I have talked to several people about using trailers, and everyone has a different opinion. Here is my question. How far will you trailer your raft inflated? Is it better to deflate it and use the trailer to haul your gear? Are there concerns about rubbing and chaffing if you keep your raft inflated? Ok, that is more than one question, but I am curious as to what everyone thinks.
I just ordered a small (4'x8' bed), fold-up trailer for hauling my boat and gear to and from the river. Does anyone else have a trailer that small? I was thinking of doing something similar to what Danadog shows in the picture, but am not sure the trailer is really big enough to do that. My boat is an NRS Otter, 14' x 7', so it's not quite twice the size of the trailer bed.
As sad as it may be, my towing vehicle is a Mustang GT.The boat is almost bigger than the car! It actually says in the manual you can tow with it (1,000 lbs), so I am not too worried about it from that perspective. I am more concerned about wind load and the boat itself.
I guess I do wonder how much all the stuff weighs by the time I get it on the trailer. The trailer itself weighs less than 300 lbs, so I have 700 lbs to play with for the boat and all other gear. Seems like most of the weight, after the trailer, is the cooler full of beer!
I'm thinking I'm best off to just haul the boat deflated to be on the safe side.
I use a trailer that size without any problems. I put a couple of cross pieces about 6 & 1/2 feet long and about 6 inches high on it using square fence posts and 2X4's. That gives it plenty of room to hold the raft and keeps the boat higher than the tires. I haul my boat inflated to save time at the put in. On these dam controlled rivers here in the east, if your not ready on time the river will leave without you!
14' NRS Expedition
Old Dagger
Frame
Gear for 2 days
2 people and 2 dogs(that think there people)
1998 Honda Civic Hachback...
(40 mpg... well 35 with all that weight.)
Wow, nice job. As I get ready for a multi-day, it's a good reminder it can be done with less,,, stuff (crap). It's so easy to overdo it with our ability to carry it all. It's hard to imagine where the dogs went, perhaps yours are small, or like to sit on your lap like one of my goldens (yes, not very safe, but she's spoiled).
^^^ you'll have no problems towing that with a mustang. My 4-cyl 143hp suzuki tows more weight with no problems (even though the manual says the vehicle isn't designed for towing).
The Mustang hardly knew the trailer and boat were there. It actually towed very smoothly. It just seems wrong to use a Mustang like that, but hey, whatever it takes! I do get a lot of wise cracks about the hitch on the Mustang. The car guys I know are especially surprised by it. :-D
just a thought, put an extension from the trailer hitch (box tube-ing) out 4-6' into a t-bar configeration, at the end. This will give the user 14-16' of bed space. (pick-ups)Of course, self-supporting the entire raft will need some added support.
just a hitch extension.
I have used this method a few times hauling a flat bottom boat, on the way to hunting alligators.
I'm diggin' this post. New question, though slightly unrelated sort of. I just bought a great little simple deck trailer, but my Tacoma doesn't have a receiver hitch and the bumper hitch makes the damn thing sit at an angle. Anyone know the cheapest place to get a receiver hitch or have one used for a Tacoma?
I don't know about the Fort, but Lambert Hitch in Denver does a good job. I suspect they are not the cheapest in town. I use they because they do a good job.
I would check out U-Haul. They install trailer hitches at a very reasonable price. I had one put on a Jeep last year for under $250 out the door with everything you will need. That was down in Denver, off of Santa Fe I believe. I used it all last season with no problems.
Go to your local salvage yard and get one off a wrecked vehicle. Probably $50 or so.
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