Car topping ideas for dory?

I will be car topping my dory from Texas to Maine in a couple months and will put it upside down cradled by 4 Malone Sea Wings on the roof racks.

This photo shows kayaks sitting in the Sea Wings.  Of course the kayaks are 10' lont and the dory is 17' long, so I'd sure appreciate any suggestions anyone may have to secure the dory!!

(This Honda Element with the dory on top will be towed behind our motorhome and the kayaks are staying home)

https://picasaweb.google.com/114717787929554738224/BuildingWoodenBoatCLCNortheasterDory?authkey=Gv1sRgCKCBzczm_aKs2wE#5978105099407842082

 

Thanks Curt 830/997-8120


2 replies:

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RE: Car topping ideas for dory?

Your Element is about 14 feet long overall. I'm sure the roof is around 9 ft. The rack spacing on your kayaks are too close together for stable car topping of a long boat. The weight distribution needs to be evenly distributed across the length of the roof. So the boat will stick out more from the back than the front. You are limited by most DOT regs to 4ft over hang.  We've cheated that before. You need to spread the front rack and back rack bars out more on the roof.  I have no information on the structure of the car roof.

I'm a fan of Yakama racks. Yes they are pricy but they work. Thule racks work too. My favor for Yakama racks is that although pricy I have been able to convert racks from camper top, to car top, to truck bed mounts and use the same components. The seawings look like a good kayak solution.  However an upside down dory will want to sit on bars that extend beyond the beam of the boat. You have a 56" beam on a 71.6" wide car. I bet the factory bars don't extend that far. I'd want 6" on either side.  Ladder rack stop brackets to keep the gunwales in place would be prefered but you could secure it with just straps.  Two straps lateral.  Note you'll probably want to tie it fore and aft also, especially if you use a short distance between the rack bars.   You also need to rack the oars.

I was concerned about over hang on my truck to trailer clearance with the kayak racks. But the trailer tounge distance and the extended equalizer hitch cancelled all those worries. Your tow bar, RV bumper and hitch will probably move the bow of the boat out of harms way. Especially since you'll have to center it on the roof and increase the overhang off the rear of the car.  A short distance tow is required to see if the turblence behind the motor home will cause problems with the car.

I suspect the dory is LARGE compaired to the car. You might have lateral windage problems.  Kind of a tail wagging the dog effect.

Front and back straps need a twist in them when spanning distance. The twist causes vortexes that keep the strap from vibrating. .........and scratching paint or coming loose....or bothering me. ...... :-)

 

Good luck.

 

RE: Car topping ideas for dory?

Hey Grumpy,

GREAT comments, thanks!!  

Could you please call me at your convienence?  830/997-8120  ..any time

Your comments made me think of a couple things that would be easier to get your thoughts on a couple things on a quick discussion .

 

Thanks!

Curt

 

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