> Well it's getting time to replace the vehicle. So I'm thinking should I
> get a truck to help out with the boatbuilding? It will still be a while
> before I build the liveaboard. So would a car/trailer combination be
> better? What do you folks drive.

A few thoughts here:

Don't buy a truck just for moving the materials for one job. You can get the stuff delivered for much less. For a few jobs, you'll come out ahead if you rent the truck you need for the days you need it. If you are doing many jobs that regularly require the use of a truck, then get a truck.

Otherwise, get a car and a trailer.

It used to be that the cheapest reliable vehicle you could buy was a pickup truck. It held 3 people on a big bench seat and ran forever. Those days are gone. The `standard' pickup trucks are now more expensive than mediums priced sedans, and so pretty that you would hate to haul a load of gravel eithut first putting in the custom bedliner (an option, at higher cost)

Northern Hydraulics, Menards, Harbor Freight, and probably many more companies sell kits for trailers. These kits range from about $150 to $225, depending on size of the bed, size of the wheels, and whether they have fenders and lights. Obviously these would be cheaper on sale, and more expensive in small markets. ith most of these kits you get the metal frame, which you bolt together. The floor is made from plywood that you supply.

The nice thing about the kits is that you can use the parts to make a custom trailer for your boats. Since you are towing long loads, you can buy a piece of steel to extend the tongue on the trailer, allowing even the shortes model to balance the loads nicely. A rack can be built on these frames allowing you to carry 4, 6 or 8 kayaks with ease. Except for the top shelf of these kinds of racks, it is easier to load a boat on a trailer than on a cartop..

If you get a truck you'll need to build some kind of frame to support the back half of the kayak anyhow. You might as well do this on a trailer.

Anything with a trailer hitch will give you the opportunity to move your custom-built trailer. You will probably go thru several vehicles before your trailer wears out. After it DOES wear out, you can rebuild it for far less than the cost of repairs on a car or truck. (The only moving parts are the wheels, and their bearings are under $10)

The local scout troop has a trailer for their canoes and kayaks which they tow behind either a van or a pickup. One of the colleges has a similar tarailer with storage compartments (built in boxes) for holding the PFDs, paddles. and some of the campers' personal gear.

Get out your calculator and crunch a few numbers. Figure the cost of the sedan plus a trailer hitch and wiring harness for the trailer's lights. Add on the cot of a trailer, and the licensing fees you'll have to pay for the trailer ( usually $10 to $15 a year, but your state may be more). Compare this cost to the price of a truck with a rack.

If you are planning to keep the vehicle for many miles, you might want to look at the difference in fuel economy.

Some people go with roof racks. You can built them, or buy them. An expensive roof rack costs as much or more than a cheap trailer. People with roof racks tend to prefer cars with rain gutters -- some racks won't work without those rain gutters -- and the market is tending towards fewer cars with rain gutters.

In general, a boat on top of your vehicle will hurt your average gas mileage more than towing a trailer will. figure that with towing a trailer you'll buy an additional gallon of gas for every 80 to 100 miles you travel. With the boats on a roof rack you'll buy an extra gallon for every 50 to 75 miles.

A tarp over a trailer becomes a nice storage area for your watercraft. They are off the ground, well supported, and protected from the elements, particularly UV light. When set up right, the trailer supports the tarp, so it is not resting directly on the finish of the boat, too. The biggest downside is: Be sure to chain that trailer to something secure or someone can drive off with your boats.

Hope these ideas help.

Paul Jacobson