There are certainly pros and cons of trailering vs. car-topping.  In regards to loading and unloading at home...I often don't have to.  I re-tie knots and clean-up my gear on the water, put everything in (and on top of) the car, get home, drive in the garage, and the next day head out for the water again...

 

most of my fishing gear stays in the jeep in the trunk area so that doesn't get unloaded too often.  and with the trailer it does make it easier to just hitch up and go

I used to car top my Loon 138 but I am not getting any younger and hoisting something 75 pounds and almost 14 foot long was getting to be a pain. It was time for a new vehicle anyway so I traded my Jeep Liberty for a Dakota pickup and use a Harbor freight bed extender with added lights. If I didn't have a pickup I would get an inexpensive Harbor Freight trailer.

I used to car top my Loon 138 but I am not getting any younger and hoisting something 75 pounds and almost 14 foot long was getting to be a pain. It was time for a new vehicle anyway so I traded my Jeep Liberty for a Dakota pickup and use a Harbor freight bed extender with added lights. If I didn't have a pickup I would get an inexpensive Harbor Freight trailer.

Thank you for this post...

Cheapskate car-topper here. I don't even have a rack!