Playing on the water as a family sounds like a lot of fun! That is, until discovering the downsides.
Traditional towable boats and trailers are expensive, difficult to store, and require licensing (and, of course, a truck to tow with). Smaller boats like kayaks and canoes flip easily, so they aren’t great for small children, and most can only fit four people at best. With all these barriers, most families are forced to avoid boating altogether.
All that’s about to change!
Brandon King, founder of RedHead Trailer & Boat, invented a unique collapsible trailer, tent, and versatile boat combination that solves these problems. Now, he is growing the company in the Master of Business Creation (MBC) program at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business.
“As a young man, I loved exploring Utah’s waterways in a canoe or kayak, and when I started my own family, I wanted to make memories with my family,” King said.
However, he quickly encountered obstacles. “The costs of owning a boat were more than I could pay, leaving my family stranded,” he said. “So, I started building a boat and trailer that solved my family’s problems.”
King’s solution does it all. The RedHead trailer can fold for compact storage. With its unique design, one person can fold the trailer alone using only a cordless drill or hand crank. The boat can hang from a garage ceiling or wall, allowing it to fit a trailer, vehicle, and boat in a single-car garage.
The trailer lets families take a build-your-own-adventure approach. The decks of the trailer and boat have a Lego-like design that allows for comfort, shelter, and sporting accessories to connect to it. For example, King recently introduced a soft-top teardrop tent (stored in a duffel bag) for overnight adventures. This is more than a boat trailer — it is also a utility trailer that can fit full-sized sheets of building materials, a used couch, or other adventure gear! Owning this trailer is like owning a mini toy hauler.
The ReadHead boat is designed to be highly adaptable. You can row, paddle, sail, or attach an electric motor. The electric motor is quiet, providing a lower environmental impact than alternatives. Using the Lego-like platform, you can add a shade canopy, hammock, and even a grill. The boat comfortably seats six people on padded seats. Additionally, a trampoline can be added to hold even more people. The ultra-stable design makes getting in and out easy for all adventures, no matter their level of experience.
Together, the trailer and boat only weigh about 850 pounds. Almost any family car can add a tow hitch and haul this setup using a standard two-inch ball hitch (including EVs and sedans).
King’s background in critical care nursing brought a unique perspective to the project. Despite a lack of formal training in mechanical engineering, he approached the design process as a self-taught innovator. King joined the MBC program to take his business to the next level. Backed by provisional patents for its unique aspects, RedHead Trailer & Boat is ready to take its place in the market.
“Starting a business based on novel products is a considerable endeavor and involves learning many new skills,” King said. “The excellent instructors and advisors in the MBC have helped me focus on how my business will deliver value rather than just my innovative products.”
He is working on a manufacturing process and supply lines, remaining committed to quality. He has projected that manufacturing will take a year to develop fully, and then retail will follow. The retail price is set between $14,000 and $16,000. This includes the entire adventure package (the multipurpose trailer, soft-top teardrop tent, and the family boat).
RedHead Trailer & Boat will help families make memories by creating versatile trailers and boats that are easy to own, store, and use. King hopes to change the future of boating, making the outdoors accessible to an entirely new group of people.
Connect with RedHead Trailer & Boat on Instagram at @redheadtrailerandboat.
RedHead Trailer & Boat is a unique collapsible trailer, tent, and versatile boat combination.
The decks of the trailer and boat have a Lego-like design that allows for comfort, shelter, and sporting accessories to connect to it.
