Date:         Mon, 3 May 2004 14:43:50 +1000
Reply-To:     STEPHEN OVERMYER <S.OVERMYER@UWS.EDU.AU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         STEPHEN OVERMYER <S.OVERMYER@UWS.EDU.AU>
Subject:      Re: wisdom of strapping surfboard to westy roof, no rack
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

 

From:    Craig Oda <craigoda@COMMUNITYBUILDERS.INFO>

I'm considering strapping a long surfboard to the top of my westfalia
roof and am wondering about the wisdom of this.  I want to avoid the
$200 or more cost of a Thule of Yakima racks, which I've heard works.

Here's my idea.

1) Buy six drawer handles from a hardware store.
 2) Drill holes in pop top fiberglass for  3 handles on each sides of
the roof
 3) Attach handles with 3/16" long-shank aluminum pop rivets and large
washers to distribute rivet stress
 4) put down foam pipe insulation rolls on the roof of the Westy to
protect the board
  5) strap the board to the roof using the handles

In this configuration, the board would have three straps over it.

Reckon I'll crack the pop-top roof or lose the board on the freeway or
on some bumpy road?  The Yakima rack appears to be bolted right into the
poptop and the rack supports the weight.  If I have the roof itself
supporting the waiting and use the drawer handle tie-downs to hold the
board stable, it might work...  You, think?

Is there any other cheap solution for this?

I may get a 8-10' long board.    Think long.....  Summer is coming.


 Craig,

 It may well work but if it were me,I don't think I'd ever feel I
 could fully trust such a set up.

 I have seen surfboards sucked off vehicles by large trucks passing
 in the opposite direction and this has the potential for a deadly
 accident if the board speared into another car...
 One in particular years ago was most spectacular when a board was 
 sucked off a Beetle travelling in front of my '74 VW camper,shot 
 straight up, maybe 40'in the air, and then straight down into the
 road.I was travelling far enough back so as not to get caught up 
 in the aftermath.
 Sure,they may have simply not have had the board properly secured 
 but I use this example just to illustrate what can happen if someone
 is unlucky... 

 I have a set of Vortex roof racks that were made for the T3 (supplied
 by VW of Australia)and are very sturdy.
 Just as well since both my long boards have dings in them where the 
 straps I secure them with have left impressions in the fibreglass 
 when some amphetimine crazed moron in a 40 tonne juggernaut has roared
 past in the opposite direction at way over the speed limit (in both 
 senses of the word ;)and the boards have attempted to follow...

 My point is,longboards in particular can exert a lot of upward 
 pressure on any roof rack system and you really gotta know they are
 very secure.

 If you were to lose a longboard,it's gonna cost you a lot more to
 replace than what the roof racks would have cost you...and if it
 hit another vehicle....well let's not go there....

 Just my opinion,

 Steve O....long time surfer who's prolly just getting cautious in
            his old age...;)
 NSW Australia
  9'1" Longboard
  8'4" Longboard
 '92 Transporter WBX Kombi
 '00 Transporter Double Cab
 '03 Transporter Double Cab (work truck)
 '78 Landrover Series 3 Soft top....for those really hard-to-reach
                                    secret surfing spots