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Tandem Portage Trailer 480 lbs carry capacity, 98 lbs trailer weight, length 12’6”.


The super lightweight Tandem Portage Trailer can either be pulled by your vehicle or wheeled around by hand. The tubular racking system is designed to carry five kayaks or three canoes or a combination of both. The Tandem Portage Trailer is constructed from aluminum and stainless steel, uses a spoked bicycle like wheel with sealed bearings and weighs in at only 98 lbs. The three kayak frame is easily removed and an optional basket can be attached adding more versatility. www.portagetrailer.com. MSRP $1699.00 plus shipping and handling.


Pros Super light, easily wheeled around or even lifted if you get yourself jack- knifed in a tight spot. The versatility of carrying canoes and kayaks is nice, so is the optional basket. A little high to lift the boats when loading but you can easily lift one end at a time. Length from axle to coupler is only ten feet so it follows very easily—no sweeping wide turns required. Excellent ground clearance for off-roading, and boats sit within mirror range.


Cons The trailer is so light and combined with thin tires and coil spring sus- pension it bounces around, especially when the trailer is empty. Fenders offer little coverage and are flimsy. The short length makes backing up more tricky as it quickly carves off one way or the other–practice required. Pricey.


Ensure the tow ball and the coupler share the same size and the ball is secured to the vehicle. Ensure the coupler is fully around the ball, secure the latch and as a back up lock with a cotter pin or pad lock. Safety chains act as a backup in case your hitch lets go. The chains should be crossed to pre- vent the tongue from falling onto the road and so the trailer follows in a straight line. Be sure the safety chains are long enough so they do not come tight when cornering. Other things that will ruin your day are flat tires, bad wheel bearings or a ticket for a blown taillight bulb. Most kayaks extend well past the trailer, check your provincial or state laws to determine when a red flag or rear light is necessary.


When you are loading your boats ensure they are securely tied down and balanced on the trailer. After a change in weather (wet to dry or dry to wet) and at gas and food stops, check your tie-downs to ensure everything is snug before you head back on the road.


Get Y our Motor Run’n,


Head Out on the Highway Towing a light utility or kayak trailer doesn’t require a Yosemite Sam tat- too or a Billy Ray Cyrus T-shirt, it’s just a matter of modifying a few driving habits to compensate for the extra load. Although kayaks, even loaded ones, don’t weight all that much, your vehicle’s stopping distance will be less. If you are not careful, you can be pushed into intersections or stuffed into someone’s bumper. The solution is easy, slow down sooner and leave yourself more fol- lowing distance in traffic.


When you pull out to pass, consider that it will take longer to generate rocket speed and you will have to go further to fit your trailer back in ahead of Grandad. Swerving in and out of traffic Montreal style is contraindicated and could result in trailer swayage (new word) or fishtailing (real word). If swayage occurs, slow down. If it wasn’t aggressive driving that caused it, stop and get out to find the problem. Look for blown tires, hitching problems or an uneven load.


Drivers who tow powerboats and RVs typically add mirror extensions so they can see around their wide load. When towing smaller kayak or utility trailers we often have a different problem. The trailers are so small and nar- row we can’t see them at all. Try taping a note to the inside of your sunglasses to remind yourself that you are pulling a trailer. The cart always has a tighter turning radius than the horse, so you need to lead the turn wider to compensate. There is nothing more humiliating for a truck driver than scrubbing the trailer wheels on the curb—and where there


Wheeling it around One of the nice features of light kayak or utility trailers is the abil- ity to wheel the trailer around.


Hitch


Ensure the ball and coupler are the same size and lock with a pin or pad lock for added securi- ty. Ensure the chains are crossed and are long enough to turn with- out dragging. Always check your lights to ensure the plug makes a good connection.


Tree hugger Although short kayak trailers fol- low pretty well, you can get your- self in a tricky situation. Simply start your turns a little wider and have a quick look at your mirror as you come around. (We set this up...honest!)


is a curb there are pedestrians. Making wider than normal turns is one of the joys of hauling a trailer and a snap to master. Hog the road not the sidewalk! I’ve saved backing up to the end. The driving experts suggest placing your hand at the bottom of the wheel, then if you want the trailer to go left, move your hand to the left, if you want it to go right move your hand right. This technique works of course but takes some practice, ideally in an area where you can’t damage anything. If all else fails and you can’t possibly back up a trailer don’t let that stop you from trailering your kayaks to the water. A kayak trailer is so light you can simply unhook it and roll it away or as a wise truck driver once told me, don’t drive into any situations you can’t drive out of.


—Our editor Scott MacGregor has miles of trailer hauling experience under his belt from the years he worked driving tanker trucks for his folks at their company Scotholme Liquid Transfer.


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