How to transport a laser???

cmansonh

Member
Hi,
I have an 03' Toyota Camry.I have will be buying a laser soon.What would be the best option for transporting the boat.

I have looked at the option.
  • Thule Rooftop Rack
  • Yakima Rooftop Rack
  • Kittyhawk or Trailex Trailer.
Please reply I am thinking about buying in the next few weeks.
I will not be moving the boat great distances,and I would like to save as much money as possible.Also what is best for the boat as the roads in my area arent the best.

Thanks!

cmansonh
 
A trailer is way, way better! You will have an awful time getting the boat on your car by yourself and a trailer lets you get the boat in the water without dragging it over things that may scratch it. In many cases you can also rig the boat on the trailer. I have a Kittyhawk and I think its very nice.
 
I haven't really taken my boats over rough roads, but on the Laser the safest place for the trailer to contact is the gunwale. That's why the Kittyhawk and other Laser specific trailers use the gunwales for supporting the boat.
 
Is it feasible to carry a laser on a roof rack??

Yes, that's certainly possible, but you will need another person to load and unload (unless you are a son of Superman).
There ares some tricks to do it all by yourself, but really, a trailer will make your life so much easier.

I have heard about damage to the gunnel while trailing over rough roads. Have you had any??

On rough roads you want to go slow, for obvious reason.
 
I have used the Trailex trailerin the past. Over time my Laser (an old boat 1989) has gotten multiple stress cracks in the hull,gunwale,and deck. As I progressed I realised that the best bet for my car (02 ford taurus) was the yakima rack with 58'' crossbars and LP pads on them. I always have someone help me with the boat at events.If you have a dolly you can strap it onto the top of your boat.The spars go on the side of the boat tied down to the crossbars. I also find that this is much easier if you are buying a new trailer as you dont have to attain a title or pay big bucks for a trailex or kitty hawk.

Naturally the best bet for moving a laser is on its deck beacause of the thicker core and more stringers.This also prevents any flex in the hull as the cars suspension is much softer than the trailex or kittyhawk. But dont forget to tie the bow and stern down.


James
 
I have a Trailex trailer and it is great. I haven't experienced any problems with rough roads, but there aren't many around here. Being able to set a laser on any trailer or rack would be pretty difficult with one person though, so maybe something like the Right-On Trailer here: http://www.rightontrailer.com would be better.
 
With mine on a trailer it makes it easier to: loan it to a friend (!), move it from the yard to the garage and back, show neighborhood kids how it all works, and most importantly it's the only way to transport more than one Laser which is a problem I hope to have soon.
 
I carry my laser on the roof of the car with the help of my dad
IMG_0630.JPG
 
Here's my thing. If I want to go sailing I load my stuff in the car, hitch the trailer, and head out to the lake. When I'm done, I am on the road in less than half an hour after getting ashore.

Cartopping, in addition to needing help lifting the boat, adds an hour to both ends. Maybe if I cartopped more often, I could get a system going and do it a little quicker.
 
yea me and my dad have got into the routine of it now so it doesnt take to long...the only thing i would say is that it is defiantly a two person job
 
More pictures of boats on cars....
http://sailingforums.com/threads/trailer-vs-roof-rack.17296/page-2#post-88155

Just use a little common sense, and and car-topping is fine.
Sure, a trailer is nice (I have one) but a roofrack is WAY cheaper for occasional use, easier to store, doesn't suffer from bearing/tire failure, is better for the boat because a car's suspension is better than a trailer's, is chaeper on ferries etc. etc.

Buying a kitty hawk to move your boat twice a year is overkill.
 
Having only cartopped since I bought my laser a couple years ago, I eventually developed a system that allows me to take the hull down single handedly in 8 minutes and up again in 12. At least, that's how long it took when I timed myself. The key is to support one end and move the other. Other than that, the time to rig and de-rig the bare hull is the same as on a trailer. The entire cartop setup cost me $300 (including tax). The trailer setup would have been around $1200+, including registration, lights, hitch, and purchase. Sometimes I long for the ease of the trailer, but since my boat is just a daysailer and I have yet to buy a second laser (soon!), I have not been able to justify the cost. I think a pictorial of the process is in the thread posted above. I have since eliminated the front harness (2 lines + loop) and rear harness (3 lines) that were overkill. Two straps around the hull, a third holding the dolly strap down, and a fourth between the handle of the dolly and the tow hooks are all that is necessary.
 
When I tow my laser (with a gunwhale hung trolley) I tie it down very tight right above the gunwhale to avoid sudden shocks because it will be very tight all the time not only when you go over a bump.
 
im not sure if they are in america but i use a trailer/dolly combination. its the boat on a launching trolly that goes onto a road trailer its proboubly the easiest thing to have as theres no lifting just pulling the launching trolley onto the road trailer. easily done by one person
 
I would get a trailer if you have the money, a bunch of guys trailer their boats to Florida every year with no problems, you still want to avoid rough roads even if you're car topping
 

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