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PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 10:11 am 
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Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:19 pm
Posts: 70
Have any of you SUV-topped an AI in such a way as to mostly avoid overhangs? I would like to do that so that I can tow my Casita trailer AND carry my AI on the top of my 2003 4Runner;

If any of you have done something similar, would you mind giving me a few hints? Here are the basics:

Image

* My 4Runner is exactly the same length as my AI
* I want to keep the tracks supporting the boat at the recommended 1/3 lengths from each end (as opposed to where they are now)
* I have a front hitch installed, so I can install a front support (vertical pole) if needed.
* Possible wiggle room: I can have an overhang on the back of up to 1.5 or 2.0 feet, but not more than that.

My questions center mostly how to install tracks (or equivalent aluminum beams) at the locations marked in Green in the sketch attached.
Any advice will be highly appreciated


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:07 pm 
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Research hang glider roof racks/supports for some ideas on forward loaded roof racks


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:35 pm 
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Thanks, will do!


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:57 am 
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Location: Chalfont Pa
I know it adds more weight and complexity but I am an advocate for pvc tubes supporting the hull over a longer distance. I bought an old 15 foot aluminum ladder and some pvc pipe. Screwed the pipe to the rungs so the hull sits with the recessed area right over the pvc. I cut out the area for scuppers, it lets you know when the boat is right in place. Then the ladder can be supported anywhere as it is way stiffer than the hull.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 5:17 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2011 1:58 am
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Location: Forster, NSW, Australia
quattroguy wrote:
I know it adds more weight and complexity but I am an advocate for pvc tubes supporting the hull over a longer distance. I bought an old 15 foot aluminum ladder and some pvc pipe. Screwed the pipe to the rungs so the hull sits with the recessed area right over the pvc. I cut out the area for scuppers, it lets you know when the boat is right in place. Then the ladder can be supported anywhere as it is way stiffer than the hull.

Sounds like a plan! Then you don't even need to change roof mount locations, just attach the ladder to the front bumper support and the rack crossbars

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Tony Stott
2012 Tandem Island "SIC EM" with Hobie spinnaker


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PostPosted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 1:27 pm 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
If it were me I would add a hitch reciever to your vehicle, (you can find it here ( https://www.autoanything.com/towing/73A3874A0A0.aspx). The are super simple to install yourself, (takes about an hour with common tools), the one on the link is $150 bucks, you can probably find them cheaper elseware). Later on if you decide to get a real trailer, you will be all set.
I would then get a hitch reciever T bar, to mount the boat on, (the capacity of those are 500 lbs and securely hold your boat. The stock roof racks and most aftermarket roof racks are only good to around 125 lbs, (your boat is way over max, especially with the AMA's along), basically it's just not safe up there, I have seen dozens of kayaks torn off the roofs of vehicles, (roof racks and all), especially down here in Florida where just about everyone own a kayak or two.
You can get a tilt-able Tbar from places like Rhino, but their kind of pricy, or you can get a rigid one, (doesn't tilt down) for around $60 bucks from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Erickson-07605-P ... 8B06NNFZES)

We had around 3 1/2 to 4 ft of overhang out the back of our Yukon Denali SUV's (we had 3 Denali's, and 3 TI's over the years), with around 1/4 million miles of roaming around the country with Hobies on the roof, (yea we travel a lot).
Loading with the T-bar over the back makes loading kayaks much easier, and saves damaging your roof, (we damaged many roofs severely loading and unloading kayaks)

On our latest truck (Sierra Denali) we us Thule Aero bars, they are really nice, (but a little pricy), that mount over the truck bed.

We have always hauled our boats right side up, (way less risk of damage to your car, especially with Adventure boats, (those AKA cross bars really wreck your roof, (speaking from experience here, lol).

We tried all types of kayak mounts and pads to hold the kayaks, every one of them dented the heck out of our hull, we ended up using no pads at all, and just use 1 1/2" dia wood closet poles to support the boat, (available at Home depot, (we get the ones that are PVC coated). Here is a pic of the closet poles:
Image

Yea we have ripped off a quite a few kayak roof racks going into parking garages, so I don't keep anything permanently mounted to the vehicle. We just flip the boat up onto the roof, slide in the closet poles under the boat, then strap the boat down.

Here is a pic of one of our Yukon Denali's all loaded up, (with T-bar above) and ready to go to our other House in Key West.
Image

Here is the front view, (notice the straps on the front, (very important):
Image

Here is a pic of our rig last yr, (we went to 41 national parks, (we were gone 6 months):
Image

When we have the boat on the roof for sometimes months at a time, we typically stuff pool noodles along side the boat to help even the load, (especially in the hot Florida sun).

In this pic you can see the many ratchet straps holding the boat down, when you go 15k miles for like 6 months of travel thru all weather, climbing mountain passes, and sometimes thru really bad storms, you have to have everything secured, (lol we didn't lose the boat even once). However our truck was overloaded weight wise with the camper attached, and had to put the boat in storage when we went to Yellowstone and the high mountains, then picked it up on the way back.
Image

Good luck
FE


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 6:27 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 24, 2015 6:38 pm
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Location: Pennsylvania - Philly Area
Great set up FE!

Ever get the TI into a lake at a NP?

Where do you stow the outboards....assume truck bed.

Love to see that jib wing in action!

