drive and could shoot some serious debris on the gear. Likely less mud in general with vehicle mounted store bought (wal-mart) mud flaps.
I have done tons on research, looking at all different trailers on eBay (open mesh utility, waverunner trailers, enclosed trailers, you name it), and I think the sentiment of Weed above might be what I am finding out:
“Unless we are taking more than three boats the trailer is too much hassle”
I generally travel pebbled and dirt country roads or highway, and 1-2 yaks, and put the boats on racks in bed of pickup truck. High, mud free, and other than getting them up there (admittedly, not fun), I don’t have to worry about anyone stealing my trailer, having the trailer sway and swing and bounce down the road.
I think I’m leaning away from a trailer, pimped or not.
It’s good…
…to have these discussions. Sometimes we find that talking things out helps us decide “what’s what”. If a trailer is not your thing – for your situation - then you’re right to dismiss the idea. They aren’t for everyone in every situation.
For me, as a guy who routinely carries at least 3 solo canoes at a time a canoe trailer makes it possible to use a (relatively) fuel efficient tow vehicle rather than my gas guzzlin’ pick-up truck - a trailer saves me money. A trailer is also lot easier (for me) to load and unload than way up on the rack of a pick-up. So… for me they make sense. For everyone? Nope, not at all. - Randall
2 Trailer or not 2 trailer
that is the question…
Do I need one? Not necessarily…
But it would nice to keep most everything on a trailer between outings and just roll it out of the garage and pop it on the hitch and go. It take me longer to rack-up, load my boat and gear and get ready to go than it takes to drive to some of my regular paddling spots.
Perhaps they will add a trailer giveaway as part of the next contest (hint, hint)…
Scored a utility trailer. Now pimp it.
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200244924_200244924
I’ll still use my trucktop rack system for long trips, but the advantage of a trailer for just popping it on the hitch and taking off is neat (disadvantage: there goes my last garage space. My neighborhood covenants do not allow me to keep the trailer outside).
The above posts–and I thought this to be a very informative thread, and the bryansims input, and redmon’s best trailer pics ever–got me thinking about trailers, and when this type came for sale locally very cheaply (mine will have new wooden floor boards, no mesh, new $300), I couldn’t resist the urge to try it out. 4 feet by 6 feet, 12 inch wheels, 2" hitch ball, Pace brand.
I know I have to find a way to weld extend that tongue; assume I’d need to add some diagonal steel when the tongue is longer like that, too (angled braces). I will need to line the bed with wood and perhaps add a “box”, such as those in the back of truck beds, to hold gear if I get the kayak high enough off it with crossbars. The drive up gate is removeable. I wonder if the kayaks are too off the bed–let’s say three feet to give me room underneath for gear and to get the boats away from the ground for pebble and tire spray damage–if it will have too high a center of gravity on turns.
What would you use for a storage box?
Redmon at al, any input on height of the boats and steering/maneuverablity of the vehicle and “top heaviness” of the trailer?