Date: Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:32:00 -0500
Reply-To: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: semi-OT: questions about carrying a canoe
In-Reply-To: <20120821110942.QZ9BI.1326189.imail@eastrmwml107>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
My friends and I ALWAYS manage to tie down laterally. Simple for-and-aft
lashing is not enough; I can put you in touch with people who have skidded
a new boat down the interstate at 70, and they are lucky that's all that
happened. The westy has metal cleats that can be use, one strap pulling to
each side. On other cars, including tintop vanagons, we pass the straps
through the car with the windows down and then roll them up when the boat
is secure. You can also close the back doors on the straps in some cars,
but more water gets in if it rains than just having the windows cracked.
You can't do it on a westy because of the screens. But as I said, with the
cleats up top, you don't really need to. I make sure my straps (cam locks)
share the load through several cleats, never just one.
Jim
On Tue, Aug 21, 2012 at 10:09 AM, Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@cox.net> wrote:
> ---- WELLHOUSE MAX <dimwittedmoose@CFU.NET> wrote:
> >
> > My final point to this subject is that the cheapo kits have NO way of
> > lashing the canoe laterally to prevent cross winds from blowing the boat
> > off the van. YMMV
>
> Well, as one who has used foam blocks to transport a canoe (not on a
> Vanagon), I can say that lateral lashing is certainly possible, as I have
> done it. Every canoe has thwarts running gunwale to gunwale. Everyone can
> make use of lines from the thwarts to automotive pillars. That might be
> more difficult on a Vanagon (or any van) than on a sedan. The foam block
> kits as sold are completely inadequate.
>
> But, a good rack is far better, and I gave up using foam blocks after an
> experience that made me believe I could lose the canoe despite lashing to
> the best of my ability. mcneely
> >
> > DM&FS
> >
> > On Mon, Aug 20, 2012 at 11:37 PM, Gabriel Hourtouat <
> ghourtouat@gmail.com>wrote:
> >
> > > "...is it generally recommended to use the bars that fit into the
> > > gutter, or to drill into the fibreglass and attach directly to the
> > > poptop?..."
> > >
> > > Jeff: No bars required -- foam blocks suffice. Google search "canoe
> > > on westfalia" to get some ideas. One example:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.westfalia.org/community/gallery/files/2/7/5/3/8/van-canoe.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.westfalia.org/community/gallery/showimage.php?i%3D1108&h=450&w=600&sz=48&tbnid=My5IwTtyiFTJyM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcanoe%2Bon%2Bwestfalia%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=canoe+on+westfalia&usg=__elNOfuXmbwn1CpjdqcezgAzDPkk=&docid=q8iXpjtORH9CXM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jgszUKHpHsfrygGW_4HIBw&ved=0CFAQ9QEwAg&dur=495
> > >
> > > I would choose some other position for the foam blocks so that the
> > > canoe is not touching the van directly. Could consider letting one
> > > end hang off the back of the van sufficiently so that the other end is
> > > in the luggage hold.
> > >
> > > Or could consider strapping a bar across the luggage hold to gain some
> > > clearance or stability with the canoe resting on foam blocks at the
> > > rear end of the pop top, depending on canoe length and beam.
> > >
> > > gabby
> > >
>
> --
> David McNeely
>
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