Living Car Free - Car-free kayaking

Anyone do this? I was looking at a lone kayaker in the lake today, and thinking how much fun that would be. I think if I like the hobby I would want to own my own kayak rather than rent one (which is much more flexible)

I've googled around and looked at a few different makers of kayak trailers. I don't think hauling the kayak by bike should be a big deal, I live less than 2 miles from Lake Ontario. Of course if anyone has a favourite kayak/canoe trailer design let me know.

I'm also concerned though that once I get hooked on this hobby I'll want to find more places further afield to try out kayaking. Am I stuck then by renting a car to get there? (even if trains and Greyhound would take the kayak there's where to go from the depot to the water...) Is it hard to find car rental places that offer roof racks? I so rarely drive that I get a bit uncomfortable doing so.

It seems a kayak would make a good touring tailer, they're lightweight and aerodynamic. Maybe get a folding bike that will fit on the kayak and take extended bike-kayak tours.

I have a "Trayak", made by Tony Hoar (http://www.tonystrailers.com/) in Canada. I've been using it for several years now. It's lightweight and well designed. I live about 4 kms from the seashore, so most of the mileage is short distance. I have done one 600km tour with it. The Trayak can be fitted to haul up to 3 kayaks at one time, but I've never tried with more than one.

You could also throw a collapsible kayak (see e.g. Klepper (http://www.klepper.de) or Advanced Elements (http://www.advancedelements.com/)) on a normal cargo trailer and hitch that to a bike. I already had the kayak, so I opted for the kayak trailer instead. Additionally, although the Kleppers in particular are incredibly seaworthy, they're also very expensive. I've been very happy with my choice.

And I haven't seen a solo kayak that could take a reasonably tour-enabled folding bike. For that you'd need a tandem kayak paddled solo (bike goes in front paddler's compartment), or a canoe. Canoe would be easier to tow too, as it's simple enough to rig a towing beam on the front part of the structure. Put a pair of wheels underneath, and you're ready to go. Not so easy with closed-top kayak.

--J

There's an outfit in Vancouver, BC that makes them: http://www.tonystrailers.com/

Edit: This is the same guy that Juha recommended. Sorry about the duplication.

I've seen, but can't find right now, a simpler one where the trailer tongue and the wheels separately strap on to the kayak, making in essence, a frameless trailer. Or maybe that was with a canoe?

Also roaming around the 'net, I've seen a canoe/folding bike combo. Not sure how you'd put a folder in a kayak.

There's an outfit in Vancouver, BC that makes them: http://www.tonystrailers.com/

Edit: This is the same guy that Juha recommended. Sorry about the duplication.

I've seen, but can't find right now, a simpler one where the trailer tongue and the wheels separately strap on to the kayak, making in essence, a frameless trailer. Or maybe that was with a canoe?

Also roaming around the 'net, I've seen a canoe/folding bike combo. Not sure how you'd put a folder in a kayak.

I have seen that for a surf-board, but it should be easy for a kayak or canoe as well.

I have been thinking about the bike-kayak combo for years. how nice it would be to be able to bring the bike on board, it'd be like my viking ancestors.

I suppose you could take a road bike with quick-release wheels and get that folder conversion and strap the four parts to different places on top of the kayak, in a tarp.

Wouldn't that work? The bike is only 20 lbs, the kayak 30 lbs and the trailer (if the type just described) would weigh less than 10 lbs.

Anyone tried this?

I have straped a cart under my canoe and lashed a cheap Carlisle paddle to my bow. I made a socket on a short piece of 2x4 that mated with the paddle grip and allowed up and down flex (secured by bungees) and tied the wood to the top of my bike rack through a hole in the center using scrap inner tube. This towed OK for short flat smooth roads. My canoe is a high end kevlar carbon Bell Northwind.

A tandem canoe can easily accomodate a bike, esp with a skewer mount. BUT if you turn the boat over and it's going down. Meaux

I have been looking for ways to carry my boat on a bike for a longtime. This is what I use, I have carried whitewater kayaks, sea kayaks...

I use a Paddleboy Flyer to tow my kayak eight miles round trip to the bay. Three of these miles are on two rut forrest road. It is important to have a place to secure your bike and trailer. Due to the remoteness of where I fish, I have been hiding my bike and trailer in a clump of palmettos and leaving it. This is several hundred yards from where you can drive and not on a trail. You would have to come within twenty feet or so of my bike to see it.

Currently my trailer is loaded with windsurfing gear although I have yet to pull it to the beach. (It's twelve miles round trip with three miles of dirt road.) I have not windsurfed since I sold my truck last August.

I too have been considering getting a kayak. The problem of carrying doesn't worry so much because there are trailers out there, or i could build on myself. The thing that is holding me back is space. I currently live in a studio apartment with a walk-in closet. Typical sea kayaks can be 9-12 ft, so it would be a tight fit to begin with, but i already have five bikes in the closet, so there is no room.

The only solution i have, and i have yet to search if this is viable, is to find a place near the water that offers storage of boats and pay a fee to have them store my boat and gear. That would save me from buying a trailer immediately. Since i live near the water, about a mile or so, it wouldn't be a problem to go and pick it up and take it somewhere else with a trailer if i decided to get a trailer. The hills between the water and my place are working against me also, but i figure a kayak cannot be any heavier than a typical camping/touring load, so i could probably manage the climbs.

Here you go
http://www.redbayfarm.com/Bicycle_Canoe_Trailer.html

I live about 10miles from a large series of shallow lakes and waterways with small country lanes. A folding bike/folding kayak combo is something that has been bugging me for a while. Some of the folding kayaks sucj as Pakboats (http://www.pakboats.com/unde.htm)have a removable deck (canoe/kayak style) so you could load your small-wheeled folder then seal it up. Canoes weigh about 30lbs + a bit more for paddle and stuff. You could easily carry that on a decent folder.
Some interesting readings here (http://paddling.net/sameboat/archives/sameboat292.html) and some DIY (http://yostwerks.com/InflatableMain.html)guidelines which look interesting.

When I lived in Toronto I left my solo racing canoe locked up at the Toronto Island Yacht Club. It was really convenient, as I did not have to worry about storage and I could hop on the subway after work, take the yacht club’s ferry to the club and be on the water in no time at all. Look for an activity partner for trips outside of the harbour area or rent a car. I can not imagine using a trailer with a kayak on it in Toronto.

Right now I live in Gatineau, Quebec and I am building a 18’ sea kayak and I am still car free. I live near the Ottawa River that I could use a hand trailer to deliver my kayak.

Doing this:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/200/446469959_e0e15b6d56.jpg

I'm good for trips up to 20 miles one way. After that, it just gets too time consuming.

The bike is a Electra Townie3.
http://www.electrabike.com/townie/

The canoe is an Old Town Guide 147.
http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/canoes/generalFamily/guide_147.html

The trailer is a Wike Woody Wagon with the optional alloy wheels and the canoe pack.
http://www.wicycle.com/canoe_woody_wagon_bicycle_trailer.php

The trailer is very modular and the whole thing breaks down to fit, if you pack it right, in the canoe pack, with a little extra room for odds and ends.

I'm sure there are better combinations out there. Such as a bike with more gears, lighter canoe, etc., but this works for me hunting and fishing.

This set up also works with my Heritage Redfish 12 Angler kayak.
http://www.heritagekayaks.com/redfish12angler.htm

Which I don't have a picture of, but it is easier to tow. The kayak, however, just doesn't have the space to take my tow vehicle with me if I want to take out somewhere else.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/199/446472057_4a4ecf6bf8.jpg