I would like to get a heavy duty rack for my full size van to carry my Taipan on. The 12-passenger Chevy van is 18.5 feet long total on a 1-ton chassis. The boat platform weighs less than 200 lbs; the mast about 35 lbs.

Is it feasible for me to carry my boat on top of the van on a heavy duty steel rack such as this one rated to carry 800 lbs:

http://www.rackwarehouse.com/w2165.html

I would bolt a board along each side to support the boat by its beams.

Anyone have experience with this?

Is the boat best carried right side up or upsided down? Frontward or backward?

Is it okay to have the mast hanging off 5 ft in front and back?

Strategies for getting the boat up there?

[My goal is to be able to tow my camp trailer to make it easier to bring the kids to regattas.]

Eric,

I've transported a Hobie 18 on a van roof rack made for catamarans...just need a lot of TALL guys to put it on and off <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> The rack I used had rollers on the back (similar to a boat trailer) to help in loading and unloading the beast. It also had clearence lights on the ends due to the width. I've also seen boats on top of RV's and travel trailers. The best way to position your boat on the rack is right-side up, bows forward. This makes loading and unloading easier. No worries about the mast overhang. You just need to red flag the end if it extends 6 feet past the rear support (CA law?). Neccessity is the mother of invention. You'll be OK. Just make sure the rack is securely fastened to the van and that the boat is tied down good.

Your gas mileage will suck.

Safe travels.

Picture is worth a thousand words:

A Hobie 16 on a '71 Olds Delta 88.

(Yes, that's me at the age of 18. Young and stupid - and a lot more hair.)

Eric,

Would getting the boat on and off the camp trailer be simpler? (I don't know what kind of camper you have though).

Ian Lindahl carries his A-class on the roof of his Suburban, so it should work great. I think he just has a couple of padded planks across the roof; I know it's very simple. The boat gets strapped down in its 4-wheel trolley. Good luck!

Oh yeah: Cats haul pretty well on popup camp trailers, too, but of course you have to unload them before you set up the tent.

I've seen Ian's set up; it's a custom Marstrom 4 wheel dolley. The camp trailer is much taller than the van--full height, not a pop up; that's why I figured putting the cat on the van would be easier. Also, I'm not sure how sturdy the trailer is to fasten a rack to.

If the trailer is taller than the van, are you sure the mast will clear the trailer? Maybe the mast should go on the trailer?

Bob Richards used to have a sweet rack on his pickup for his Seaspray. It extended out over the hood and tilted down for loading/unloading. It also kept the bed area clear so he could pull a fifth-wheel trailer.

That won't work with a van, of course. However I think just using manpower to get a boat on top of a van would be tricky because of the height of the van.

Can you get an endorsement to pull two trailers in California, or is that just a Nevada thing?

Rhino,

I saw Bob's set up once--Sea Sprays are a lot smaller!

Yes, I will probably need to put the mast on the trailer.

As far as double trailering goes, I've only seen it in Calif with a fifth wheel towing a small fishing boat.

Our van has been lowered to make it easier to get in and out of compared to the usual height of the 1ton van.

Photo attached of the "rig."

Another blast from the past - circa 1982:



Sorry for the poor image quality.

Must be fun backing up. <img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Eric,



I think this is key in your case. Get the front rack as far front as possible. "Some framing" you can stow up on the rack below the boat and pull out front, stays anchored at front crossbar and legs swing down. Height of legs dependent on hulls clearing the mirrors. Width of rail/frame set so axel of cat trax will ride down them. Going back up will take horsepower. Still a three man minimum job.

Im pretty sure I have seen a photo on this forum of a guy using a bearing roller slide, like sitting the front of the hulls on oversized travellers, so that his kids could load the cat. This would take all the friction out of the operation, so that you only had to lift the front into place then go to the back and lift and let the hulls roll into place.
regards

Phill's trailer

which Eric used as a basis to design his trailer

Thats the one John you wouldn't have a picture of the runners would you I'm planning to do that conversion myself
regards

And why would you want a trailer like this?

Trailer has Trex rails--low friction and non-corroding, easy to slide the boat on/off alone.

Going back to the original topic

The steel racks made for commercial trucks work great. There are many varieties and options. Make sure they are installed properly and pay attention to how many racks (2,3, or 4) are suggested. Check to see if there is a local supplier. The ones in Houston don't even look at you funny if you say you want to carry something ~200 lbs and 30 ft long (they may say "that a lot of ladders")

My only suggestion for supports is make sure you can rest one end of the boat on the rack and the other on the ground without hitting the truck. This will allow 2 people to load the boat.

Trey I dont need the whole trailer but the sliding arangement makes it easier to get the boat onto the rack, if you stand at ground level and try to push or pull a boat of a rack with friction you'll never do it on your own but with the slides one person could get the back of the boat sitting on the ground then go to the front prop it up off the roof rack, drive the van forward then take the weight of the prop that would fall to the ground, then just lower the boat. Were still on topic as anybody can build a rack but not everybody has four people to lift the boat on and off. My boat weighs 140kg derigged the slides would make it a bit easier for me as I like to be able to solo when I want this includes putting the 32ft mast up on my own.
<img src="http://www.catsailor.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> regards

Appreciate the ideas folks. I think I've figured out how to create a van rack that will take two people to load/unload--my Taipan platform is less than 200 lbs, so that helps.