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Getting bulky & heavy boats onto roof-racks...
It's all very well having racks rated to 60kg or 100kg, but there's not many can
just pick their boat up & plop it on the roof if it weighs more than about 15 or 20kg.
What are others doing? - what's out there?
Idea for the thread came from this gadget via Duckworks at Gizmag.
StrongArm helps load boats onto cars
Seems a bit pricey, but I guess it wouldn't be a high turn-over item.
cheers
AJ
My canoe weighs 50Kg's.My station wagon prohibits loading from the rear.I fitted crossbars with rollers(polypipe)between the two racks.I load from the side,then when on top,i turn the boat around.It's still heavy,but at 56 I can still load,and unload single handed.(just)
Neat.
I used to plonk one end of my f'glass canadians on the end of the front roof bar,
leaning against the roof of the car at about 45degree angle to the car. Then nip
down the back & lift that across onto the rear bar. Wriggle it all more or less
central on the bars then push it forward. But that was an old car & I wasn't too
worried about marking the paint with the boat. Carpet taped around the bars
acted as rollers.
sounds good.I've been carrying the canoe "up there" for years.Last year (Newyears eve)a gale force side wind,Tore the canoe and racks off the guttering.Not nice having your canoe hanging on by a thread against the side of the car when travelling at 100Kms.My poor old car,A toyota camry wagon has dents everywhere,thanks to the canoe,,,lol.Might rig my 6x4 trailer to carry it.
That will be a long drawbar...
Did you have nose & tail ropes on the canoe when the wind ripped it off?
AJ
ok,as for drawbar,,,i'm planning to fit raised racks on trailer taking canoe to just above roof line.Then have canoe over roof of said car.Fingers crossed.It was the bow and stern ropes that held it on the car
We still had 4 hours drive ahead of us.Living in melb.going to portland.
I lost a couple of sheets of plywood once, but so far (touch wood), not a boat.
Would worry a bit about spoon drains & driveway gutters etc tilting the roof of
the car & the end of the boat into contact as the rear wheels go into them.
Unless there was only a little overlap, and plenty of clearance. One of my
neighbours put a pole thru the rear window of his VX wagon like that. Thought
it would be ok with the end of the pole 300mm from the middle of the window,
thinking only left/right angles. :doh:
cheers
AJ
i had given that issue some thought so i'll play around with it.May elevate boat a bit more to get clearance.Dunno.Like i said,it's an idea at the moment,and i'm a pretty cautious person
i was also concerned about centre of gravity being too high as well.Looks like my poor old FD rebuild is going to have to wait.I have a canoe that needs my attention,and now my Ts16