kayak trailer question ?

[idive2]

Anyone have any experience with these very lightweight aluminum single
kayak trailers ? I have a compact four cylinder car and the manual shows a
maximum 1,000 lb. towing capacity. The lightest trailers appear to just have
a rigid frame with axle attached to frame, just wondering how they ride compared
to a leaf spring suspension. I'm considering a slightly heavier (250 lb. trailer wt.)
system with leaf spring that has 600 lb. capacity and can hold two kayaks.
The aluminum rigid suspension single trailer only weighs 125 lbs. with a capacity of
only 200 lbs. Less weight sounds good particularly for my vehicle but this does not
sound like a lot of weight holding this thing to the road. I really want to avoid dealing
with the roof top carriers and could use the 1 1/4 inch hitch for a bike rack as well even
if the kayak trailering does not work out. P.S. The 250 lb. steel two place
trailer is also available with optional 12 inch tires (8 inch tires standard).

 

[Peter_C]

What year, make, and model of vehicle do you have?

Why not racks? Here in California the speed limit when towing a trailer is 55. Often times our highway speeds are 65 on the freeways. With kayaks on the roof of my Prius I can comfortably cruise at 65 mph and still get decent fuel mileage. I keep the speed at around 65 mph also so the kayaks don't fly off the roof. Same issue with a trailer. Except if the trailer is really light, the whole package might start flying behind the vehicle.

I do tow a 14' inflatable boat with my car, while carrying two people and two sets of scuba gear. The car is not rated to tow and only has a 900 lb load capacity. There are things I have done to the car to make it stronger and safer. First I built my own receiver hitch using DOM tubing. The safest thing I did was to upgrade the wheels and tires to wider and lower profile ZR rated tires. I would venture to say, when towing my Prius could out stop most stock pick up trucks unloaded. Tires of course are 60% of the equation.

 

[idive2]

Peter, I just got back from looking at some of the Thule roof top racks and must
say they look much better than the racks made years ago. The guy also showed me
a pad that apparently protects the car when sliding it to the roof. I would definitely
reduce my speed especially with a roof top rack. Sixty MPH is plenty fast enough for
me when trailering. My main concern was damage to the roof but it looks like these
Thule racks attach to the edge of the roof and with a 2008 Honda Civic four door there
should be plenty of support for the rack. I was leaning a bit toward the trailer
thinking I may even be able to put a small jon boat on it and throw the small outboard
in the trunk. Thanks for the comments and I'll post back if I end up with the trailer.

 

[MSltr]

I have a "SportsRig" trailer. I tow it behind a Subaru Outback wagon (4 cyl). I used to carry my kayaks on the roof but it was pain to lift and tie them down on the roof. I use my Yakima racks on the trailer. I never have had any problems. It uses motorcycles tires; consequently, travels easily at highway speeds. They shipped it UPS and I assembled it in my garage in hour.

SportsRig Micro Trailers: Kayak Trailer. Bike Trailers. Lightweight trailer for kayaks, bikes, canoes, cargo, camping gear, boats, storage boxes. Manufacturer and dealer. USA Made trailers for your vehicle. Eco-friendly trailers for fuel efficiency.

 

[Peter_C]

Uggg...that "SportsRig" trailer is more than I paid for my boat, outboard, and trailer!

You can get a trailer from Harbor Freight for a reasonable amount. Something like this. I use one to haul junk around behind my car. With a plywood deck it works pretty well.