Launch / take out point logistics with two paddlers and two vehicles?

I usually launch and recover at the same place.  I fish ponds and lakes most often.  I'm about ready to try some river / stream fishing.  I have a 4 place kayak trailer and a paddling buddy with another car with NO trailer.

Every time I try to figure out what makes the most sense it looks like I'm a ping-pong ball going from launch to take out locations more times than should be necessary.

So what works best for you?  Keep in mind that I don't want to leave the gear unattended at any time. 

With a slight modification to the handle, you can make a cheap cart to pull behind a bike.

Clay- with two cars (one with a trailer), and two people, you are correct in the easiest way. You will each make a trip to the TO spot from home, you will each make a trip from the PI spot back home, and in between, you will have four trips between the PI and TO spots.

It's the same amount of trips if you leave the trailer vehicle or the car at the TO spot.

If you want the trailer vehicle at the TO, you do more driving before you put in. If you leave the trailer vehicle at the PI, you do more driving after you take out, but the distance/# of trips is the same.

No shortcut without involving other people or vehicles (bikes).

If one of you just had a little pick-up truck, you'd save the two extra trips between the PI and TO spots.

If the current is not bad like later in the summer you can just paddle upstream without any issue.

you could also drop the yaks off drive one vehicle and a trailer if you have one to the pickup location and then uber back to join your fishing buddy.

If you have two trailers that can haul two yaks each then it's even easier :transfer the 2nd yak to one trailer and leave the other with vehicle and drive to launch site, float down load up both kayaks and drive back to launch site.

Still thinking this process through.  Again, I won't leave the gear unattended for any length of time.  Too much fishing gear and kayak gear on board for that.

The wife and I were brainstorming and I mentioned something about a bike being locked to a tree.  She looks at me and said, can you tow your kayak with the bike?  People have those kid towing carts on the back of bikes all the time. Anyone see anything like this?

The PA has the Boonedox system, so I could hook up on the front carry handle somehow and go at a slow speed back to the trailer vehicle. I might even be able to make this work solo.  Drop off bike at take out, go to launch and when I pull out the bike will be there so tow back to put in.  I don't want to tow miles and miles, but a 3 mile road trip will be more than that on a winding stream, creek or river.

I do like the idea of having the trailer already at the take out point too.  I'm still mulling over this. 

Not being a simple answer is probably why I avoid these and fish mostly lakes.

So not reading every post what I have done is if it's just two of us we will drive his car to the stopping point of the river then drive my vehicle and trailer with the kayaks on them and drive about 5 to 8 miles up river and launch. Then when we get back to the stopping point to were my friends car is at I will leave him with the gear take his car get my SUV and trailer leave his car and go get him and the kayaks and on our way home drop him off to get his car.

Depending on the situation, it could be easy or a bit of work/risk. But I love the challenge of figuring out how to safely and efficiently get on a section of river.

No matter what, I like to have my vehicle with the trailer at the take out, so all shuttle and work is done up front, and at the end of the day you can just go home or go pick up the other vehicle at the put in. That way you can take as long as you want.

With that in mind, we usually go the put in, drop boats and gear, and someone stays behind to watch the gear...aka fish the shoreline and have a drink. Then goes up to the take out with the trailer vehicle.

Then your options are:

If you only have two people, can you take a bike? If the distance is short enough via road, you may want to just bike back. It takes a bit longer, but no relying on anyone else. Lock your bike to a tree or the vehicle at the put in.

Coordinate with someone to either accompany you or meet you at the take out. Could be a shuttle service, friend, Uber, Social Media (like this one or Facebook group buddies) etc. Leave your friend at the put in with the gear and do the round trip. Good news here is that your only vehicle is now at the takeout, so you don't need to go back later to pick up a car. As others have mentioned....money, beer, a fish fry, or a favor owed are all good currency.

The easiest from a logistical standpoint is to get another friend or two to come with. If you have a 4 kayak trailer you are 90% of the way there. Bring two vehicles, drop gear, leave someone there, and shuttle the trailer vehicle to the takeout. At the end, load up and go back to get the shuttle car.

Another option, if available, is to put in at a place with a business where you can confidently leave your gear attended to by someone you can trust. Many shuttle services are actually on the river, and you can leave your gear by them. Otherwise a bar or restaurant, or befriend a homeowner (never hurts to ask).

