Trailer for laser..? Whats everyones favorite choice

C

CWRSNY

New Member
I live 20 min from the water and sail by myself. What is everyones choice for a trailer that can be hooked up to a hitch? Stainless, Alum? Brand?, As there are several choices.
 
The stainless Kitty Hawk is actually a few pound lighter than the galvanized. One of these days Ken will get his own website.
 
Kitty Hawk. Galvie is cheaper than SS. Weighs 99 lbs, can't feel it behind the car. Tracks perfectly. Then it's light enough to use as a dolly at most locations.
 
the kitty for sure. not only is it light and easy to manuever, but the bow swivel makes it easy for one person to transfer to a seitech. order stainless.
 
I would also think galv is easier to care for than SS, just hose it, no need to keep shiny
 
I don't think it really matter's if you take care of it, most people hear in SoCal, were we sail on the ocean, have galvanized
 
I would be concerned with the 8" wheels spinning way too fast - very hard on your bearings.

How often do you repack you them? Do you ever check to see if they get hot?
 
yea, driving 80-100 with a kitty hawk is just plain unsafe, unwise, and negligent

think of what could happen if a wheel exploded at 100, and what could happen to those around you

and saying "Thats what insurance is for..." is just plain negligent
and I would like to hear what your insurance agent would have to hear when he hears you were going 100 for a trailer rated for no more than 65

the legal limit here in SoCal I beleive is 65 for trailers, and seems like the right speed
 
I would definitely recomend the Kitty Hawk in either stainless or galvanized over the Trailex because both versions of the Kitty Hawk cost and weigh less than the Trailex. The Kitty Hawk also has the bow pivot which enables you to lift your boat off the trailer unassisted.

I have owned multiple Kitty Hawk trailers over the past 15 years and they have been extremely reliable and tow well for their size.

Regards,

Fred Herr
 
re: 8" wheels -

An 8" wheel is too small except for a short distance garden trailer. I got rid of the 8's and put new 12" wheels and tires on. Something many people don't realize is that tires can be worn out even with plenty of tread left - it's a matter of the rubber aging and UV damage.

I also added mud flaps to keep the crud off the back of the hull (full cover later).
 

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I still don't get why you don't just throw them on the roof of the car =P
Then you can drive pretty much as fast as you like without any trouble, and you don't have to have a big stupid thing hanging behind your car =P
 
MasterMike said:
re: 8" wheels -

An 8" wheel is too small except for a short distance garden trailer. I got rid of the 8's and put new 12" wheels and tires on. Something many people don't realize is that tires can be worn out even with plenty of tread left - it's a matter of the rubber aging and UV damage.

I also added mud flaps to keep the crud off the back of the hull (full cover later).
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Did you have any clearance issues with the fenders when going to a larger tire?
 
I upgraded my 8" wheels to 12" also (Load Rite Bandit trailer - see "Trailer Box" thread.)

Earlier this year, I upgraded my fenders to longer ones - to better cover the taller tires, keeping crud off the boat.
 
Josef said:
I still don't get why you don't just throw them on the roof of the car =P
Then you can drive pretty much as fast as you like without any trouble, and you don't have to have a big stupid thing hanging behind your car =P
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How long dies it take you to put it up on the car?
Do you have saddles for it?
 
A few minutes, I just put it upside down on the ordinary, whatever they're called things =P
I just take some kind of cloth and put on the back of the car and on the ground just behind the car and tip the boat over the car, works great =p
 
you know josef, the thread is about trailers that we use and like, not putting the boat on your roof. we have all used the roof at times. i used my roof alot in the past, but now i have a trailer and it's great. if you want to to discuss cartopping, start a thread about the subject.
 
torrid said:
Did you have any clearance issues with the fenders when going to a larger tire?
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Nope - fits just right. There was really a lot of space around the stock fenders with the 8" wheel, to the point where they didn't do anything. The 12 is good. Doesn't hop on freeway bumps.

I agree that our friend CWRSNY is asking about trailers. He is only 20 min from the water and rooftop might work fine. For those of us that travel hundreds of miles with kids and camping stuff, a trailer that tracks as well as the KH with no extra drag on the car is great.

My experience with smallish cars with pre-set Yakima rack location points is that a Laser hangs way out past the rack bars, and I didn't like how it pushed on the deck in less than ideal spots, even with pads. If I was doing it a lot, I'd make a 2x wood frame that carries the boat correctly, then clamps to the Yakima bars. Then again, it's taller, more drag, and harder to lift onto.
 
On the topic of trailers, how much does one of those things weight? (in kg preferably=P)

you know josef, the thread is about trailers that we use and like, not putting the boat on your roof. we have all used the roof at times. i used my roof alot in the past, but now i have a trailer and it's great. if you want to to discuss cartopping, start a thread about the subject.
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I find it quite on topic as he might not be aware that transporting it on the roof is a quite viable solution, and in that case he might waste money that could have been better spent elsewhere.
Now if he actualy just wants a trailer, thats another story, but reading the first post it sounds like if he is looking for the best/easiest way to transport his boat.
 
Thanks everyone for the response, I ended up buying the Kitty SS, as a follow up the Roof is not an option for me. My explorer roof is too high and I am generally by myself and unable to lift the hull to that height so a trailer is my best bet.
 
Those of us with smaller cars (Europe ?) cannot put a Laser on the roof. My Peugeot 206 has a roof weight limit of 50Kg (a touch too low, but then add a bit more for mast, etc.). Plus I guess it would need a custom rack made as the roof rack/bars are specific for the vehicle and are not wide enough to take a Laser. For me (being the feeble weakling I am) I'm sure I would end up damaging the boat as well.


Personally (and with a smaller vehicle) I'm happier at speed with the boat on a trailer than having it on the roof as well. In France, trailing a Laser does not reduce the speed limit (in UK trailing reduced the speed limit on faster roads but not in France for light weight trailers/loads).


Ian
 
I'm looking at buying a trailex, but can you sandwich two boats one on top of the other using the appropriate padding, or would it be to much weight on the bottom boat?
 
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