TikiShack Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 My Toyota gets too many miles per gallon so I was thinking of putting more wind resistance on the roof in the form of a kayak. Dont want to trailer anything. My 92 Itasca Mini Winnie has an all metal roof...and it is smooth. Any suggestions?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 My Chinook is fiberglass, but an all smooth roof. I bought Thule artificial rain gutters and a rack. It works great for my canoe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Any suggestions? Choose a solution that makes the fewest holes in the skin and adds the load (or lift at speed) to the walls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Which I did not do... Sometimes you can only do so much thinking and engineering. That's the problem with doing everything at once. Small, one at a time projects probably turn out better in most cases, since you can put all your energy into just one thing at a time. I just needed to get a roof rack on before I put my ceiling panels up, and really wanted my ceiling panels up right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevato Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Maybe keep this idea in mind as you design something. I'd make the rack as low and as un intrusive as possible. Maybe a 2x2 or 2x4, harder than the standard stud material. Use 2, one at the front and one at the rear, running left to right. Then as this as the base you might make another piece that fits between them and the kayak. Might be a form fitting piece of plywood? With these 2x2's always present they'd be good to haul a ladder or some light lenghts of building lumber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 Rv roof rack that has adjustable width to fit your camper to a tee http://www.etrailer.com/Ladder-Racks/SportRack/SR1020.html?feed=npn&gclid=CJj03vjwnr0CFYsWMgodglUAkQ Kayak support to add to that roof rack http://www.etrailer.com/Watersport-Carriers/Packem/PK-KR.html Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikiShack Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Maybe keep this idea in mind as you design something. I'd make the rack as low and as un intrusive as possible. Maybe a 2x2 or 2x4, harder than the standard stud material. Use 2, one at the front and one at the rear, running left to right. Then as this as the base you might make another piece that fits between them and the kayak. Might be a form fitting piece of plywood? With these 2x2's always present they'd be good to haul a ladder or some light lenghts of building lumber. Great Ideas.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikiShack Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Rv roof rack that has adjustable width to fit your camper to a tee http://www.etrailer.com/Ladder-Racks/SportRack/SR1020.html?feed=npn&gclid=CJj03vjwnr0CFYsWMgodglUAkQ Kayak support to add to that roof rack http://www.etrailer.com/Watersport-Carriers/Packem/PK-KR.html Linda S That looks adequate at a reasonable price... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted March 19, 2014 Share Posted March 19, 2014 And what I just found out yesterday... The spacing of the bars is important. If you ever decide to put a basket or storage box up there, it will only fit if the bars are between something like 20"-36" apart. I just put mine on for the canoe, and the bars are 42.5" apart. There is basically no cargo box that will fit my bars. And I could really use a cargo box getting some stuff out of my way right now. I'm considering buying one anyway, and just drilling holes for u-bolts and making it work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 I've been hauling kayaks for over twenty years and I'd recommend a super lightweight trailer. Number one related kayak injury is back pain from lifting, carrying, and hauling your boat to and from the water. There are now fantastic light weight kayak trailers on the market you can unhook and wheel around with one hand! If you kayak a lot it's the way to go. No holes in your roof and carry a cargo box too.If you just dabble then a roof rack will be ok be sure to tie the bow and stern down in addition to tieing to the rack. Measure your clearance some of the bridges will be getting mighty close! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikiShack Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 I've been hauling kayaks for over twenty years and I'd recommend a super lightweight trailer. Number one related kayak injury is back pain from lifting, carrying, and hauling your boat to and from the water. There are now fantastic light weight kayak trailers on the market you can unhook and wheel around with one hand! If you kayak a lot it's the way to go. No holes in your roof and carry a cargo box too. If you just dabble then a roof rack will be ok be sure to tie the bow and stern down in addition to tieing to the rack. Measure your clearance some of the bridges will be getting mighty close! I agree. Went car/kayak camping for a month with my son - the way to go. But there are reasons for the roof in my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfisherx Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Hello gents. New user here. I second the "inflatable" idea. The inflatables today are super fast and easy to set up and also perfectly suited to causal kayaking and/or fishing kayaking. Hobie makes a 3k one that performs (it is said) on parr with their hardsides. I have a Sevylor hunt/fish that I got on craigs for 200 dollars and have my eye on the Saturn 13 foot model when I upgrade. These inflatables are super stable and durable. My kayaking is usually 2-4 mile round trips at max and often just 1 mile as I fish. I could not find any safe way to tie my kayaks down on the roof without install more than 200 dollars worth of HW and potentially harming the integrity of my roof. This is much safer all around. I imagine if you are really serious about your kayaking, that buying a trailer and such is probably the next best option. I have considered pulling a very lightweight 10 foot boat on a trailer as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 These inflatables are a little spendy, but come with a 3 year warranty and 180 day try for free! My buddy has one for fishing, very durable: http://www.seaeagle.com/NeedleNose.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicehobbits Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Easy ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 Only reason I didn't go inflatable is because my motorhome is a tiny Chinook. The size I wanted in an inflatable would have been probably close to 50lbs, and when deflated, a very large bundle. Inside my camper. Taking up valuable living space I can't afford to give up. So...canoe up top on the roof, wind drag, or a big bundle taking up living space inside...I went canoe and rack on top. But I'll agree it's a compromise and you have to decide what works best for you. If you have a larger RV with space inside, and inflatable is probably a pretty good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaChinook Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 These inflatables are a little spendy, but come with a 3 year warranty and 180 day try for free! My buddy has one for fishing, very durable: http://www.seaeagle.com/NeedleNose.aspx I have to say that the "sport" inflatable kayaks on that site are pretty affordable, and pack down nice and small...They'd even fit in my brand new cargo basket up top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TikiShack Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Easy ... image.jpg I LOVE that picture. Going to Oaxaca coastline soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulnptld Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I purchased a Sea Eagle two years ago. I've used it twice. The second time I used it I was in the middle of a lake in the high Cascades of Oregon with my wife and dog when the left side of the raft started to lose air. Quickly. An inadvertent swim in Hosmer Lake in May would have been brief before hypothermia did us all in. We barely made it back to shore. For Sale: One lightly used Sea Eagle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 You don't say where the air was leaking from. I have used inflatables for years and dragged them over branches and stuff getting them out of lakes and rivers and haven't sprung a leak yet. If you bought it new Sea Eagles do have a warranty good for 3 years. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I have an inflatable SUP very durable and I usually leave it inflated all year long, I throw it up on my stock rack on top of the Sunrader. If your inflatable lost air it's a defect, send it back. Mine's been inflated for 2 years now, just give it a few pumps to top it off every now and then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Here is a new origami folding kayak that is pretty cool! http://www.orukayak.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Here is a new origami folding kayak that is pretty cool! http://www.orukayak.com/ I have a canoe that does the same thing. Not made anymore but it was called a Tote N Boat. Very light and fun but mine has a flat bottom and no type of rudder. I am going to rig a lightweight plastic one up this summer. I do use a kayak paddle with it though http://www.atplaybay.com/sitebuilder/images/ToteNBoatFoldingCanoe-354x244.jpg Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 The Oru ones are insanely expensive. Here's is a more reasonable alternative. Only 30 lbs too http://www.epswarehouse.com/foldlite-10-ft-folding-kayak/?gclid=CIPZvau-xb0CFYdFMgodJH4ACw Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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