AngryAmish Posted March 31, 2013 #1 Posted March 31, 2013 Has anyone ever pulled a kayak/canoe trailer ? .... and if so, how does it feel pulling it ?
motorcycle_1300 Posted March 31, 2013 #2 Posted March 31, 2013 I have not done it yet but think it is not a bad idea. you would want the center of gravity to be as low as possible, cover the cockpit to reduce windage. I am concerned about the overall length with my oldtown 120 kayak. the kayak could hold a lot of camping gear, certainly as much as some of the smaller trailers. maybe use a whitewater kayak or the little short stubby 8 footers Al
AngryAmish Posted March 31, 2013 Author #3 Posted March 31, 2013 My kayak is 12' long and weighs 62 lbs
dogman Posted March 31, 2013 #4 Posted March 31, 2013 The tent trailer I pull is 250lbs without my gear. You'll get alot of head turns towing your kayak and lots of fun when you get to your destination.
Flyinfool Posted March 31, 2013 #5 Posted March 31, 2013 It does not look like weight will be an issue. The only issues I see are to remember that monster is back there, and there is a lot of surface area and leverage for the wind while riding in a cross wind. I don't see these as problems, just things to keep in mind. Watch your tongue weight while loading stuff.
Brake Pad Posted March 31, 2013 #6 Posted March 31, 2013 you'll need to know your swing, for the back end of the canoe,
dacheedah Posted March 31, 2013 #7 Posted March 31, 2013 I saw a bike pulling a kayak, not sure it was as long as yours, it was upside down on a box about the width of the kayak, I only assume that was where they kept provisions. It had a low profile, it wasn't any higher than the piggy backer. As for length I added a longer tongue on my hf trailer and it is about 10' long.
saddlebum Posted March 31, 2013 #8 Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) I have built many trailers including boat trailers for boats as large as 18', and have been thinking for some time now to build myself a canoe trailer . Looking at the picture I would prefer the axle further back. I have visions of that much overhang catching a side wind and taking control of the bike. I have had too much sticking out of the back of a short car trailer when hauling a load of dry wall or lumber causing the the whole works to sway. Also with that much overhang you always have keep in mind that there will be much tail sweep when going around corners. When I get around to building mine, the axle wil be much further back than the one in the picture. If I load gear in the canoe I will make sure most of the weight will be at the back over were I place the axle. Edited March 31, 2013 by saddlebum
dacheedah Posted March 31, 2013 #9 Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) http://www.advrider.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=174763&d=1214864028 same picture, easy to make a lite trailer to pull Edited March 31, 2013 by dacheedah
Yammer Dan Posted March 31, 2013 #10 Posted March 31, 2013 I have built many trailers including boat trailers for boats as large as 18', and have been thinking for some time now to build myself a canoe trailer . Looking at the picture I would prefer the axle further back. I have visions of that much overhang catching a side wind and taking control of the bike. I have had too much sticking out of the back of a short car trailer when hauling a load of dry wall or lumber causing the the whole works to sway. Also with that much overhang you always have keep in mind that there will be much tail sweep when going around corners. When I get around to building mine, the axle wil be much further back than the one in the picture. If I load gear in the canoe I will make sure most of the weight will be at the back over were I place the axle. have to agree with Ben. Little longer tounge needed it looks like with that boat. And move boat up a little.
