Question for you Kayak anglers

[Danocaster]

Are you guys throwing your yak onto the roof rack of your vehicle - or do you use a small trailer ??

My kayak ( a Ride 115 ) about 80 lbs w/ nothing in it. And, although I can DO it , getting it on the roof easily..well... ain't really that all that "easy"

what are you doing ??

[Alphahawk]

Are you guys throwing your yak onto the roof rack of your vehicle - or do you use a small trailer ??

My kayak ( a Ride 115 ) about 80 lbs w/ nothing in it. And, although I can DO it , getting it on the roof easily..well... ain't really that all that "easy"

what are you doing ??

I car topped for a while...then I sprung for a trailer. Makes my life much easier.



Regards

[Adough]

Back of my truck.

[j19bill]

U can look on Craig's list and get a jet ski trailers pretty cheap and have a trailer that can carry a single or multiple yaks. That's what I plan on doing if I ever get enough money to buy me one.

Sent from my Droid Bionic complete with typos and sarcasm.

[Doc Marshall]

I have a small 1994 Toyota Camry, so I can relate. When I first bought my kayak, I had some back pain and I was petrified that lugging my Coosa around would be a non-starter. Many kayaks are not that heavy, but they can be an awkward 70 pounds.

I use a Yakima roof rack with two hully rollers. Basically, I prop the kayak on towel on my trunk and then lift & roll it into place on the roof. It works beautifully. I tie the kayak down with straps through each of the four side windows AND at the bow and stern. Peace of mind is important when driving 80 mph around sunrise.

I also purchased a kayak cart at REI. It's just a small cradle with two rubber wheels. However, it's very handy when transporting my kayak to and from its storage shed.

Once you get used to it, the whole process of loading and unloading a kayak is a breeze. I'm in and out the water much faster than any bass boater!

[bfish]

Roof top for me. Most of my access points aren't large enough for a trailer.

Good technique makes loading up top much easier.

I have a landscape trailer and another trailer for my raft/pontoons that I could easily use for kayaks but almost never do.

[jad2t]

I have the same kayak and I put mine on the roof of my Jeep. I think it weighs just under 70 lbs without the seat. If you can't easily get it overhead and on top of a vehicle, get a trailer. Don't risk getting hurt trying.

[geckel]

A cheap way is to use two foam blocks (thereby separating your kayak from the finish on your car's roof) and tie it down through front windows and rear windows. After you've done that it is imperative that you secure the bow and stern to your bumpers...interstate speeds will rip it right off your car otherwise. That being said.......x2 for tossing it in the truck bed haha...so easy.:D

[nofish]

I've seen jet ski trailers go for between $150-$250.

[blink]

I have a ladder rack on my truck and have a 16' canoe that I just lift one end of on top the rack and grab the other end and slide on.

[TomD]

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/Grumman002_zpsb3749d13.jpghttp://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/Grumman001_zpsa8f14f8a.jpghttp://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/AndertonLandingTimsFord51209009_zps2a934d8a.jpgI carried my 18' Grumman canoe on the roof of my truck using a "T" bar up from the rear bumper and a roof cross bar. It weighs about 100 lbs and that got to be too much for my old bones so I set up a trailer and added the side rails which made a big difference when the wind was blowing at the landing I could pull right up into the cradle and pull it put of the water. With all the gear I was able to keep the motor and battery in the canoe along with a bow weight (75lb lead billet) coolers etcs and it sure made life easier. the canoe is one my dad bought when I was a kid (im 66 now so its seen many miles of water.)
The boat is my 18' Grumman. The decks dont show but its pretty easy to fish from very comfortable. I could use more rod storage!
[IMG]http://www.fishingtn.com/<a href=http://s426.photobucket.com/user/TnTomWoodbury/media/Rod%20building/Grumman002_zpsb3749d13.jpg.html target=_blank>http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/Grumman002_zpsb3749d13.jpg

[Bassassasin]

http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/Grumman002_zpsb3749d13.jpghttp://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/Grumman001_zpsa8f14f8a.jpghttp://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/AndertonLandingTimsFord51209009_zps2a934d8a.jpgI carried my 18' Grumman canoe on the roof of my truck using a "T" bar up from the rear bumper and a roof cross bar. It weighs about 100 lbs and that got to be too much for my old bones so I set up a trailer and added the side rails which made a big difference when the wind was blowing at the landing I could pull right up into the cradle and pull it put of the water. With all the gear I was able to keep the motor and battery in the canoe along with a bow weight (75lb lead billet) coolers etcs and it sure made life easier. the canoe is one my dad bought when I was a kid (im 66 now so its seen many miles of water.)
The boat is my 18' Grumman. The decks dont show but its pretty easy to fish from very comfortable. I could use more rod storage!
[IMG]http://www.fishingtn.com/<a href=http://s426.photobucket.com/user/TnTomWoodbury/media/Rod%20building/Grumman002_zpsb3749d13.jpg.html target=_blank>http://i426.photobucket.com/albums/pp342/TnTomWoodbury/Rod%20building/Grumman002_zpsb3749d13.jpg

[Bassassasin]

Disregard my last post, I have to get familiar with the newer post and replies being on top of the thread...Sorry!

