Who here trailers their yaks, I just put a hitch on my car...

[thedutchtouch]

No chance of getting back into a pickup any time soon so I spent a few hrs this afternoon installing a hitch on my civic. Now to grab a small trailer, and trips to the water will be very much easier. I am not planning to launch the kayak from a trailer with the civic, I'll likely buy a flat utility trailer and use my cart to move the kayak on/off of it and use the trailer for other things as well. Haven't launched many boats, and don't really think a manual transmission sedan is an ideal boat ramp vehicle. Maybe with a trailer tongue extension... but for now I just want to not have to cartop my outback so rolling/sliding into a trailer should be much easier. Anyone else trailer their yaks (particularly with a car)?

[Big Mike]

I’ve got a PA and have trailered it for 7 years now. I have the custom trailer with the cradles designed for the PA and use an Expedition to haul it (massive overkill but I’ve had it 21 years so until it dies it’s my fishing vehicle). The only time it leaves the trailer is when I launch it. At the end of the trip I unhook and wheel into the garage. The cradles are reaching the end of their life so I’ll need to buy new soon, pretty cheap and thin plastic for a Hobie design.

I’m very fortunate, St Mary’s has many boat ramps so a trailer isn’t a detriment most of the time. In places like AA you’ll find yourself very limited. Even here there’s spots I can’t launch from because no parking for a vehicle with a trailer.

Manual transmission will be interesting at a ramp but unless it’s a steep incline I think you’d be fine because I never get mine in the water, back to edge of water then slide the kayak in. My trailer lights and tires have never been submerged.

[Yak67]

Trailered at PA-12 for 3-years with a Subaru Crosstrek, roof topped Outback on it too. Much easier to slide on and off the trailer. Like Big Mike, I never submerged mines either, just got close enough to slide into water, and same when taking it out.

Car topping the Hobies is tough with age.

I use a Honda pick-up now to slide the Yaks in and out. Easy also, just a small lift to get up into the bed, with a bed extender.

Yak67
2017 Hobie PA-12 Camo
2019 Hobie Outback

[Mark]

Justin,

You should have no trouble trailering a kayak with a car. The trailer you would require would be lightweight and the kayak itself is lightweight. You wouldn't even know it's there. Also, when I've seen people trailer their kayaks (mostly at Eastern Shore ponds) the majority do not back the trailer down the ramp. They unload in the parking lot and handcart their rigs to the water.

You've already saved considerable money installing a hitch. Good luck in finding a trailer.

All -- I've been going back and forth on the idea of trailering.

My intention this spring was buy a pickup truck as a second vehicle because as Yak67 says, cartopping does not ease with age. However, the COVID precautions halted my desire to visit car lots for the time being.

I've looked at lots of trailers online. Yakima's Rack and Roll 66 has caught my eye. It's much more than I wanted to spend, yet much cheaper than a truck. It's also growing on me because it's lightweight and folds up for indoor storage.

https://www.rackwarehouse.com/yakima...-trailers.html

The other advantage is that a trailer would allow me to continue using my Sienna van which is comfortable and provides ample secure storage for my gear.

But using a trailer will continue to pile up miles on my van which a second vehicle pickup would spare. I would also have to have a hitch installed on my van.

My biggest concern however is that there are launches here in Anne Arundel county where I cannot bring a trailers. In fact, most of the county's canoe/kayak launches prohibit trailers.

So, for those of you who trailer, is it just the ease of loading that you find most advantageous? Are there other benefits? What are the drawbacks from cartopping?

I'd appreciate your feedback on this.

Thanks,

[SpaceCadet]

I trailer too (Old Town 120 PDL), with a utility trailer I got from Tractor Supply. I put some custom (removable) square crossbars on there so I can load/unload the kayak easily. I put soft tubing over the bars to protect the kayak. Harbor freight have a cheap utility trailer that I've seen many people customize for kayaks. Check out youtube for the various videos on doing it.

I used to car-top on an SUV but it's not easy, and both the car and the SUV can get pretty dinged up. A pickup seems like perhaps the best compromise, but we don't want another vehicle in the household just yet.

[buzz]

Who here trailers their yaks, I just put a hitch on my car...

I trailer too (Old Town 120 PDL), with a utility trailer I got from Tractor Supply. I put some custom (removable) square crossbars on there so I can load/unload the kayak easily. I put soft tubing over the bars to protect the kayak. Harbor freight have a cheap utility trailer that I've seen many people customize for kayaks. Check out youtube for the various videos on doing it.

If you go this route, get your trailer tagged before you modify it.

I bought a used small boat trailer and modified it. First for just one kayak... now it holds two.
To modify it, I removed the bunks and the center support. Then I attached 2” PVC rails to the front and rear with 11.5” spacing. Pretty easy and inexpensive.


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[dhmjd]

I’ve trailered for years. When I get to the ramp it’s pull in, back down and go. My Outback stays rigged and ready to go. It doesn’t take me 20 minutes to put all the gear on the yak because it’s already there. Get home, unhook, quick rinse and into the garage.

[NewYakFisher]

I am new to kayaking and kayak fishing. I just bought a used PA-12. I can haul it in my truck with the truck bed extender/T-bar. But I had an old trailer sitting around that I had sold the jon boat to. So it just worked out that I overhauled the trailer and set it up as seen as I saw on the Youtube videos. The kayak rides on 3" PVC and slides nice and smooth and inside the 3" PVC I slipped in 2" PVC and they slide out the back as a ramp for the kayak to slide right down in the water. I don't even have to back the trailer into the water to load/unload...so a car would be fine to haul a trailer this way. I must say this is really easy where you can use a trailer. However I can't take any credit for these ideas. I thought they maybe helpful though.
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[Mark]

That extender is an excellent idea.

Again, more innovation from kayakers with PVC. You guys have come up with some great PVC solutions from transporting your boats to holding your rods.

[thedutchtouch]

Agreed, that trailer extension is the ticket. I was debating using the kayak cart to roll it up and then slide on the trailer deck but that extendable pvc looks so much easier/better

[NewYakFisher]

The extender has made it so easy to load the kayak.
They really are worth their weight in gold. I leave 2' inside and 8' extends out, the weight of the kayak bends the pvc and I just pull the kayak up with a rope. I could use the winch but it pulls pretty easy with just the rope.

[NewYakFisher]

There were two Youtube videos that helped me set up my trailer. The one for the bunks is https://youtu.be/8gOONSVjTEU
The one for the extender is https://youtu.be/A62EkbJdVsY

The bunks are 3" PVC spaced 10" on center for Hobie pro angler and the extender is 2" PVC.

[mjkeith13]

Somewhat related question, though not trailer related so my apologies.

I'm building a rolling storage cart for 2 kayaks and have a couple 10' pieces of 3" PVC for an Outback on the top to both bunk on and to slide off easily into my pickup bed. Problem is that I don't yet have the Outback as I'm looking to purchase one later this summer.

Your bunks are 3" PVC spaced 10" on center for Hobie pro angler. Anybody know what the spacing between the 3" PVC on center for a Hobie Outback (2019 or 2020, not sure if model year matters)? In other words what is the distance between the center of the 2 grooves in the hull at the middle of a Hobie Outback, 2019 or 2020 since Hobie made some changes to the hull in 2019. Sorry, I don't have one on hand to measure and would like to finish this cart. Couldn't find online either. Thanks!