This can be the most challenging thing when planning a river trip of any kind, and sometimes circumstances make some stretches a no go if you don't want to risk time or leaving gear alone. Best of luck! River fishing is the best, due in part to this challenge most people won't undertake. Thus unpressured fish and a quiet time on the river.

I'm an open canoe guy myself. Usually I ping and pong back and forth like you do. Cabling a bike to lock it to a tree or in some cases locking the canoe to a tree is how it works. Can you lock a kayak to a tree? It's been a while but one person hitching it, has been done also. If you carry a life jacket or paddle, locals know what's up and give you a ride back to your truck. Hope to drift the Oconto this spring. My fishing bud has a nice truck too so the shuttle should be easy.

About the only other option is to look for a canoe/kayak rental place that may have someone who will pick you up for a shuttle. In an urban setting, there may be Uber service

You drop the kayaks and gear at the put in spot, leave your partner to watch the gear, and drive the trailer to the take out where you meet the paid shuttle driver or even an Uber driver who takes you back to the put in. With this arrangement, you only need one car, not two.

From my original post: 

"Keep in mind that I don't want to leave the gear unattended at any time."

I have way too much invested in this kayak and gear to leave it unattended for ANY length of time.   I don't have a lot of faith in some of the people in society that will steal you blind any chance that they get.  Most aren't this way, but the ones that are make me pause. 

Maybe the wife will still be drafted in this requirement.  When by myself, she can drop me off and pick me up.  When fishing with another paddler, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth .... might just be the best alternative. 

Simplest solution - get a buddy who doesn't have a kayak, but loves beer.

Buy him a case to drop you and gear off at drop-off point, then pick you up later at pick-up point.

If the spots are relatively safe...

Here's what I do: One place where the road is far shorter than the river but neither is terribly far I drop off the canoe at the put-in then I go to the end of the route and drop off the truck. I then I bicycle back to the put-in,hide the bike and jump in the canoe. When I'm done I drive back - with canoe in the truck - and pick up the bicycle.

I have a rack on the top of an enclosed utility trailer. I can do the same with my motorcycle although canoe/kayak goes on top and motorcycle goes inside. The put-in location has to be safer as losing the bicycle wouldn't ruin my day. Someone stealing the motorcycle would.

If I can do it solo,my guess is you can figure out how to do it with a friend.

Usually drop a bike at take out point and leave a vehicle at launch.

If bike ride is 15 mi or less to launch point, no big deal.

There is no easy way around it. That is how we do it in order to make sure all gear is attended and safe. The basic decision is extra driving to protect gear or less driving and risk the gear. Never involve the wife. She will be annoyed and make it that much harder for future ventures. Kayaking is not necissarilly an easy way to fish like some think. You are going to have to put in more effort. The reward is fishing areas that other boats cant get to. I fish a creek that I can float miles for smallies and only see a bank fisherman or two.

HockeyGuy, a PA14 isn't very easy to car top, and so that is the reason why I have a trailer.  Car topping that thing is out.  Could throw it in the back of his pickup is a thought.

 Ulbian, If I was totally by myself, maybe a bike, but I would still be leaving all of my gear unattended and in today's world - I don't like that thought at all.

Here's where I'm at and wondering if there is a better way:

Drop off friend vehicle at take out location.  Both drive to launch site with Trailered vehicle and launch together.  When we get to take out, one of us stays with the yaks, the other takes his car to the launch site and picks up the trailered vehicle and leaves the non trailered vehicle there.  Drive back to the take out location and retrieves 2nd kayaker who stayed with the boats and gear.  Now with the trailered vehicle drive back to the launch point and pick up the non trailered vehicle and go home separately.

A whole bunch of back and forth, but the gear is never alone and no one walks anywhere or rides a bike.  Still a PITA.

Anyone have a better way to make this happen?

Another thought is bring the wife along, she gets us launched and meets us at the take out point.  The boat is equipped with a GPS so we could call and have her met us at the take out without us waiting too long for her or her waiting to long for us.  She hates driving the trailer around, but still another option.

You could use a bike. Drop it off at the take out spot and one of you rides it back to get the trailer while the other one stays you your gear.  I’ll do this when I’m in a trout stream. Drop a bike off where I’m going to walk out and ride it back to my truck. Sure as heck beats walking.