[Alphahawk]

Nice looking setup for the canoe.




Regards

[blink]

Disregard my last post, I have to get familiar with the newer post and replies being on top of the thread...Sorry!


I found that you can change this in your User CP.

[ditz1]

I put tie downs on all 4 corners of my S-10 truck bed. I put one strap up and over the nose and then I put another over the back of the yak so that it can not bounce up or down and to keep it from sliding from side to side. I also put a red flag on the rear of the yak. It looks funky from the side because of lots of hang over but it rode just fine from Huntsville AL when I brought it home. I haven't had it wet yet but I expect no problems hauling it and it is quite easy to load in this manner. If, for some reason this doesn't work out a trailer will be next. I am too old to be putting it up on the top of a vehicle. The specs say it weighs 80# but it sure feels heavier than that to me. One end is really more than I like to pick up.

[Alphahawk]

I put tie downs on all 4 corners of my S-10 truck bed. I put one strap up and over the nose and then I put another over the back of the yak so that it can not bounce up or down and to keep it from sliding from side to side. I also put a red flag on the rear of the yak. It looks funky from the side because of lots of hang over but it rode just fine from Huntsville AL when I brought it home. I haven't had it wet yet but I expect no problems hauling it and it is quite easy to load in this manner. If, for some reason this doesn't work out a trailer will be next. I am too old to be putting it up on the top of a vehicle. The specs say it weighs 80# but it sure feels heavier than that to me. One end is really more than I like to pick up.

IMHO a pickup truck is the easiest way to haul a kayak....and you can tie it down quicker also. That car topping is for younger guys...LOL.

Regards

[Rover1966]

I haul my ride 115 in my ram truck bed

[TomD]

The problem I had with the Canoe as I grew older was not being able to stand up and move around. It was very comfortable only if I sat with my legs over the side sitting on the stern seat. Fine in the hot summer days.

How do you Kayakers manage to sit like that and not stand at all. I could stand in the canoe, even take a leak but wasn't stable but I had my wading shoes on so it didn't matter.

I didn't realize kayaks were in the 70# and up catagory. I can attest that a roof rig ond a truck, then having to carry all the stuff to the water, bow weight 70#, battery 60#, trolling motor not counting fishing gear cooler, camping gear, paddles, back packs without a trailer doesnt fly at all. Maybe a few times until I learned better.

Mine was a square stern Grumman 18' (see pics below) vintage 1953. The trailer made so much difference in what you could leave on board and not spend an hour getting in the water. Out side of Alaska (I was a kid then when my dad bought the canoe ($75.00) We hunted with it on occasion and it would be maxed out at times but we also ported with it and a lot less gear.

Interestingly I remember the Eskimo hunters and their kayaks those folks hunted bare bones (no pun intended).

I sold the canoe a while back and bought an older again Grumman deep V 14' Aluminum with a 25 Evinrude and its easy to fish from. So I can stand up walk around and with the trailer again I can take everything I don't always need. I'd like to carry a small kayak very small to pull behind me.

In short I'd slide it into the bed of the truck. Use it for my camping gear.

[Alphahawk]

A lot of folks stand and fish in their kayaks...I don't...cant. When I need to stretch I just pull over and get out. The kayaks now are very stable and getting in and out of a sit on top kayak is easy...even for an old fat man like me.



Regards

[Reel Tune]

I started truck topping one Pro Angler 130lbs, and putting the other in the bed. Getting a 130lb kayak on top of a 6'8" cab is a difficult task. The weight of the Pro Anglers were too muck for the car's roof. Our first trailer was a Magenta, then we bought lighter weight kayaks 70lbs each and then were able to car top with Yakima Racks. We sold our Magenta trailer and picked up a Yakima Trailer and just got back from our 1st long trip with it. It pulled just fine down to the Keys and back traveling at 80 mph. I still car top on the Accord, if it's just me for a weekend trip, but for the most part we have turned the Outback and the Yakima Rack and Roll into the main fishing vessell.

Jeremy

[bfish]

...

How do you Kayakers manage to sit like that and not stand at all..... I stand up in my kayak (Jackson Coosa) but having multiple seating positions (seat low with legs out, seat low and legs bent, seat high with legs out, seat high with legs bent, seat high and feet flat on floor) it is not necessary to stand and still stay comfortable on 8+ hr floats.