I just debuted the Rack & Roll trailer yesterday. This is sooooooooooo much better than dealing with roof racks.
I assembled it last Monday in 4 hours including lunch break and a trip to the hardware store to get a socket I misplaced. I was very deliberate in assembling it. Easy. Perfect instructions with lots of pictures. Basically idiot proof assembly instructions that are available on the website, if you are curious.
Assembled it inside the house in the living room and just rolled it out the front door on the nifty little rollers they have engineered into it.
Took it yesterday on it’s first trip with two kayaks loaded (about 60 miles one way). What a dream. Perfect. The suspension absorbs everything. No stress to the boats except for the straps you choose to use. I would wager you could put an egg on the seat of a kayak and it wouldn’t break.
Not cheap but we had to have something we could break down a bit so I can stand it up in the garage.
I’m a big suspension guy coming from a motorcycle roadracing background and I think John Koch has nailed it. No, he doesn’t use the best motorcycle shocks in the world but for the purpose, they seem to be just fine. I didn’t even bother to check preload or anything – just set it up as is out of the box.
Bill G.
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Don’t use real eggs
The Rack and Roll has many good qualities. I have a friend who has one that looks great behind her silver BMW 325i. I have followed her several times and the kayaks bounce around quite a bit which I believe is because the trailer and kayaks are too light.
Nice trailer with unique storage ability.
Paddlin' on
Richard
If you are not doing it already
I would suggest you use a tie-down from the front of the kayak/kayaks to the front of the tongue. A friend broke 2 tongues on his Rack and Roll. After the 2nd one he started using the tie-down and I could see the difference in the flexing that went on when he did not use the tie-down. It does not seem that it would make any difference, but it sure did with his kayaks. We were both surprised at the difference the tie-down made in how the trailer behaved behind the car.
By the way Rack and Roll replaced both trailers and has since redesigned the tongue for more support so I am not putting Rack and Roll down.
Mark
The Rack and Rolls are all looks &
poor function, based on the too light weight (be very careful if you are moving a glass or C/K boat for stress cracks), recall for tongue breaks from Manuf in spring 2008, bicycle sized tires, and ability to carry only shorter kayaks (lo-nger will hit vehicles on turns).
It is the most expensive kayak trailer with the most limited capabilities, in my opinion. My neighbor owns one, and I have studied it intently, know thier complaints about it, and watched the bone jarring rattles as they bump down the road towing that thing. Fortunately, they have short, plastic rec boats only, and keep a healthy dose of liability insurance for if and when they cause a highway accident when the thing breaks at 65 mph.
But it does look good.
Ya, right…
Registration ?
Insurance ?
Wheel bearing maintenance ?
Parking at the launch area ?
This old man will way the options before he springs for a trailer
Cheers,
JackL
Registration and insurance are cheap
Bearing service is advised for about every 10K miles, which is about 2 years unless we take a long road trip.
Not exactly big stuff either in cost or maintenance.
You can spend thousands extra to make your fleet ultralight, and one or two thousand to save your back by using a trailer instead. Especially when the gusts are swirling.
Parking options are reduced. That’s the only downside, and it depends where you go. Any place that allows powerboats will have some trailer parking.
I will keep you posted.
Some of the comments above, I don’t believe are applicable to the 2008 models as there have been improvements. For example, the problems with the tongue are resolved and it sound’s like the suspension has been adjusted from previous years.
I will keep you all posted on the performace of my trailer. I can say, that I injured ligaments in my wrist dealing with our kayaks on the roof rack and my g/f has a back problem now. Mostly from my heavy WS Tempest 170 plastic. She has a carbon/fiberglass EPIC that weights nothing.
We did joke about we could have put the money towards an Epic or Warren Lightcraft but we both love the ease, simplicity, and health the trailer gives us. I have more paddling technique to master before I consider another boat.