Kayak Trailer * Take Two

Jeff Horton

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The Heart of Dixie
Well, I am have pretty much decided against the enclosed trailer. I am have been playing around with an idea for a wooden box. I just hate to build an ugly plywood box. :eek: So I was toying around with some ideas.

tailerbox1.jpg

I am thinking of just buying construction lumber (pine). Plane it down square and building a frame and panel style box. Making the panels out of exterior grade plywood.

I would probably buy 2x10's and rip them down since you get a much better looking piece of lumber than with 2x4's. Mount the plywood in the panels bedding them in caulking. That would help keep the water out of the joints. Then stain/point the whole box.

I also thought about putting a lattice instead of panels. Since this is not going to be water tight it would allow air flow to dry out wet 'stuff'. I could use the vinyl lattice.


kayak trailer2.jpg

I would add a PT plywood floor and add some cleats to hold it in place. The brace across the box would line up with the trailer so I could attach it to the existing metal work.

The center brace would allow for a place to attach hinges. I was thinking two piece top so it could be opened from either end. I could add a hasp and for lock if needed

tailerbox3.jpg tailerbox4.jpg

Here is the rack. I drew it just using 2x4's. I was thinking of notching the uprights so that there is no chance of it racking. I could then just bolt it in place. Cheap and easy.

Same with the cross bars. Ship lap joints for rigidity. Put a couple of stainless or galvanized bolts through the joint with some caulking to keep the water out and it should make a long last rack. Even if not very elegant. ;)
 
Some issues to think about:

The weight carrying ability may not be as important as the forces of lift trying to turn the kayaks into aircraft.
The effect of direct and cross wind on the trailer may be a factor at highway speeds.
Fabric sides/top may act like a hot air balloon if air gets in the trailer at highway speeds.
Something hidden in a trailer is a peek "just asking for it".
 
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Jeff, what about something like this........

gull_wing1.jpg gull_wing2.jpg

Now this one is aluminum, but they do have them made from a plastic sheet.....

gull_wing3.jpg

I think for your trailer, something like this would be fairly easy, the lightweight sheets would be the way to go, the bottom part, or door, would just fold down flat over the wheels, easy to make, I think, simple steel tub frame, welded up, and you are good to go.

Cheers!
 
Fabric sides/top may act like a hot air balloon if air get in the trailer at highway speeds.

I was thinking of heat shrink nylon. It will taunt enough to break frames if over down. So ballooning would never be a problem.


That idea has merit Stu. Far cry from my original idea but I like it. Down side is the cost to build. My original goal was to keep it cheap. I don't see building something like this cheap... well as cheap as I want anyway.

For now at least I am about 95% sure I am going to do an open rack trailer. It's simpler and quicker.
 
Honestly I think that an open rack trailer is the way to go, they are the only kind I've ever seen:dunno:

I imagine if you were trucking you kayaks all over the country you would want an enclosed trailer, but more for the security than anything else.

Cheers!
 
I had two motives for a enclosed trailer. Main one being it could serve as a garage. No loading and unloading, just hook up and go. Everthing would be inside. Come home and unhook. Doesn't get any easier!

Second, it was a rolling billboard for advertising. ;)

For now I am just going to put it on the back burner. But I have not given up.
 
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