Towing/rack options for multiple kayaks

[jerzo]

Hello all,

We're on our second Mazda 5 (first an '08, and now an '12) and we couldn't be more happy with it as it has been a perfect family vehicle for two kids (and a dog).

As our kids are getting older, we're starting to get more involved in outdoor activities.

I have a 1-person Pelican kayak that I have carried on the roof using temporary foam bars and straps to the front tow hook and hook under the rear bumper with success for two years now.

We recently also bought my kids two smaller sit-upon kayaks, which amazingly, fit inside the hatch with the door down, and both kids in the back seat. Can't even do that in most SUVs

The problem is that this only works if the only thing we're doing is kayaking for the day. But, we now want to go to a cabin and also take the dog, and all the other supplies that need to go inside the car.

So, I'm looking for options to carry all 3 kayaks (and maybe a 4th if we buy one for my wife) on the outside of the vehicle.

I considered a utility trailer, but the manual says the Mazda is not rated for 'any' towing.

Does this include a ~500 lb 5'x7' utility trailer? Total weight of the kayaks is definitely going to be less than 100 lbs, so is the Mazda 5 (Touring) really not able to pull less that 1000 lbs?

I don't have any racks or rails installed, so I'm also looking for the best option to carry the larger kayak(s) on the roof.

As for my kid's smaller kayaks, they are maybe only 10 - 15 lbs each. I have a Thule 3-bike rack that secures around the back door. Is there anyway to safely modify that to carry the two lighter kayaks?

Or, are there any other rack or hitch carrier options that would provide us the flexibility we need?

I don't feel like voiding our warrantee, so I'm looking for any creative options you can think of .. But I'd love to get a utility trailer if it would still be safe.

Thanks in advance,

jerzo

 

[Secondtyme]

The subject of towing with the 5 has ben a matter of some dispute over the years here. For what you are planning i would say go ahead and get one of the class one hitches that are readily available from sources like E-trailer and enjoy your vacations in the future. There are plenty of folks who will probably loudly disagree with me but hey. Bear in mind that the brakes and transmission of the 5 weren't meant for the extra load of heavy towing, and I would counsel you to change your trans fluid more frequently when you are towing (warm weather months) With a little utility trailer carrying four kayaks you should be just fine, in fact if you look in the DIY section here there is a thread where a gentleman built himself a small trailer for camping that sounds similar to what you have in mind.

 

[MarkVII88]

The subject of towing with the 5 has ben a matter of some dispute over the years here. For what you are planning i would say go ahead and get one of the class one hitches that are readily available from sources like E-trailer and enjoy your vacations in the future. There are plenty of folks who will probably loudly disagree with me but hey. Bear in mind that the brakes and transmission of the 5 weren't meant for the extra load of heavy towing, and I would counsel you to change your trans fluid more frequently when you are towing (warm weather months) With a little utility trailer carrying four kayaks you should be just fine, in fact if you look in the DIY section here there is a thread where a gentleman built himself a small trailer for camping that sounds similar to what you have in mind.

I'm the "gentleman" who built the Mini Camping Trailer. The link to my post is here.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123848633-Mini-Camping-Storage-Trailer

Based on the difference between curb weight and GVWR on the 2012-15 MZ5 the car has a cargo/towing capacity of 1200-1300 lbs. Just remember, if you pack your car with 1200 lbs of people and stuff, you should not then tow 1200 lbs.

 

[microvan]

If the weight of your kayaks is less than 100lbs combined, you should be fine with a roof rack system. I carried 2 tandem kayaks on the roof, each weighing about 70lbs. I think 100lbs may be the factory point limit (hard to find specs from Mazda, but it's what I remember reading somewhere). The Thule square load crossbars were rated for 150lbs, so I took the chance. The only downside is that kayaks as big as mine acted as sails and made for some interesting driving experiences. Definitely kept the car under 60mph on the highways, and opted for backroads when possible. Also made sure both kayaks had the additional bow and stern tie-downs in the event of a rack failure. I could never find any specs on the updraft rating for the factory rack points, and that is what really concerned me. I've since sold the Mazda5, so I can no longer offer any other data.

 

[Wishmaster]

I've been towing with my '07 for years and have had to make multiple comments to help educate people regarding towing and towing with a 5. It's seems many people have the misconception that as soon as you attach a trailer to a Mazda5 it will explode. It's totally up to you, but the biggest concern is your warranty and what mazda would say if something broke while you were towing... you're manual states that you should not tow with the 5, you might want to ask Mazda or your local dealership and get whatever they say in writing. My 5 is out of warranty so there are no issues for me.


