New(to me) boat and a couple questions

[Sagittarius62]

I just picked up a used one of these.
http://www.boatownersworld.com/kli/a...2_jon_boat.htm
It is a bit wide for our 1999 Caravan with the standard roof rack. Research on the web hasn't shown what I was hoping for which would be some sort of extension kit. Do you all know if something like that exists? Second, how much electric motor would you recommend? I was thinking at least 40lb. Not enough?

[Thwack]

You can replace your factory rack with a much more expandable one from Yakima or Thule. Either of those will let you use bars that are wider than your car so you can get bars that match your boat.

They might make an adapter to let you use their bars with your factory rack but that's a bit of a long shot.

Check Yakima or Thule's web sites for dealers near you then go talk to them about what might work.

I put a Yakima roof rack on top of my truck's cab and use a "goal post" that slips into the trailer hitch...holds my kayaks just fine. The same sort of rack that's on top of my cab, could be run full length (or less) of your minivan....

[modocdan]

Most canopy and tonneau cover shops sell a universal mount that acceps 1' O.D. tubing oe galvanized EMT conduit and clamps onto the drip rails of most vans and such. They are a cast aluminum construction with setscrews to anchor the tubing. With these mounts you can use any length tubing you want. Yakima also makes a simailar mount that accepts round tubing, and they are lockable so they cannot be removed from your vehicle without a key. Check with such shops, or guys in your area who sell running boards, bruch guards and such. They will have something like you need.....ModocDan

[Sagittarius62]

Thanks fellas. I will look into the universal mount deal. Relplacing the existing rack with an after market one is more than I want to get into. That or a couple 2X2s strapped to the existing rack.

[Clay]

There are very FEW factory racks that are meant to be used. I think that most of them are light duty indeed and some designers use them more like one would add chrome to something to make it look better. In other words, I don't have much confidence in factory installed racks. Now that might sound goofy, why would any company put on a roof rack but not make it very functional? It happens more than you might imagine. Look in the owners manual. You don't want to be driving down the road and have the boat rip off of the van and take the roof rack with it. A boat like that on the top of the van puts much more stress on that rack than a couple of duffle bags strapped down. When the wind gets under that boat and you are at highway speeds, the guy driving behind you on the interstate is also at risk.

Having said that, I went with Yakima and am very happy with the product. If you are looking for a way to save money. Take those seats out of the rear of the van and slide that thing in the back. Besides that, stay to the back roads and watch your speeds. Then before you go make sure that your insurance is paid up and you might even want to increase your coverage if you decide to try the factory rack.

[Joe Valencic]

You could always buy a trailer and avoid the who rooftop fiasco.

[Clay]

You're right, the roof top stuff is a pita. I did that with a canoe for a while. A second hand small trailer would be ideal.

[kengore]

I was shocked at the price of the Thule and Yakima roof top bars. I wasn't too keen on spending $300 plus to transport a canoe I got second hand for under $200.

So I improvised my own roof top bars. Using some U bolts, 4 small hardwood blocks and wing nuts I was ale to add two 6' long sections of 1" dia. galvinzed pipe to my existing roof rack.

Total cost under $30, and that includes 4 tennis balls 'bumpers' to cover the pipe ends.

[Sagittarius62]

For the record the roof rack is rated at 150lbs, the boat weighs 85lbs. Second, the boat is 12 feet long, so the bow and stern are strapped down to the frame of the vehicle front and rear. It is not even tied to the rack itself, other than for a little lateral stability. If the boat takes off, the whole van will be airborne. I'm not that foolish. That safe enough Dad?

I was shocked at the price of the Thule and Yakima roof top bars. I wasn't too keen on spending $300 plus to transport a canoe I got second hand for under $200.

So I improvised my own roof top bars. Using some U bolts, 4 small hardwood blocks and wing nuts I was ale to add two 6' long sections of 1" dia. galvinzed pipe to my existing roof rack.

Total cost under $30, and that includes 4 tennis balls 'bumpers' to cover the pipe ends.

This is my situation exactly. Perfect solution. I just want to keep the gunwhales off the roof of the van.

[Joe Hyde]

The Yakima and Thule racks are indeed expensive. It really depends on how often you intend to go canoeing, how serious you are about transportation safety.

I just arrived in Boise, Idaho after a 1,400 mile Interstate trip half of which was through an early spring blizzard that hit western Kansas, eastern Colorado and eastern Wyoming.

I have Yakima racks on my Toyota Tacoma pickup. Pricey, but let me tell you something:

Three days ago I drove through a blizzard that hit me with 70 and 80-mph quartering crosswinds. My two Wenonah Rendezvous solo canoes were strapped to the rack crossbars with 12-ft. Northwest River Supply (NRS) cam-lock straps. The fiberglass hulls of my boats literally flexed sideways under the wind pressure of that blizzard. But neither the rack system nor the NRS straps failed.

If I'd attempted this trip using a canoe trailer, today I would have no longer own any canoes; they'd both been shattered into little pieces of fiberglass lying along the highway. As light as canoes are they simply wouldn't have stood a chance in that powerful storm, had they been getting pulled behind my pickup by means of canoe trailer.

On the Interstate that day, crosswinds blew a semi-trailer and a large pull-behind trailer off the highway onto their sides, wrecking both tow vehicles in the bargain. Whereas I made it through that blizzard with my boats intact. If there was ever a torture test of the Yakima rack system, this trip to Boise was it.

Point being, if you intend to cartop your canoe to nearby lakes at low road speeds in light wind, then low-end systems such as those foam pads and tie-down ropes are gonna work fine for you. But if you envision yourself going long distances, or going canoeing often (which eventually exposes you to powerful storm winds) then I suggest you give priority to buying and installing a serious canoe rack system FIRST. Bite the bullet and buy a good rack system before you buy the canoe. You'll never regret it.


Joe
"Better small than not at all."