transporting a kayak on a trailer?

[carbonbass]

I'm thinking about getting a new car and don't want to have to put a roof rack on it (more of a compact or sportier car) are the single kayak trailers pretty easy to use? Due to its light weight could potentially any car tow a kayak on a trailer? I guess my other alternative is to buy a junkyard truck just for transporting a kayak on the side of having the other car. Any info helps,
Justin

[tacmik]

Unless you are buying a Yugo or a smart car, most any car with any kind of power should be able to tow a light trailer with a yak on it.

[tagyak]

i have a prius and tow my kayak using a sportsrig trailer. the trailer is able to transport two kayaks and it doubles as my rack when i store the kayak in my garage.

[amsurferoceanbeach]

I just seen on Craigslist a Yakima Rock&Roll for a grand. Good price.
I would of been all over this but just ordered a new one.

Hey tagyak, I just bought a Prius and plan to tow my Yakima Rock&Roll.
From what I have read this works well. Do you have any photos of
your hitch on you Prius, and photos of it hooked up with the kayaks on.
Did you use a kurt hitch or did you find another that worked?
Any information or recommendation you could make would be helpfull.
Thanks Paul

[blitzburgh]

I have the Malone MicroSport XT. My Prius has been towing it regularly since last June with ease...and I still get 50 MPG's round trip from Cucamonga to La Jolla :D

[danjor]

I have the Malone MicroSport XT. My Prius has been towing it regularly since last June with ease...and I still get 50 MPG's round trip from Cucamonga to La Jolla :D

I need to get me a used Prius. I get 13 mpg in my Tacoma and driving 80-100 miles per day for work is killing me. Than add on fishing trips and such and yea... I burn threw so much gas its not even funny.

Just crunched the numbers and the savings in gas wouldn't be enough to even buy a used Prius would still cost me more per month than just paying for all the gas. Oh well was a good thought

[amsurferoceanbeach]

Hey blitzburgh
How long is you extension on you trailer tongue?

[blitzburgh]

Hey blitzburgh
How long is you extension on you trailer tongue?

The extension is 8'. It is retractable on the model I have which is really nice. When pushed in, I stand it up against the back of the garage and easily fit my car in front of it.

[Emeraldbaykayaks]

Trailex makes great all aluminum trailers. Most trailers you should be fine pulling them with a car.

http://i49.tinypic.com/33cx5yc.jpg

[sasha]

How about parking??? are there any problems to find parking space. Been to some places where there is only parking for one car...I don't want to ruin the paint on my car or anything else with the salt water..

[Cbad Mike]

How about parking??? are there any problems to find parking space. Been to some places where there is only parking for one car...I don't want to ruin the paint on my car or anything else with the salt water..

Good question.... I'd love to have a trailer to save my body from the effort of loading my Stealth 14 onto my truck. The reason that I don't is because I like fishing LJ and parking can get rough in the summer. Even here in Carlsbad parking along the beach is a beech.

[carbonbass]

Good question.... I'd love to have a trailer to save my body from the effort of loading my Stealth 14 onto my truck. The reason that I don't is because I like fishing LJ and parking can get rough in the summer. Even here in Carlsbad parking along the beach is a beech.

Doesnt the yakima rocknroll conveniently fold up? You could probably un hitch a trailer and use a full parking spot for your trailer alongside your vehicle (maybe bike lock it to a pole or tree nearby). I know people would probably get mad but unless it folded up like the yakima rock n roll it may be your only choice.

[Old Man in the Sea]

you can get a nice used trailer and convert it for about $400 or so which 1/4 the price of a new one...a trailer hitch is about $150

[tagyak]

I just seen on Craigslist a Yakima Rock&Roll for a grand. Good price.
I would of been all over this but just ordered a new one.

Hey tagyak, I just bought a Prius and plan to tow my Yakima Rock&Roll.
From what I have read this works well. Do you have any photos of
your hitch on you Prius, and photos of it hooked up with the kayaks on.
Did you use a kurt hitch or did you find another that worked?
Any information or recommendation you could make would be helpfull.
Thanks Paul
i got my hitch online thru www.hitchanything.com (http://www.hitchanything.com) this was the model that i got: http://www.hitchanything.com/2005-Toyota-Prius-Sportframe-Hitch-24808.html along with the trailer wiring harness.
unfortunately i don't have any pictures of the kayaks sitting ontop of the trailer. at the time roby and i were commuting to la jolla and we were in a hurry to fish rather than take any pictures.
i set up the rack with the yakima mako racks along with the hulley rollers, one setup for each kayak. it was a little tight but it worked well.
if i find some pictures i'll post it up.
my trailer has the extension along with the standard length hitch so it is able to accommodate the kayaks.

tim

[Raskal311]

I know its personal taste but a sports car with a roof rack looks a lot sportier then a sports car with a trailer hitch. Sports car with roof rack is acutally a new trend right now. But I guess it really depends on what you are planning on buying. And I don’t know about where you fish but having to deal with parking a car with a trailer around here would be a PITA.

