Can I safely trailer with a Yakima Rack n Roll?

And now for a slightly different perspective:

The trailer you proposed has the work "rack" in it. And you asked about safety.

If that is an open rack designed to carry canoes and the like, I'm pretty sure that the recommended speed limit is fairly low......like 40 MPH maybe and pulling it with a light car might make the safe speed even less.

Being a motorcycle rider, I have a better respect for the wind "wake" that is thrown by big trucks and RVs and the impact that has on an open rack trailer filled with boats might be a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Others who towed a good sized load with a Prius reduced their mileage to about 30 mpg. Personally I don't think you would have any problems with a light load such as the Yakima. I would love to have something to haul short distances but I get by inside the car with the seats down and a moving blanket. Otherwise I will rent a van or other appropriate vehicle when I need long distance or high load capability. The gas mileage differences on one-off trips is not a big dollar issue, rental rates are reasonable and places like Enterprise are first class and don't give you much trouble. There are threads on here of Prii that make 300 to 400 thousand miles with the original batteries and major components; I want mine to last at least 200k if not 250k.

 

But that is not the only factor in it being safe.......and maybe not even the most important one.
If it is an "open" rack, the biggest safety factor is having the pieces of the "load" attached properly.......exactly.
And NOT using it to carry things it wasn't designed for.

I would guess that it comes with some rather detailed instructions about what to do and what NOT to do.
Up to maybe 30 MPH small deviations from that might not be too important; on the Interstate at 70, a small "fudge" of the rules might be fatal.

 

Normally I just roll my eyes at "can I trailer?" posts, and I remind myself that it's worth overspending for transportation to get a NEW car instead of rolling the dice with a used car.
There are just too many physics and chemistry engineers out there that think that they are smarter than people who build cars for a living.

However (comma!!!) it's important to differentiate hauling 250# of gardening supplies from the nearest big box store with a DOT trailer from the morons that you see towing ginormous loads on the interstate with itty-bitty cars.

The OP is probably going to be OK towing 4 kayaks if he/she follows the manufacturer's directions for the trailer.
Usually kayaks are fairly light and they're human portable (which is sort of the whole point....) meaning you won't have the problems of ramping in and out, and exceeding the C-type's GVWR.
The manual that comes with the kayak trailer is probably weighs more than the kayaks with all of the WARNINGs, CAUTIONSs, Notices, etc...and if you follow these you'll avoid the usual missile hazards that people don't think about when they're hauling crap.

 

No thinking necessary about the regen. braking. It can't be "confused" by whatever extra weight you load in, on, or behind your Prius. It does whatever your foot on the brake pedal and the computer programming demands of it. If you push harder than "normal", the friction pads will kick in to stop however quickly your foot commands. As for trailer towing, I own one of those cheapie (about $300) folding trailers with a 1,000 lb. capacity. With it's sheet of plywood installed, the trailer weighs 250 lbs. With my 550 lb. John Deere on board, my 2010 hatchback accelerates, brakes, and handles just fine. Yes, my total gross weight exceeds the manual's 820 lb. limit, but I do this only "locally" - not on long trips, over mountains, etc. A road trip with my wife, two "large" friends, and all the luggage that would fit behind the seat exceeded that limit also, and that trip DID include mountains, interstate speeds, curvy roads, etc. and all was well. A light-weight trailer like the one you propose and a reasonable load should be little cause for concern. Yes, braking distances will likely increase somewhat, but sane speeds and cautious driving should result in a safe and happy outcome for all concerned (IMHO).

 

TimberLong, have you moved forward on this. We were thinking about the same thing, if our honda minivan tanny is fully dead yet again.

Have you installed a hitch, if so, which one, does it stick out just enough that you don't see it , yet enough that you bash your shins on it?

Have you purchased a Yakima R&R and how has it been?

 

Indy, is that the cheapie folder from harbor freight? is it easy to fold up and push into the garage? Thanks.