The Components of a Kayak Trailer

Trying to jam three kayaks on top of a car seldom works, so if you need to carry more than that, consider a trailer. Kayak trailers carry anywhere from two to 24 kayaks. Some trailers include multiple component features, such as cargo boxes, multi-level racks, spare tires and extended tongues.

  1. Cargo Boxes

    • A trailer-mounted cargo box keeps the gear out of the vehicle and leaves more room for passengers. It also allows you to store wet paddling gear away from the inside of your dry vehicle. Trailer owners and kayak trailer manufacturers often construct cargo boxes out of plywood, which can rot. To prevent the rot, they treat the wood with a waterproof coating, such as epoxy or paint. Cliff Jacobson, author of "Expedition Canoeing," writes that because the flat tops of cargo boxes receive drips from the boats and from rain, they need extra waterproofing.

    Kayak Racks

    • The kayak racks on a trailer hold the kayaks. For more than two kayaks, multi-level racks get used. Most trailers include two vertical support struts centered on the trailer that rise above the cargo box. At intervals wide enough to store kayaks on their sides, horizontal racks extend several feet outward. To store a kayak, the kayak sits on its side, and the kayaker secures the boat with a strap. Often, the racks are big enough to carry two kayaks, bottom to bottom, on each side of the vertical strut.

    Tires

    • The tires on a kayak trailer should be 15 inches or larger, because the weight from gear and kayaks causes the trailer to bounce around on gravel roads. The larger tires help prevent bouncing and hold up better to abuse. In addition, Cliff Jacobson recommends carrying two full-sized spare tires, especially into remote areas with rough roads.

    Extended Tongues

    • Many kayaks are 15 feet or longer, which means that without an extended tongue the kayak will hit the rear of your vehicle when centered on the rack. Like with other boat trailers, the tongue should extended far enough to keep the kayaks away from the back of the vehicle, and the length must allow the vehicle to turn sharply without hitting a kayak. Often, the tongue gets reinforced from each side with braces running from near the trailer hitch to the cargo box.