carrying boats on car roof
ASE0191
Have 'V' carrier suitable for single scull, but is it possible to get a longer
version for use with a 2x.
If not what is minmum suitable distance between cross bars on roof rack for
safe transport??
Paul
Carl Douglas
Safest & most secure way to transport a 2x on car-top is to tie it
straight down, bottom up, onto the transverse roof bars. However...
1. The bars should be well separated. An ideal vehicle would be a
long-roofed estate car, preferably of the older guttered roof type so
that you can maximise that spacing.
2. You must not have more than 3m overhang at each end (UK only, much
less & usually none in front of vehicle in mainland Europe) and if you
have more than 2m frontal overhang you must carry a passenger. The ends
must also be well flagged, with a striped red/white triangle to the rear
& lights at night
3. The method of tying down is important. The optimum is to start your
cord or rope with a fixed loop at one end of the transverse rack (around
the foot, so it can't slip inwards). Then straight over the boat & down
around the bar on that far side. Then back up over the boat onto the
near side. Then down on the near side of the boat & loop around the bar
right beside the boat & back up. Finally straight back up over the boat
onto the far side &, from that side of the vehicle, draw the cord tight
to the far end of the bar & tie it there, increasing the tension with
additional turns around that end as needed. With this method of tying
onto each bar there will no possibility of the boat slewing sideways.
4. Then tie ropes gently straight down to the bumper or towing eye at
each end of the vehicle.
While a v-bar is fine, indeed ideal, for a single it is less secure &
satisfactory for a double so is not generally advisable. If the
transverse bar spacing is too short for the boat alone, it is also going
to be too short for a v-bar & the loads it will impose on the transverse
bars will be very severe.
good luck & take care
Carl
--
Carl Douglas
Steve Fowler
All excellent stuff and quite agree. The only other suggestion i might
add is the addition of a rope to the bow - best to tie from one corner
of front bumper (or towing eye) up to bow ball, with clove hitch type
knot around the bow, then back down to other corner. It tends to
prevent the boat trying to "lift" at speed on the motorway and also
gives a bit of lateral stability (it's rather unnerving driving with a
boat in gusty cross-winds!). Don't really put any tension on the ropes
- it's merely meant to take up the slack if the boat tries to lift.
This is probably even more applicable to a pair than a single.
Steve
Adam Carter
I have, in the past, transported our pair on top of the car. Because
of the design of my roof rack (it's a 3 door ford focus) I am unable
to adjust the seperation between the two bars. I feel that they are
simply too close together to provide enough support to the boat (it
would put simply too much strain on the boat). I have, thus far
without success, tried to find a V bar type of thing for a pair. As a
result we were reduced to using a standard V bar. We found that the
boat does bounce far too much, but got over this simply by attaching
straps to the bow and stern and attaching them to the towing eyes
(note for Ford Focus owners, you'll have to get another one from your
nearest ford dealer. The car only comes with one!). There is,
undoubtably, more loading on the bar than with a single but we've
travelled all over the country with it like that!. It is important to
note that this does stop the boat from bouncing, but the straps
shouldn't be too tight, otherwise the boat will be flexed by the
straps!. I have also been looking for the red and white striped
triangle described by Mr Douglas in the message above but haven't
managed to find one yet!. Would you be able to tell me where I could
get one please?. I have created my own light for the boat, which,
apparently, should be combined with a reflector (according to my local
copper). This is most easily achieved by creating an L-shaped piece of
wood, srewing a bike reflector to the wood at the bottom, and
attaching a flashing red bike backlight to the wood above the
reflector (apparently it's OK that the light flashes as its serving as
a warning to other motorists, again according to my local policeman).
This can then be attached to the stern of the boat. It's also
important that, before you transport the boat, that you check with
your insurance company that you are covered for and third party claims
made against you incase someone claims that the boat on top of the car
caused them to have an accident (they weren't ableto pull in again
beacuse the boat was there etc). You boat insurance will definatly not
cover this!.
Carl Boon
method. Using a builder's ladder between rack and boat is another
suggestion to achieve longer support.
If you do decide to use a V-bar, be careful of putting too large a
force on the transverse roof bars. I've seen some bend whilst
travelling over bumps in the road.
If in doubt about this, put the boat and V-bar nearer one side (the
near side). The car's gutters should be plenty strong enough. The
blades can be tied down on the vacated off-side.
Whatever you choose, take it steady !
Carl B.
Carl Douglas
>> >has anyone advice on how best to carry a 2x on car roof.
<snippage - including discussion on the additional 'bounce snubbing'
tie-downs at each end of the vehicle>
> It is important to
>note that this does stop the boat from bouncing, but the straps
>shouldn't be too tight, otherwise the boat will be flexed by the
>straps!. I have also been looking for the red and white striped
>triangle described by Mr Douglas in the message above but haven't
>managed to find one yet!. Would you be able to tell me where I could
>get one please?.
Unfortunately I can't, but it isn't hard to make your own. There are
regulations about size & shape but in the UK a sign of good intent still
goes a long way.
My triangle was lashed up from a piece of plywood, cut to shape &
screwed & glued through its centre onto the squared end of 2ft of 2"x1"
timber. 2 quick coats of white paint, then next day a little careful
brush-work for a nice red outline & some diagonal red stripes. In use,
wrap a bit of bubble-wrap around the timber (starting with the inner
edge taped to the wood before rolling the rest around it) to protect the
boat & then tape the device *securely* along the side of the hull.
Your light can be inserted through a hole in the triangle, or a light
bracket can go on the face of same.
Yes, do check the insurance situation before you travel. And remember
that many traffic cops don't know the details of the racing Boat
Exemption section of the Road traffic Act - but they all carry a copy of
the Act, & a tape measure, so be nice & polite if you're stopped!
Cheers -
Carl
Carl Douglas Racing Shells -
Fine Small-Boats/AeRoWing low-drag Riggers/Advanced Accessories
Write: The Boathouse, Timsway, Chertsey Lane, Staines TW18 3JY, UK
Email: ca...@carldouglas.co.uk Tel: +44(0)1784-456344 Fax: -466550
URLs: www.carldouglas.co.uk (boats) & www.aerowing.co.uk (riggers)
Rob Reali
trailer hitch, and fashioned an extension to bring it up to the height of
his roof racks.
It worked well
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