The wife and I have been looking at the kayak trailers we see advertized in the pages of the kayak and canoeing mags. You know the ones, they have motorcycle wheels, nice aluminum frames, lights, and tilt for loading. You can even unhook and use them to roll the boats to the water. They cost between 1,500 and 2,500 bucks depending on options. You use your thule or yakima racks and haul your boats behind your cars instead of on top. The wife has had two shoulder surgeries and looking at a third, and I have had several lower back injuries and a knee replaced. We load the boats, slowly and carefully on the hull raiser yakima racks on the forester, and this works fine, but... those hip high trailers look great.
I wouldn't want to put out that much money and find out that they really aren't all they are claiming to be. Would appreciate thought's, suggestions, ideas? Anyone own one model or the other and happy or unhappy with it and why? The readers wanna know.
jim
A friend of mine
bought a trailer from these folks, in Deland, Florida, for less than $800. They customize the trailers. My friend’s carries 4 kayaks.
www.bgtrailers.com/
For what it’s worth…
I asked a guy that pulled up to a vegetable stand with one in tow about his. He had good things to say about it.
However I’ve noticed they can be a pain in some put-in locations that limit trailer access or parking.
I have a trailer and can’t say enough
good things about how convenient it is FOR MOST PLACES. There are some places I paddle where I still car top my boats… like driving to Baja, or anywhere I might want to go down a steep hill over questionable terrain. But 90% of the time it is great, and the trailer is much easier on my not-as-young-as-they-used-to-be shoulders. And it allows me to paddle even if my husband isn’t around to help load the boat on the car.
One thing about inexpensive trailers…many of them are painted with the possibility of a galvanized version at a higher price. Get the galvanized version. It’s worth it. My painted trailer started showing cracks in the paint and rust after only about 6 months.
Trailers
I have a Trailex 250 M2. Aluminum frame and light weight. Best setup for a single kayaker with a touring style.
I added a truck box from Lowes to carry all my gear.
Trailers only! Some put ins
have special places right up front RESERVED for cars with trailers, so it can work to your benefit too.