Easing Sparty’s Burden – A Kayak Trailer

#vanlife .

Our van Sparty had an easy 2020 with few long trips and only rare times that we needed to sleep inside. We made it easier on him (and on us) by buying a small trailer and moving the kayaks off of the roof.

Kayak trailer

That $300 trailer from Harbor Freight seemed like a good deal.  It went together relatively easily and only required one trip to the emergency room.  Using the wrong tool, Mr Ram stabbed himself in the hand.  Mrs Ram rushed him to the emergency room.  Of course with Covid she was not allowed in with Mr Ram.  So she took the opportunity to go shopping at Hobby Lobby.  With Mr Ram stitched up, she picked him up and he went back to work finishing the trailer.

After a few months that trailer seemed less of a good deal.  The paint was flaking off and the frame was rusting.

Rust

Most of the trailer now has been painted with a zinc primer.  In retrospect we should have spent more and gotten one that was galvanized.

However even though the trailer is not as good as we had hoped, it definitely makes it easier to load and unload the kayaks.  Now we can easily kayak for 3 or more hours and do not worry about having enough energy to boost the kayaks back on to the roof.

ADDED on 1/21/2021:  I would not trust the review at Harbor Freight.  I have tried to post a detail review with pictures about my experince with this trailer several times.  The have not published any of them.

 

 

 

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