Page 49 - 2022-08-01 Paddling Magazine

TRANSPORTING YOUR FISHING KAYAK ON A
TRAILER IS SMARTER, EASIER AND SAFER.
YOUR CAR, KAYAK AND BACK WILL THANK
YOU. PHOTO: COURTESY YAKIMA

GEAR
Easy Rider

Trailers make light work of getting big, heavy fishing kayaks to the water by kayak angler staff

LIKE A KID THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, you’re excited to get regular powerlifter, you’re likely to throw out your back. Plus, few roof
your new kayak on the water. You’ve done the research, dropped a siz- racks are manufactured to withstand the leviathan load of one big fishing
able down payment and today’s the day to pick up your new ride. Until kayak, let alone two.
you try to pick up your new ride. Ugh. Oooph. Eeeeeyow. And, possibly, Other than maybe the back of a pickup, the best way to transport big
snap, crack and crunch. fishing kayaks is with a trailer. A kayak trailer is not just easier and safer
Full-size, full-feature fishing kayaks can weigh over 100 pounds, measure for your body and vehicle; it’s more efficient too. A kayak on a trailer is
more than 13 feet long and over three feet wide. Wrestling this boat onto more aerodynamic than one riding on the roof as it’s hidden from the
your roof rack endangers the kayak, car and your body. Unless you’re a wind, saving fuel and reducing wear and tear on your car.

CHOOSING THE BEST KAYAK TRAILER
The trend towards ever-larger fishing kayaks has of kayaks and other outdoor adventure gear, like Most trailers are made from galvanized steel or
led to a boom in kayak trailers. Today there are surfboards, bikes and even pop-up tents. Some aluminum. While aluminum trailers are lighter,
a variety of sturdy trailers designed to transport kayak trailers also boast a bed for gear storage, they’re also more expensive. Be sure to check the
kayaks and all the associated paddling and fish- perfect for fishing and paddling gear. trailer’s capacity guidelines. Heavy fishing kayaks
ing gear. The first question to ask yourself before buy- may need heavy-duty trailers. Paddle shops and
At its most basic, a kayak trailer is just a rack ing a trailer is how many fishing kayaks do you outdoor stores usually carry a couple of kayak
on wheels towed behind a vehicle. Models come need to transport regularly? Many anglers will trailer options, but anglers can also purchase the
in different shapes and sizes—some are small and be satisfied with a kayak trailer with space for trailer online and assemble it themselves at home.
compact, while others feature multiple tiers and just one or even two kayaks, but families and Keep in mind the weight of the whole unit—the
can transport upwards of half-a-dozen kayaks. groups who paddle and fish together will want best kayak trailer is light enough to push around
Some trailers are designed to carry a combination to look at multi-tiered models. in your driveway, even loaded with two kayaks.

49
P A D D L IN G M A G A Z IN E