kayak trailer rather than panniers - Page 2

Well lets say this much. I give you my word I am going to do this and will leave by June 2004. I'm
going touring in Tassie for three weeks Dec 25 - Jan 15, but I won't be doing any brick experiments
then. Thus far I've found this modest candidate but some reengineering would be required to redress
your important concerns about the weight ditribution of trailer mode versus water mode kayak.

Nice thoughts and will get back to you all once I've fully investigated all the generous and
constructive inputs from this newsgroup. Cheers, Jake.

"Terry Collins" <terryc@woa.com.au> wrote in message news:3FD67B39.BDD59587@woa.com.au...
> Jake wrote:
>
> To start, I am going to be honest and say I thought the same things as the poster that said your
> were a fruit loop or whatever when I first read your posting. It was the lack of kaycking
> experience that did it. However, your question of carrying a kayak/canoe on a bicycle trailer is
> an interesting exercise, so I was happy to throw in ideas.
>
> I think that you are not really looking at what people are saying to you. Yes, some of it is
> dumping on your dreams, but some of it is very practicle. Dreams are wonderful things, but a bit
> of reality helps make bicycle touring a comfortable and enjoyable thing. For me, it can be fscking
> bucketting, everything can be wet, the #$^%$^ can have had a major break down, but so long as I
> can pitch a tarp, sit and make a cuppa, then it can all be fixed.
>
> Personally, I think you should reasearch and buy a collapsible bicycle, then go touring on it for
> a week/month, etc a number of times. I've been away with someone who did week end tours on a
> Moulton. He wore shorts and shoes and helmet. Everything else fitted into a handlebag (including
> the t-shirt for travelling on the trains), with the sleeping bag on rack. He had one meal, a spare
> tube, basic tools and if it rained, he got wet and didn't sleep. If that is how you want to spend
> your 2-3 years, then fine. Otherwise, those little comforts, like tooth brush, tent, rain jacket,
> cold weather gear, snacks, etc tend to add up to weight, weight, weight, weight, weight.
>
> So, the next thing you are going to have to do, is weigh your bicycle and your equipment, then
> find a kayak that will carry that weight in bricks. Bricks are easy and cheap to replace when you
> turn turtle, which is what I think is going to happen when you start loading up a kayak with a
> bicycle frame, bicycle trailer, your gear and four wheels.
>
> Also, your bicycle is going to get wet, wet, wet. Despite the best intentions, **** happens and
> you can expect it to go into the drink a few time. If you are planning on crossing dams and deep
> rivers, I would also suggest a float and long length of rope on top (just in case).
>
> I suspect you will quickly find that your kayak is history and you really want a canoe or
> inflatable boat. At least to carry the bicycle. Have you considered a seperate inflatable just to
> carry your bicycle?
>
> <weird idea> Perhaps your panniers/gear storage can be two waterproof drums that mount like
> panniers but are the flotation barrels for a raft that carries your bicycle and kayak trailer
> behind your kayak?</weird
> idea>
>
>
> > No I think the infaltible is out of the quesiton because it won't hold
the
> > bicycle and I'll need a decent pump.
>
> The pump is the least of your worries.
>
> You have three classes of water transport.
>
> Rigid: like a fibreglass or plastic kyak.
>
> Constructed: you insert panels or framework into a cloth to create your kayak/canoe/boat.
>
> Inflatable: kyak, canoe, or boat.
>
>
> Just my 2c, but anything rigid is not going to like being the load bearing struture it become when
> it is the trailer body. Watercraft save weight be distributing their load "equally" over the
> water. Converting that watercraft into trailer suddenly focusses that load into wheel and link
> attachment points which have to be reinforced, which is extra weight.
>
>
> ...snip... useless weekender kayak.
>
>
>
> > I'm familiar with the Bob trailers. they are fantastic for what they do
but
> > may hug too close the ground for the length differentials of a kayak.
>
> Fsck, that wasn't what was said. He was saying that you could easily carry an inflatable in a bob
> style trailer.
>
> However, if you wanted to make your kayak into a bob-style trailer, then you would just use a
> larger wheel to get clearance. Again, you are going to need reinforcement in both ends to handle
> all the forces. Instead, I would suggest a two wheel trailer design.
>
>
> ...snip......
>
> > > The problems now are; towing the extra 21+ kgs of boat and;
> >
> > I weigh 85kgs and considering that someone weighing 100kgs will have the same problem as me with
> > a trailer. I can have equivalent endurance and strength. My fitness will adjsut, besides, I'm
> > not carrying the weight,
I'm
> > not goign anywhere too fast, and I will be able to account for this I
hope
> > in my gear differentials.
>
> Yep, you will not be going too fast. You will notice it on every little incline. That extra weight
> has to be pulled uphill. To appreciate this, I would suggest doing a weeks tour with a trailer and
> the weight of the kayak in bricks.
>
> ...snip stuff on shoes...... I wear common sandals or shoes.
>
> > > All up cost, about $4500. Have fun & post some photo's.
> >
> > Well maybe looking at some custom engineering fetch it up to $10000 - of course I want solar
> > panels feeding a laptop and the laptop feeding my
music
> > studio, digital camera, satallite phone, and GPS coupled device. Cool coupling would be with the
> > digital shots.
>
> Have you worked out your energy budget? You are going to get one big surprise when you work out
> how much solar panels space you are going to have to carry around with you.
>
>
> ...snip wank about rooting around Australia. FYI, some middle age old fart did it twice pushing a
> postal wheelie, which included a 36 dozen condoms (or so he said). If it worked for him, I guess
> it can work for you.

"Jake" wrote
> Actually bricks have a sensational drag cooefficient per weight.

A brick (or more correctly, a cube) has a drag coefficient of 1. It's weight is irrelevant. A modern
sedan has a drag coefficient of around .3 or better.

Theo

Well if a brick is the maximum drag with coefficient of the WHOLE '1' then
what is the drag cof of a parachute?
"Theo Bekkers" <theo@bekkers.com.au> wrote in message
newszDBb.47387$aT.32523@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> "Jake" wrote
> > Actually bricks have a sensational drag cooefficient per weight.
>
> A brick (or more correctly, a cube) has a drag coefficient of 1. It's weight is irrelevant. A
> modern sedan has a drag coefficient of around .3 or better.
>
> Theo

"Jake" wrote
> Well if a brick is the maximum drag with coefficient of the WHOLE
'1' then
> what is the drag cof of a parachute?

No idea. Were you thinking of putting one in your back-pack. :-) Did I say 1 is the max possible
drag cof ?

Compared to a sedan, bicycles and motorcycles have quite a high drag coefficient.

Theo