How to Make a Kayak Trailer

If you can find an old boat trailer and you know how to weld or have a local welding shop that does custom work, you can make a sturdy trailer that will carry up to 8 kayaks. All you have to do is collect additional metal pieces and arrange and weld the new pieces to the trailer.

Things You'll Need

  • Used boat trailer
  • 6 tube steel cross members, 2 by 2 by 6 feet
  • 2 tube steel uprights, 2 by 4 by 5 feet 4 inches
  • Welding machine and supplies
  • Tape measure and marker
  • Grinder and disk assortment
  • Clamps
  • 8 carpet strips, 10 inches wide by 3 feet
  • 24 zip ties
  • Paint, primer and painting supplies
  • 16 half inch eye bolts
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Instructions

  1. Simple All Steel Trailer

    • 1

      Clean the boat trailer and check the wiring to make sure the tail lights, brake lights and turn signals work. Check the tires and wheel bearings to make sure the tires have good tread and the wheels turn freely. Cut off the winch post, boat skids and pads with the grinder's cutoff disk.

    • 2

      Weld (or have your local welding shop weld) the two 2-by-4 uprights securely to the boat frame at the front and back of the trailer in the center of the frame standing straight up. The front tube will sit on top of the beam that extends forward and becomes the hitch. The rear tube will be welded flush to the side of the boat frame cross member. Turn the upright tubes so the 4-inch side faces the front of the trailer and the 2-inch sides are turned to face the sides of the trailer. This orientation provides a wider surface to weld the cross members to and eliminates the need for gusset plates or other supports.

    • 3

      Weld the two 6-foot cross members at the base of the uprights to support the bottom kayak. The cross member should sit just above the frame and no more than an inch or so above the top of the frame cross member. Mark the upright every 20 inches from the top of the lowest cross member to the top of the upright. Attach the top cross member to the top of the upright.

    • 4

      Clamp the cross members at their midpoint to the uprights with the tops at the 20 inch marks. Weld the cross members in place. Weld an eye bolt to the ends of each cross member and one in the center on the upright where the cross member is welded to the upright to provide a tie-down for the boats.

    • 5

      Paint the trailer. Use a primer coat and two coats of enamel paint for metal.

    • 6

      Wrap the cross members with carpet and zip-tie the carpet to the cross members. Place ties at both ends and in the middle.

    • 7

      Set the kayaks upside down on the arms of the front and rear cross trees, tie them down with bungee cords or webbing, and you're ready to go.