a1bummer Posted May 8, 2013 #11 Posted May 8, 2013 I did similar when I was a kid. Only I pulled it with my old Rupp snowmobile. I put wheels on the front one year when there wasn't any snow to speak of. Should've seen the look on my Dad's fce the first time he seen me come around the corner of the house with it. I took it everywhere and never had any issues pulling it. Of course I couldn't do anything near highway speeds. The overhang out back was sometimes an issue tearing through the woods and brush to get to the good fishing holes though. Had to watch out for the dips. And ya, I did get a lot of weird looks for some reason. Bill
Barry1951 Posted May 8, 2013 #12 Posted May 8, 2013 When I was in high school, a buddy's Dad bought him a Sears ski boat and motor. Jimmy drove an old Opel Cadet, , if you can remember back that far, , , with no trailer hitch, , , Well, , , Jimmy and several of us wanted to go skiing after school one day but noone had a vehicle with a hitch, , , , , Put the tongue of the trailer inside the trunk with one of the other guys in the trunk holding it down in the trunk, , , , ,worked real good until we had to make a stop, , , , nearly pushed Gary thru the back seat, , LOL, , , Well we finally got to the lake and backed the boat in the water, , , , which was a trick, , , After skiing, we decided to leave, , ,Opel Cadet would not pull the boat and trailer out of the water, , gary could not hold it in the trunk, , , ,After blocking the ramp for a while, , ,someone called city police, , , ,they were NOT amused when they fould out how we got the boat to the lake, , , They called Jimmy's Dad to get off work and come to the lake and pull the boat, , , For some reason or other, , , Jimmy's Dad decided we did not want to all go skiing for A WHILE ! ! ! ! He was NOT happy, , , I sometimes wonder how we all ever managed to live long enough to get semi-grown up.
Shamue Posted May 8, 2013 #13 Posted May 8, 2013 I have been thinking along the line of a trailer to haul my canoe also. Found that Harbor Freight sells a bolt together boat trailer that I could modify a bit and it could work. According to the info. I can find, the trailer weighs less than 100#. I have built many trailers including boat trailers for boats as large as 18', and have been thinking for some time now to build myself a canoe trailer . Looking at the picture I would prefer the axle further back. I have visions of that much overhang catching a side wind and taking control of the bike. I have had too much sticking out of the back of a short car trailer when hauling a load of dry wall or lumber causing the the whole works to sway. Also with that much overhang you always have keep in mind that there will be much tail sweep when going around corners. When I get around to building mine, the axle wil be much further back than the one in the picture. If I load gear in the canoe I will make sure most of the weight will be at the back over were I place the axle.
Guest tx2sturgis Posted May 8, 2013 #14 Posted May 8, 2013 (edited) I would love to see a youtube video of this thing in action. Put a couple of attractive bikini-clad babes in it using oars to 'row' the boat, as it glides down the road, that video could go viral! Now, back to reality....hey guys, I think the axle placement looks right and heres why: In a cross wind, if there is a more of the boat forward of the axle, that might tend to push the rear of the bike sideways...but with equal areas forward and rearward of the axle, it seems to me that the wind pressure would be more or less equal and cancel out. Not saying you wont feel the wind trying to push it sideways, but I think the equal forces would cancel out the natural 'yawing' that the boat might try to do, especially in gusty winds. I could be wrong of course, but I think that guy has it figured out. You can always load some supplies in the bow to get the tongue weight where you want it. I have been contemplating buying a small inflatable boat with a small gas motor, then load it in the bike trailer, (or in my sidecar) so that trips to the water would include some time ON the water, not just looking at it. I love the idea. Not sure I'd want a kayak that size, I might look instead at a Folbot foldable kayak, but hey, I enjoy seeing something cool and different, and thinking 'outside the box'. [ame] [/ame] Edited May 8, 2013 by tx2sturgis
shuttlebug Posted May 8, 2013 #15 Posted May 8, 2013 How do you back it into the water to launch it??
Guest tx2sturgis Posted May 8, 2013 #16 Posted May 8, 2013 (edited) How do you back it into the water to launch it?? Goldwings have reverse, but 900 pound touring bikes dont care much for slippery wet boat ramps or soft sandy beaches. Kayaks don’t weigh much, so maybe he and a friend carry it to the waters edge. Or maybe he uses a kayak cart, small wheels that attach to the kayak, and the owner simply rolls the kayak down the shore into the water. Here's a home-made one: [ame] [/ame] Edited May 8, 2013 by tx2sturgis
Trader Posted May 9, 2013 #17 Posted May 9, 2013 Those Tonka wheels are for sure for HAND cart....not high speed. So you could unload your canoe from your trailer and put it on another trailer to get it to the water?
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