boating and teardropping.

[Dale M.]

You need one of these....



http://www.motornomadics.com/going-on-a-camp-triathlon/

or....

http://trailorboattrailers.multiply.com ... /photo/7/2

Dale

[Yakangler]

Kayaks are the way to go!! Have no fear of tipping or rolling... Do a little research and you'll find many options that are built with stability in mind. I've been in canoes, inflatables, jon boats, and bass boats, but nothing compares to the independence and freedom that a kayak offers. You can easily load and unload off your vehicle (or TD in this case) and carry it or bulid a little set of wheels to transport to your favorite river or lake shore.

[M C Toyer]

I second what yakangler said.

I have a 10 foot long 35 pound kayak on top of my 4 x 8 foot trailer (not a teadrop) and you never know its there when towing. Could put a second beside it with little change in performance and gas milage.

I don't fish but use mine to explore sites not reachable on foot. I sometimes use a battery powered trolling motor with it and have not had any stability concerns.

M C

[Shadow Catcher]

We have four canoes that sit above the rafters in the garage, one solo two for white water, and our 18'4" MadRiver with lines close to a racing canoe but an 1800# capacity. The upside down canoe on top of the TV filled with dry bags (prevents air cavitation) may well improve the aerodynamics, I will find out when we head up to Lake Superior Provincial Park next summer now that I have the ultraguage (measures actual MPG).



I know of one individual who found that having a boat on top of his truck while towing a conventional trailer actually improved his MPG.

[Redgloves]

[quote="I know of one individual who found that having a boat on top of his truck while towing a conventional trailer actually improved his MPG.[/quote]

Heard that from others also.

Used kayaks are available, major differences in brands, lengths, and seats.

[Verna]

Slow cowboy, I fish from a sit-on-top inexpensive kayak. It only weighs 37 lbs and is 9.5' long. I can put it on the roof rack of my Escape.

It's not made for fishing, but I have adapted it for fishing. My poles have clips on them to clip to a thin rope to keep them from falling in the water. I use a clear dry-bag to keep my tackle in--I can see what I have and it has a clip to attach to the rope, too. The rope is just attached to one of the clips on my seat.

No gas is needed--just a paddle. Yes...NO GAS NEEDED!!!!! You can get into some of the tiniest coves and streams that your Jon boat would never fit in.

The sit-on-top models are easier to get in and out of for me. After 3 knee surgeries, I can't bend my knees enough to gracefully exit the other type without dunking myself. They also seem so much more steady in the water--hard to tip over. They ride in the water like a flat-bottomed Jon boat--hard to tip over.

Check the used market for one. I paid around $400 for the kayak, seat, paddle, and dry bag--all new. 6 years later and I'm still using the same one so they do last.

[Fishingtomatoseed]

I fish from the yaks the time. Have not put one on top of the tear yet but want to. Right now I just stuff them in the back of the truck. Kayaks are the the way to go when fishing small water and by yourself.

[Wimperdink]

Here's mine. 6' long. I just throw it in on the floor of my standee. It was built for teardropping.

[ParTaxer]

I have both a kayak and an inflatable pontoon. I rigged a transom on the pontoon and with a small trolling motor I can put out a wake. Its very comfortable. However, over last winter, it developed leaks. I think mice may have chewed through the bladders. My only concern for Slow would be how cold does the water get in WY. By the way, I power it with a jump starter power pack.

[M C Toyer]

if i got a kayak it would have to be stable enough to take a electric trolling motor and battery.

as I don't paddle.

Cowboy -

My kayak was less than $200 new but I put in another $100 for a new 30# thrust trolling motor, which I suppose I could get for half that used, and a $30 lawnmower battery.

This first attempt was just a trial to see if it worked and was worth the effort. My kayak is a sit-in but on the small side (under 10 foot long and 35 #). The total capacity is 300 # which with my power set-up and dog leaves me a fair margin. I also carry a paddle, push pole, and hand bilge pump.

I stuffed all the void areas in the bow and below the locker with styrofoam for additional bouyancy if it takes on too much water (they all will). It is stable on our lakes and lazy Texas rivers but I wouldn't use the motor on a fast flowing stream or any kind of rapids.

It was actually a fishing kayak but I don't fish so I used the rod holders as an attachment point for the motor and battery so I did not have to put any holes in the hull.

I'm playing around with a small sail with pvc electrical conduit for a mast which will fit in another rod holder in front of the cockpit. I wouldn't try to mount the sail and the motor at the same time. The sail would be more suitable for lakes.

M C

[M C Toyer]

Here's mine. 6' long. I just throw it in on the floor of my standee. It was built for teardropping.

That's way cool. I assume you built it yourself - Is it your own design or a standard plan? What is the hull material; rubber, canvas or?

M C

[Wimperdink]

Here's mine. 6' long. I just throw it in on the floor of my standee. It was built for teardropping.

That's way cool. I assume you built it yourself - Is it your own design or a standard plan? What is the hull material; rubber, canvas or?

M C

Thanks, yes I built it using a set of plans from wooden widget .com. the material is a pvc coated polyester truck tarp over a wood frame. There are changes I would make if I built another one. It's more novelty than a serious fishing vessel. I had it out on a calm lake for approx three hours on my 4th time out and here is what I found.

The floor is flimsy, the bows are thin and creaky, it's difficult to reposition yourself once underway, the sides are too high to paddle so you would need oars. The trolling motor is good but heavy with the battery. I would recommend a 2-3hp gas motor.

If I had it to do over, I would buy a good quality inflatable kayak or boat w/ transom. I've built a few pirogues in the past that I liked a whole lot better. I've considered building another and cutting it just past the halfway mark so that one side would nest in the other and bolt together in the middle.

[rowerwet]

here is my answer to boating and camping,

the green boat is 30" wide and stable enough for me to stand up in http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=413593385329951&set=t.100000378802082&type=3&theater I have carried my wife and two youngest kids plus myself in this boat with a safety margin left, it will hold plenty.
The plans are freehttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/mouseboats/ , I built the boat out of only stuff from the hardware store. it takes 1 and a half sheets of 1/4" plywood, each boat cost me less than $60.
While there are guys who have put trolling motors on them, if you look at how far you really go with one it doesn't seem worth it to me for the trouble and weight of the battery, to each his own....
The white boat is actually meant for kids, but my wife can use it as well, it isn't any bigger than a roof top ski carrier case and doesn't hurt the gas enough to notice.
To car top a heavy boat I came up with this http://www.instructables.com/id/the-boa ... -any-boat/ but haven't built it yet, I currently use this to load it http://www.instructables.com/id/easy-wa ... e-or-boat/
every time I take my boats out on the lake I get people asking about them, and more than one person has asked to buy one... a little possible income if needed...
praying things work out for you.

[suckerpunched]

funny you should bring up this subject,,,,,been wanting to do some treasure hunting and hope to borrow one of my son in laws kayaks next spring to explore the bear river in hopes of finding an old stagecoach robbery cache. I'm hopin to be able to keep upright and pack a metal detector onboard. Just another adventure that keeps me going....

[Oldragbaggers]

Anybody tried a PortaBote??