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REviews by scott macgregor


Trailering Your Boats T


T owing Y our Boat You could re-mortgage your house to invest in a Kevlar™ sea kayak but


it’s often not the weight of the boat that makes it difficult to transport, it is the height of your roof racks and the fact that the boat extends six feet past your wingspan. Kayak trailers are lower to the ground requiring you to lift the boat only to your waist. You can also easily do one end at a time. Some trailers are designed so you can even back down into the water and float your boat off and on the trailer.


Depending on the size of your parking area around home, trailers add the convenience of being able to leave the boats ready to go at any moment. No more loading boats early in the morning or unloading late on Sunday night. Simply unhook the trailer and go to bed. This convenience could come at a severe cost if you’re not careful. Insurance claims indicate that thieves


here is something about hauling a trailer that changes how people drive. They start to turn a little wider and feel like they deserve a little more than their fair share of the road. It’s perfectly accept- able to grind the odd gear and wear large belt buckles even if you’re only pulling a small trailer loaded with touring kayaks. Towing your boats to the water offers plenty of advantages over the traditional roof rack method.


However, many potential kayak-towing paddlers shy away from trailers. With a better understanding of the advantages, how to hitch and a few driving tips the only thing left holding them back will be the installation of a CB radio, 10-4?


also enjoy the added convenience of stealing boats pre-loaded twice as much as plucking them from your yard or roof. To prevent your pride and joy from being a fond memory, store your trailer in the safety of your backyard, in the garage or as out of sight as possible. Run a pad lock through the hitch closure and if possible back this up by chaining the trail- er to a large tree. There are various kayak locking devices, none are fool proof but they are more work than cutting a rope. Now that you don’t have to strongarm your boat onto your roof, your hatches become 250 litre suitcases. You can even pack for a trip in the


convenience of your own backyard. Keep an eye on your gear when stop- ping at the grocery store for last minute items. Plastic automotive zip-ties zipped around the closure buckles work well to deter hatch snoopers from helping themselves. Keep a pair of wire cutters handy, so you can get them off.


Hitching Y our Ride


There are few sicker feelings than seeing your trailer full of boats pass you on the highway. Ask around at kayak outfitters, it happens. Where I grew up, ensuring the trailer is properly hitched is the responsibility and pride (or humiliation) of the driver. Get out and check it yourself.


EZE Float Trailer 250 lbs carrying capacity, 125 lbs trailer weight, 15’ 6” in length with long tongue.


The EZE Float Trailer is a steel and fibreglass kayak trailer designed to carry two rec, light touring or full-sized sea kayaks. Boats can be hand


loaded or floated onto the trailer when backed down into the water. The kayaks rest on a padded mat and are tied down to plastic eyelets. You can choose different tongue lengths to match the length of your boats. The tongue is easily unbolted from the trailer, so the body can be flipped on end for winter storage. For longer boats an optional rudder mounted reflector is available. www.eze-float.com . CDN MSRP $980 +shipping


Pros Very low deck for loading and ability to float boats. Kayaks are well padded. Beefy safety chains and hooks. The removable tongue is clever and makes storing easy. Wheel placement at the back of the trail- er makes it manageable to back-up—longer wheel bases are less twitchy. Good fender coverage keeps stones and dirt from your boats. A light trailer but heavy enough that it doesn’t bounce and hop with every little bump in the road. Good value.


Cons Plastic eyelets are small and tricky to thread with webbing tie downs. So low and narrow it is difficult to see in the mirrors of larger vehicles. If you are going to back it into the water, think about adding greaseable bearing caps. Carries only two boats comfortably.


40 FALL2002


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