_________________
Jim
Hobie TI 2022 - Offshore rig - Outboard - having fun!
Hobie TI 2021 - Offshore rig - Outboard - sold
Hobie TI 2016 - Offshore rig - Outboard - sold
Hobie Kona 2014
Hobie AI 2015 - sold
Hobie Rev 13 2014 - sold
Hobie Outback - 2008 - sold


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PostPosted: Sun Apr 28, 2019 7:38 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 7:17 am
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Hi,

I have a AI model 2018, i think your idea about the 2 longitudinal poles is very good

I note you say :1/2 inch dia ,please can you confirm that?

It seems to me that 1.5 inches dia pvc pipe should fit better :
on each crossing bar the sitting will be on three point : bottom of the right pipe/,bottom of the hull,/bottom of the left pipe

Please advice
Thank's


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:59 am 
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Joined: Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:43 am
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Location: Chalfont Pa
you will have to notch or bend the pipe under the bailer "bumps"


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 29, 2019 9:01 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:18 am
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Location: Sarasota,Key West FL
I think the standard closet pole are around 1 1/2 to 1 5/8 dia OD, (it’s a building standard I’m guessing, otherwise everyone would have to buy new cloths hangers, lol).
Those pvc coated closet poles at home depot are incredibly strong, (wood is incredibly strong on both side loads, and constant load, (pvc pipes are not), though on our trailer we used 1 1/4” pvc, then jammed wood broom stick handles into the tubes, (that also worked).
The pvc protects the wood from water intrusion.
Yes on 2015 and newer boats you will need to notch out where the scupper drain goes, (not a big deal), don’t worry about dragging the boat over the scupper drains, they are super strong.
Since those poles aren’t attached to anything, we also use them to store the boat on the garage floor in the winter so we can drag the boat around the garage if needed to get to xmas decorations and such.
Our boat trailer takes up a lot of garage space, and I designed it to break down, so we can haul it in the back of the truck when on the road, (along with the outboards). We usually stay at destinations a couple weeks so once we get the boat down, we put it on the trailer, (takes about an hour to get down and setup the boat). The ready to go loaded boat take 15 minutes to launch from the trailer.
Keep in mind our camper is using the reciever hitch on the truck when we are on the road so we have no means to tow the trailer when on the open road.
We shove big pool noodles over the end of each pole, (about 2 ft long) to help support the bow over the truck roof, (also prevents scratching the truck roof, (a really bad thing if you scratch your roof, especially around salt water).
Hope this helps
FE


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PostPosted: Tue Apr 30, 2019 8:19 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:19 pm
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Sorry I had left the answers to my question totally orphan, I've been out of circulation camping without the AI (paddle boarding instead).

After the initial answer suggesting I checked the boards for hang gliders, I did precisely that, and realized that the problem I was posing was neither new nor poorly addressed. There are literally tens of different options available for someone who, like me, has a front hitch receiver. The option that seems to make the most sense to my needs is very similar conceptually to that of using an old aluminum ladder to provide support all along the length of the boat.

I say "conceptually" because I would (a) remove a few of the ladder steps (for weight and turbulence reduction) and (b) increasing the width so that I can also carry the amas. So, I think I will do a rectangle frame with two aluminum I profiles, with four hollow transversal aluminum pipes across at approximately 1/4 length each, supported in front by the front hitch and a vertical post and, on the back, by my existing roof rails. If possibly, I will also support the second transversal pipe from the back using the rails. Pipes would be wrapped in insulation and taped.

Then, I will probably sit the boat upside down on the resulting grid. Since I will be lifting and tying the amas separately, turning them upside down (once on top) is easy. And the grid will be high enough over the roof that the aka holders will not touch it.

In a previous occasion, I did try the rods suggested by FE when I had the TI, to carry it upside up on my trailer, with somehow mixed results: matching the rods (in my case, made with PVC) with the grooves on the bottom of the TI proved to be too finicky for my patience. :) Further, I had to either remove the bailers (which I did for a while) or see them get slowly torn apart by the rods. The advantage was, of course, that it was easy to roll the assembled boat in a single move (something I wouldn't attempt when roofing).

Will hopefully remember to upload pictures when I actually ghostwrited through with it. Thanks for all the great feedback!


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PostPosted: Sat May 11, 2019 7:21 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:59 am
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Location: Maple Valley, WA
I have a similar situation except with a pickup and canopy. As FE mentioned, I discovered the Yakima bars are good for 165 lbs dynamic weight per pair less the weight of all bars and accessories. So I used two bar sets to meet the dynamic weight specs. I chose to use the Hobie cradle and made an aluminum frame from 1 1/2 inch OD round aluminum tube, then covered with 1 1/2 inch ID ABS pipe along with some Guide “wheels” made from 1/2 inch ABS plastic. I made a removable winch and ramp setup (to keep transport weight down) by modifying the rhino rack and replacing the manual winch with an electric. My canopy is about 6 inches higher than the truck cab so, at my wife’s suggestion, I solved that with a load warrior basket. Finally I bought some inexpensive kayak supports and attached ABS pipe to equalize the height at the front and back bars. My wife muscles the tandem island up the ramp by pressing her thumb on the wireless winch control while I guide the kayak up the ramp. ImageImageImage


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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PostPosted: Sun May 12, 2019 2:29 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:16 pm
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Location: Colorado
Quote:
My wife muscles the tandem island up the ramp by pressing her thumb on the wireless winch control


Nice setup!!!


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 02, 2019 5:16 am 
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Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2019 7:17 am
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Island AI on a small car

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k1Hact ... p=drivesdk

With the 2 red rails on the side of the car and electric winch I can do loading and unloading alone (I am 71 )

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OJNabD ... p=drivesdk


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