Date:         Thu, 8 Feb 2007 19:56:09 -0500
Reply-To:     Joy Hecht <hecht.joy@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joy Hecht <hecht.joy@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Poptop Raise Assists (Fryeday content)
In-Reply-To:  <45CB9C7E.5020008@frontleftspeakerposse.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Oh, I didn't explain fully how I was handling the loaded poptop.

With the kayak up there - 47 lbs of boat plus 10-15 lbs of racks - I would
start lifting the poptop until I got it mid-way up.  Then holding it up with
one hand I'd grab this carefully placed long 2x2 and prop the top up on
that.  Then I'd get on my stepstool and finish the lift.  Lowering it was
straightforward with the pillow or sleeping bag on the upper bunk to cushion
it down.

With the addition of a 10-15 pound bag containing paddles and a bunch of
other long things I didn't want in the van, I couldn't do it - couldn't
manage to get the pole in place after having started the lift from the
floor.

I suppose if I did a lot more bench pressing I'd be able to do it?
Actually, when I'd practiced, with a (6-ft very strong) friend spotting me,
I figured raising the poptop a few times a day would replace any need for
bench pressing!  But once I added the paddle bag I had to quit trying, I
just couldn't do it.

For a while I would identify nice-looking strangers in campgrounds and ask
for help - it was sometimes a fun way to meet people, actually.  But then I
got tired of doing that and just didn't pop the top.  And then I decided I
wasn't paddling much anyway, so I left the boat behind.

My plan, BTW, is - hopefully with Kim's technical assistance - to put in
struts.  I actually tried lifting his poptop and even _with_ the struts I
couldn't do it!  But I'm not going to have anything like the weight on mine
that he has on his.



Joy

:::-----Original Message-----
:::From: chris [mailto:vanagon@frontleftspeakerposse.com]
:::Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 4:56 PM
:::To: Joy Hecht
:::Cc: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
:::Subject: Re: Poptop Raise Assists (Fryeday content)
:::
:::Wouldn't a small step-stool work?
:::
:::When I had some serious weight up there once, I just stood up on my
:::floor console and pushed it the rest of the way.
:::
:::I could reach, but having the extra height made it much easier.
:::
:::
:::
:::Joy Hecht wrote:
:::> With the amount of weight Kim has (something like 200 lbs), I wouldn't
:::be
:::> able to do the straight up dead lift either, but I don't have that
:::> weight on
:::> my poptop.
:::>
:::>
:::>
:::> I think this may be a height issue.  If I were a foot taller I might
:::have
:::> the leverage to finish the lift without an assist.
:::>
:::
:::> Joy