Yak Rack-n-Roll 66: Upside-Down Implementation

I suspect this is not my end-all-do-all solution and that right-side-up-on-bunkers will be calling out to me after I have been through the unloading-rigging-amas/akas - de-rigging amas/akas-loading process a few dozen times.

But all the materials were on hand - and cheap.... and Hobie seems to like the idea of inverted storage on the gunwales so, in the immortal words of Alfred E. Newman, "Whyyyyyyy Not ?".

Basically, I used PVC pipe on each side of the Yak bars to define a central section the width of the vaka...... Hit the PVC with a heat gun and the wrapped line around it to make it conform to the bars and mounting pylons so it would stay in place.

In the center area there is a free-rolling section of the same PVC that acts as a roller.

Loading is reasonably easy:

• Lay a couple of plywood pads on the front and rear of the cockpit to distribute the point load of the PVC-covered Yak bars on the gunwales.
  .
• Lead the hull-on-beach wheels up to the back of the trailer and rest it on the roller PVC.
  .
• Grab the hull by the seat bar and slide it forward on the the rollers until positioned fore-aft..... With the PVC rollers, this is surprisingly easy
  .
• Turn the hull on it's edge...... This is the most physically challenging part of the process...... Using the beach wheels as a lever helps, but I am thinking maybe sticking something in the aft Xbar and using it as a lever might help.
  .
• Wiggle the hull-on-edge back-and-forth until the down edge is on one side of the storage area defined on the Yak bars.
  .
• Let the hull flip the rest of the way over so it is laying on the Yak bars upside-down with the plywood pads spreading out the load.
  .
• Check to make sure the pads are still in the right position.
  .
• (maybe) Wiggle it a little more until the pads are settled between the left and right stationary PVC pieces.
  .
• Strap it all down.

One of our esteemed contributors from Hobie said the load distribution looked OK from the hull's perspective...... With the amas on the trailer, I get about 40# of hitch weight - which is about right for the Yak trailer. (10-15% GVW)

Pix beginning at https://picasaweb.google.com/1081497986 ... 4120902786

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Seems like a lot of trouble to go through. Why not use the PVC bunks if you're concerned about hull deformation with the cradles? Not having to flip the hull or attach/remove the amas every time you launch/retrieve will save your energy for sailing! Also, you can float the boat off the trailer directly and ditch the cart. (I know the trailer isn't meant for submersion - I just back down as far as possible without dipping the hubs and thoroughly rinse at the end of the day).

All true.... and, like I said, bunks will probably be calling out to me in the near future.

That being said, one reason I did not just jump right into bunks was uncertainty about support span.

I only have 48" to work with on this trailer...... I hear several people saying their bunks are 8' long..... for me, without messing with dummying up another crossbar on the tongue and buying another (muy expensivo, I am assuming) Yak crossbar and mounting hardware, that means 2' of overhang on each end and 4' in the middle and I do not know enough about how the PVC pipe will bend and how well it will do it's job of supporting the hull given those spans.

The downside of error seems too severe (permanently oil-canned hull after 3 months of storage over the winter) to just "try it".

OTOH, by all accounts I have read so far, the gunwale storage with the padding I am using is a slam-dunk....

But, slam-dunk-or-not, I think you are right on the money about the energy spent launching/retrieving and I am about 85% sure that bunks are in my future.....But when depends on finding somebody for whom they have worked for at least a year on this exact hull using a 48" span.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Perhaps there is another advantage Pete - storing the Hobie inverted will keep the dust, dirt and leaves from filling the seat wells. Job nicely done though and well photographed.
Cheers,
Brian

That is one reason I preferred it for the outrigger canoe I had for a few seasons.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

Why not do both? The bunks can be used during sailing months, where the boat will be used frequently enough to prevent permanent hull deformation. Remove the bunks and flip the boat when you think you might not be able to sail for extended periods, or if you trailer the boat for long distances.

For anybody else on this little journey, here is a first-hand observations after my first season of inverted trailer storage/transport:

The main hull is taking it's share of abuse just by being flipped over and pulled across the crossbars........ over-and-over-and-over-and over......

It is beginning to look to me like this abuse may well exceed whatever abuse comes from storing/trailering it right-side-up - either on bunks or the Hobie cradles.

I went into this expecting that the hassles of inverted storage would make me see the light and go over to bunks or cradles.... but was not expecting the wear-and-tear aspect.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]

I went with cradles instead of bunks, but otherwise am doing as you suggest.

Couple 2x4's, a little 1/4" to maintain alignment.... Remove 4 bolts and the whole thing just slides out and the trailer is ready for upside-down storage.

Thanks for the suggestion.

_________________
2015 AI in "Dune" - "The Grey Pig"
2017 Trailex 450 Trailer
Pre-September 2015 cradles
(anybody want to buy a slightly-used AI SpinKit?)
eMail: [email protected]