Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2006 08:11:32 +0200
Reply-To: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject: kayaks on roofs (was RE: How Far can a ....
In-Reply-To: <MX8BiC6HbSzxdWGHpPn00006e6e@mx.africa-online.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi Zoltan,
I was just rummaging around and came across a picture of Matilda with the
kayak on the roof. Not an exciting picture, but it does show how the racks
and boat are placed relative to the poptop. I was wrong about the front
overhang - the boat goes as far as the bumper, not the front of the roof.
The boat weighs 47 lbs, plus that other bag weighs maybe 10 lbs (it has wood
paddles and a pole in it). If your boats are plastic, they'll be heavier
even if smaller.
The picture is on the web at:
http://www.joyhecht.net/professional/papers/Matilda-with-boat2.gif
Joy
****************************************************************
Joy Hecht
and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
For musings about life and the vanadventures:
http://www.joyhecht.net
****************************************************************
:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
:::Of Joy Hecht
:::Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 6:30 AM
:::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: How Far can a ....
:::
:::Hi Zoltan,
:::
:::How long are your kayaks? The one I was traveling with is 19 feet.
:::People
:::kept saying I should push it further back on the racks, but basically I
:::wasn't going to put it on the racks in a way that it wasn't balanced,
:::with
:::the cockpit squarely in the middle between the two saddles. I had about
:::three feet of overhang off the rear end of the vehicle, and the bow went
:::about up to the front of the roof, over the luggage rack.
:::
:::My rear rack is are mounted as far back as it can go on the poptop, and
:::the
:::front one placed just behind the skylight. Then the boat was placed
:::evenly
:::on the racks. If your boats are shorter than mine, so you're okay with
:::less
:::spread between the racks, you might be able to push the front one back a
:::bit
:::more and thereby shift the weight back a bit more. Just make sure you
:::have
:::enough spread for the boats to be well anchored.
:::
:::There are also laws about how much overhang is legal off the back of a
:::vehicle. I think four feet is the max before you could get hassled,
:::though
:::it could vary from state to state. I always hung a flag on the back of
:::the
:::boat when I drove with it.
:::
:::
:::Joy
:::
:::
:::****************************************************************
:::Joy Hecht
:::and Matilda, 1989 Burgundy Vanagon
:::
:::For musings about life and the vanadventures:
:::http://www.joyhecht.net
:::
:::****************************************************************
:::
::::::-----Original Message-----
::::::From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On
:::Behalf
::::::Of Zoltan
::::::Sent: Tuesday, April 04, 2006 4:26 AM
::::::To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
::::::Subject: How Far can a ....
::::::
::::::Hi guys,
::::::I was wondering how to put the rack on the pop top. And how far can
:::the
::::::kayaks hang out at the back. What is the normal recommendation on
:::this?
::::::Thanks for all the advice.
::::::Zoltan
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