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

I have had the Malone trailer for over a year and really like it. I have it set up to carry three kayaks, two on edge and one flat, it could easily carry four kayaks on edge. I found it to be much beefier than the RacknRoll trailer. I got the extra storage box, not sure that is needed since I have a truck and the sliding tongue which is great.
This thing has been a real back saver for me, no more lifting my kayaks up on top of my truck rack. Very often in parking lots, I just unhitch and put it in the space next to my truck and use a long cable lock and lock it to my truck. LJ is not normally an issue for me as I get there early enough that parking is not an issue. I would avoid pulling the trailer on the beach when the sand it thick unless you have a 4x4, it does plow through the soft sand rather than float on it and will get you stuck. Been there done that when my truck was not in four wheel drive.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/394377_2438024553511_269583993_n.jpg

[blitzburgh]

I know its personal taste but a sports car with a roof rack looks a lot sportier then a sports car with a trailer hitch. Sports car with roof rack is acutally a new trend right now. But I guess it really depends on what you are planning on buying. And I don’t know about where you fish but having to deal with parking a car with a trailer around here would be a PITA.

Not a new trend. People have been doing it for decades. What Jim said is spot on as to why I got my trailer. Additionally, it prevents a few extra scratches in the paint ;)


This thing has been a real back saver for me, no more lifting my kayaks up on top of my truck rack. Very often in parking lots, I just unhitch and put it in the space next to my truck and use a long cable lock and lock it to my truck. LJ is not normally an issue for me as I get there early enough that parking is not an issue.

[tagyak]

I know its personal taste but a sports car with a roof rack looks a lot sportier then a sports car with a trailer hitch. Sports car with roof rack is acutally a new trend right now. But I guess it really depends on what you are planning on buying. And I don’t know about where you fish but having to deal with parking a car with a trailer around here would be a PITA.
i do agree that it does look "cooler" with the racks, but in my old age, i would rather have the luxury of just lifting the kayak to my waist rather than above my head to load and unload. some things are worth sacrificing to look cool, but after loading and unloading kayaks that are extra heavy after a long day on water, well you know. ;)

[Raskal311]

i do agree that it does look "cooler" with the racks, but in my old age, i would rather have the luxury of just lifting the kayak to my waist rather than above my head to load and unload. some things are worth sacrificing to look cool, but after loading and unloading kayaks that are extra heavy after a long day on water, well you know. ;)

yup, i completely agree. The original post seems like the OP didn't want a rack due to the look; I could be completely off. I have a rack but I opted to transport my yak in the bed and let it hang out 5 foot. Loading a PA on the roof of a lifted truck is a PITA and near dangerous without some type of a rig solo.

[carbonbass]

I know its personal taste but a sports car with a roof rack looks a lot sportier then a sports car with a trailer hitch. Sports car with roof rack is acutally a new trend right now. But I guess it really depends on what you are planning on buying. And I don’t know about where you fish but having to deal with parking a car with a trailer around here would be a PITA.

your car is slower and less gas efficient with the racks on top though ;)

[Raskal311]

Not a new trend. People have been doing it for decades. What Jim said is spot on as to why I got my trailer. Additionally, it prevents a few extra scratches in the paint ;)

Its new to the rice rocket import car folks... only been popular in our parks for a few years.

[skrilla]

No car is too sporty!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n-cjyATiS5o/R3p4Jj5f5CI/AAAAAAAACjw/f_cWO1az4E8/s400/f40%2Bbike%2Brack.bmp

http://autostrada.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/lamborghini_murcielago_jonolsson.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads5/LunarLandscape1114501161.jpg

[tagyak]

you would think that with that kind of money tied up in those cars, they could afford to hire someone to haul their stuff in and meet them wherever they were going.

love that ferrari picture: usually the bikes are more expensive than the cars, except in this case.....:p

[bus kid]

Double wing on the Porsche and that's no roof rack its a tire rack! :D

[Jcasey]

I have a Yakima behind my Mazda, problem being I can’t see it when empty to park it. Any ideas on visibility items that might help?

[Saba Slayer]

I just add a couple of vertical PVC pipes on the back corners of the trailer...problem solved. :cheers1:

[JohnMckroidJr]

I have a Yakima behind my Mazda, problem being I can’t see it when empty to park it. Any ideas on visibility items that might help?


As mentioned above, PVC pipe marks the corners and makes them easier to see. I also added end caps, reflective tape, and strapped a towel onto the base for a cushion.

[Jim Sammons LJKF]

Nothing like a ten year old post popping up.lol
So as a long time truck driver I hear this one every so often and kind of chuckle.
So if you are backing a trailer that you can not see, that means it is going straight, if you see it in your mirrors, one side or the other, it is going that way!!! Lol These little kayak trailers tend to zig zag on you a bit so try not to over correct!

[MITCHELL]

If you see to much of your trailer in the rear view mirror you are heading the wrong direction.

[JohnMckroidJr]

Nothing like a ten year old post popping up.lol
So as a long time truck driver I hear this one every so often and kind of chuckle.
So if you are backing a trailer that you can not see, that means it is going straight, if you see it in your mirrors, one side or the other, it is going that way!!! Lol These little kayak trailers tend to zig zag on you a bit so try not to over correct!

Almost as cool as when a kayak fishing legend decides to post a comment after 5+ years of silence. LOL