Do some searching and you'll find many people on here who tow (including me) and quite a bit of info. To clear up a bit and summarize some of the info available on the other threads, here you go...


You do need to insure your trailer if you plan on using one. But adding a hitch does will not void your insurance as long as whatever you tow is properly insured (costs me $63 a year). It's all about the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Restriction), every vehicle on the market is given a GVRW, this weight is the max the vehicle is allowed to carry on public roads. (from my insurer): Since the manufacturer has not rated the Mazda 5 for towing in NA it doesn't matter if you spread the weight over two or three axles you still can't exceed the GVWR.

For my 2007 Mazda5, the GVWR is 4572 lbs. The curb weight of a AT 2007 Mazda5 is 3389 lbs. So 4572 - 3389 = 1183 lbs of weight that I am insured for.

So for me, going camping with the family: Me:180 lbs + wife: 130 lbs + kids: 80 lbs + the unloaded trailer tongue weight (unloaded is very small): 10 lbs = 400 lbs total. So 1183 - 590 = 783 extra lbs that I am allowed to put either in the car, or trailer or both.

Or, for me (by myself) going to the dump or picking up soil, bark mulch, etc: 1183 - 190 = 993 lbs of weight I can throw into that trailer and the car.

And actually, just for those worried about their brakes or transmission etc. What we're talking about here is just the GVWR, in the UK, the Mazda 5 is rated to tow 1322 lbs... (FYI, in the UK, a Toyota Yaris is rated to tow 1200 lbs).

The jury is still out on those with current warranties though. The consensus seems to be that if something major breaks, just remove the hitch, or not... dealers sell hitch mounted bike racks for the 5 so...

Anyway, we need to remember this same vehicle, in the UK, with no modifications what-so-ever, with smaller engines, is rated to tow 1322 lbs. Just be careful with how much weight you're placing on the tongue, which, for a class one hitch on our vehicles shouldn't be more than 200 to 250 lbs. Which, again for clarification purposes, is around the max amount of stress a class one bike rack, loaded up, will put on the hitch.

I've had my 2007 for about 5 years now, I've always had a small utility trailer (5'x4') and over the years have towed multiples times and various items... dump runs, tree trimmings, half-yard of soils, gravel, bark mulch, small maple tree and many camping trips.

I also use a cushioned ball mount to help make it a bit easier on the car when towing heavier loads - https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)

Most people don't know much about towing, so do your research before you do it, learn about it, it's not something you should just throw on the vehicle and go. Learn the in's and out's, what that weight out back will do if your load isn't level or distributed properly, which drop bar rise or drop gives you a level tongue with weight in your trailer, etc, etc. FYI - the one that often comes with a hitch is not the right one. There are many hitch shops or even your local U-haul that can do a proper install if you're not confident doing it yourself.

What many people also don't realize is that instead of loading up the rear of your car or roof rack with 400 to 500 lbs of load, it's much easier on the car (and suspension) to spread that load over an additional axle.

Just for everyone's information and comparison, below is the information taken from the 2015 UK website Mazda 5 PDF brochure with regards to weights and towing with a Mazda 5. It's the identical vehicle, except for the engine sizes, which are smaller. You have a choice of either a 2.0 gas or 1.6 diesel (all weights are in lbs converted from kg and rounded to the nearest lb):

Curb weight (incl a 165 lb person): Gas - 3275, Diesel - 3285
Permitted Gross Vehicle Weight, Total: Gas - 4685, Diesel - 4685
Permitted Gross Vehicle Weight, Front / Rear: Gas - 2161 / 2524, Diesel - 2150 / 2535
Permitted Axle Load, Front / Rear: Gas - 2250 / 2646, Diesel - 2250 / 2657
Towing Limit* Unbraked: Gas - 1323, Diesel - 1323
Towing Limit* Braked: Gas - 2646, Diesel - 2646
Maximum Roof Load: Gas - 165, Diesel - 165

* Towing capacity is based on a 12% gradient and tested in accordance with 92/21/EEC as amended by 95/48/EC.

This PDF can be found here - http://www.mazda.co.uk/assets/uk/car...epslanguage=en

Feel free to ask questions and have fun towing!