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dinghy onto car roof


islandgun
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Just bought a 3m car toppable dinghy to allow me to launch, and fish from some remote spots that a trailer wouldn't get too, the boat weighs 54kg and goes on an old lwb shogun my problem is its a struggle to get on and off the roof, does anyone have any ideas or experience of getting a boat onto a car they could share

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xK3dyN1Us0

 

 

This one looks good.

Thanks Lg That is a sweet idea very professional I will definitely look into it, the boat weighs 120lb which I thought I would manage ! im thinking of a couple of runners and to load from the side, I have a trolley which slides over the transom which allows the boat to be pushed about quite well (upside down) I will post a picture when/if I sort it out. cheers IG

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Two lengths of timber (4x4) with four shelf brackets screwed to them, two brackets per length, say one at 3ft and the other at 4 1/2 - 5ft on each timber length. Each timber should be longer that the roof rack's height so that they can be laid at an angle of 45 degrees'ish. Lay the boat gunnel down, bow forward resting on the timbers. Lift one end of the boat onto the 1st bracket and then the other end. Repeat with second bracket and then slide onto roof.

 

You take the timbers with you to load the boat wherever you go.

 

If I can, I'll take some pictures from a book that I have showing this method.

Edited by Penelope
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Two lengths of timber (4x4) with four shelf brackets screwed to them, two brackets per length, say one at 3ft and the other at 4 1/2 - 5ft on each timber length. Each timber should be longer that the roof rack's height so that they can be laid at an angle of 45 degrees'ish. Lay the boat gunnel down, bow forward resting on the timbers. Lift one end of the boat onto the 1st bracket and then the other end. Repeat with second bracket and then slide onto roof.

 

You take the timbers with you to load the boat wherever you go.

 

If I can, I'll take some pictures from a book that I have showing this method.

Great stuff thats the sort of thing I was looking for, basically lift 300mm at a time, any info on how deep/long the brackets are ? cheers IG

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Yeah, pretty much, one side then the other, a bit like walking it up the timbers with the brackets taking the weight as you lift the other side.

 

As for bracket size, ones that will support the boat, 9" should do. I have not used this myself but have a book by Phil Harper 'Angling Afloat' that has a pictorial step by step explanation. As I said I try and scan the pages for you.

 

 

Great stuff thats the sort of thing I was looking for, basically lift 300mm at a time, any info on how deep/long the brackets are ? cheers IG

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Thule do a product called the Hullavator that uses gas struts to help lift, although i think it is really designed for kayaks and canoes.

 

There is also this product http://www.aswatersports.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?cPath=38_75&products_id=1897&osCsid=c2498252018019c41af99df42e4ce398

 

I have also seen someone use a tow hitch mounted system that allowed the boat to be loaded from the rear of the car, no idea if it was a commercial system or a home made affair. It was basically a T shaped support that pivoted around the tow ball so you could push the boat forward and up whilst the arm took most of the weight.

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Thanks again everyone. I like simple (no surprise there then) so the wooden ramp appeals, I was wondering if there would be any benefit in cutting and fixing wooden wedges, which perhaps could be greased to allow a push and lift motion, I will keep you posted, cheers IG

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Thanks again everyone. I like simple (no surprise there then) so the wooden ramp appeals, I was wondering if there would be any benefit in cutting and fixing wooden wedges, which perhaps could be greased to allow a push and lift motion, I will keep you posted, cheers IG

 

 

I think wooden triangles will help like the brackets LG mentioned. They will be cheap and you can move them about as you need to. With the 45degree angle on the underside, if you catch it on the way up, the little bracket (triangle) will help the top gunnel ride over it and catch above. So the top face of the triangle is at 90 degrees to the main timber but the whole thing is leaning on the vehicle.

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There are not many places that a short trailer with decent ground clearance will not go behind a big strong vehicle. Perhaps you should think again. Two points that become clear when you do a bit of cartopping are :

 

Some posters may not realise that it becomes exponentially more difficult to shove a dinghy on by any means as the vehicle roof height increases. e.g. Laser onto Volvo estate = easy. Laser onto Landrover = call your mate who plays in the second row.

 

Time and money spent on making/adapting a trailer is an investment when you come to sell the boat on. Time and money spent on making a oneoff ramp has gone.

 

Obviously it CAN be done - Practical Boat Owner once had an article on cartopping a Wayfarer (180 kg ?) - but I forget the good reason the chap had for doing it.

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