Trailers & Campers for kayaks (with pics)

[lapulapu]

Nice Mooch!  That RV would be perfect for you.

[Sledge]

The stickers came from Ebay.

  They Rock

[yester]

From up north....http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,7127.0.html

[Squidder K]

Adding my two cents on this thread, avoid trailers with small tires for long distance hauling.  The smaller wheels means the bearings get more heat than a larger wheel would generate this translates into sitting on the side of the road. There are some small trailers out there with very small wheels, good for hauling a load to the dump, but not for a 500 mile trip.  My expierences in Iraq have taught me that disassembling the wheels and repacking the bearings with a quality synthetic bearing grease can make a world of difference regardless of what you buy.  Synthetic grease is a couple bucks more a tube than regular automotive grease, money well spent!  Look for a trailer that will ride level when hooked to your vehicle.  If you have some giant off road 4x4, either elevate the tongue or drop the ball to height  so the trailer travels level or as close to level (there a lot of off set ball set ups out there if you a Reese style sleeve)
.  This keeps it from fishtailing and bottoming out in pot holes and speed bumps.  I hope this helps.

[Mooch]

If I had to do it all over again.....


I simply like the option of being able to leave behind the camper itself....the pop top is plus and an awning is always good to have.

[G-Whiz]

If I had to do it all over again.....


I simply like the option of being able to leaving behind the camper itself....the pop top is plus and an awning is always good to have.

yeah, true; but the door looks like it was made for hobbits to use....

[agarcia]

I dig the flip pac's. 

[Fish Master1]

I dig the flip pac's. 


[/quote

That's badass!! What's the cost on sum like that?? I would consider gettn a truck for that!

[dilbeck]

I dig the flip pac's. 

That's badass!! What's the cost on sum like that?? I would consider gettn a truck for that!

But how do you transport the yak?  I wouldn't want to drill into that top for a rack.

[agarcia]

I don't know the price on them, I seen the website on yotatech. Theres alot of rooftop tents out there but in that one the truck bed is accessible from inside the tent.  Nice to be able to stand up in it.  I'd drill it in heartbeat.  Lay up some fiberglass backing plates and glass them into the roof and call it a day.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[racinrob]

Pretty darn pricey.

[skipro3]

Hi, I’m Jerry and I’m new to the whole kayak thing.  I decided to get a PA to use for fishing and hunting.  After research, I figured my best route was to build a trailer for it.  I have read several threads on trailers for my Pro Angler and decided that would start with a single jet ski / PWC trailer and add the plastic pipe for bunks.  On craigslist I found several and negotiated a price of $300 for the one you see here.  It was stored indoors and in near perfect shape.  The owner had decided to get a second PWC so his girlfriend would have one and was looking to get a dual trailer.  Trailer home, the work begins;

Removed the bunks off the trailer, those 2x6 carpet covered boards the PWC rested on.




Next I started to mount the hardware that would hold the pipe bunks.  This hardware is from a salvage shop near where I live that contractors use.  It’s called “Uni-Strut”.  I’ve seen some trailers on here that use it to build a frame over their kayak trailer to hold a storage box;


The uni-strut has a goldish plating like anodize but it’s steel.  I also used lock nuts. 


All four brackets are now mounted, but not tightened.  The brackets can rotate and that adjusts the spacing between the bunks. 


I cut the first tube to a length that allowed less than an inch overlap at the rear, and a foot in the front. Then I marked the second tube and cut it too.  I used a sawsall with a hacksaw blade on it. 


One at a time, I took off the bracket and marked, then drilled the holes.  I rotated the tube so the holes would be in the lettering.  That way I knew exactly were on the far end to mark length-wise.  I also oval out the holes length wise so that when the PA is on the trailer, the bunks and sag under the load and wrap the bottom.  If I hadn’t, they would not have flexed as easy.


I pre bent the washers so they wouldn’t crush the plastic tube.  I won’t be tightening the fasteners, just snugging them so the bunks can float on the oval holes I drilled.


Installed washers only snug tightened lock nuts.


With all four ends mounted, I can now adjust my bunks.  Here’s a series of photos showing the range and my final measurements.  Outside to outside on 4” tubes is 16” and center to center is 11 ¼”.  The center to center should be good for any size tube you use.  A smaller diameter than 4” could be used on the tube, but I chose it due to the unsupported span I had; 5 feet.  I’ve seen on line here, trailers with 2” tubes but there was a support mid span.





Final product!!



Here’s the PA on the trailer.



Here’s photos close-up under and where the bunks meet the PA.  As the weight begins to flex the bunks, the slots I drilled in will allow the bunk to sag properly and form-fit to the bottom of the PA
REAR:


FRONT



The hardware store had these plugs.  They were red and had a gasket and wing nut on them.  I think red is for 4”.  I could only find a photo of a 3” plug.  If you put a plug in each end and had sealed the drilled holes, these tubes could be used for storage.


Well, there you go.  Total cost was under $50 for materials from Home Depot and the local contractor salvage and a store called Habitat for Humanity where people donate construction stuff and they sell it to raise money to build homes. With the original $300 investment in the trailer, I found this to be pretty economical way to haul my PA around and store it too.   

[dilbeck]

Wow, very nice write-up!  I'd love to see your finished product.

[skipro3]

Wow, very nice write-up!  I'd love to see your finished product.

Anytime you're up in the Placerville area, come look me up and you can check it over.

[Derrick A2H]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001P2HWC6/ref=asc_df_B001P2HWC61920882?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B001P2HWC6