I have decided to include this topic due to the attention I received from quite
a few interested onlookers.
On our last trip we, or more correctly, I, decided
to take our 14' canoe with us. The last time we used the canoe was many
years ago and even then it wasn't easy getting it up on the roof of our
vehicle which then was a 240 Volvo.
The thought of lifting
it even higher on to the roof of our Jackaroo all these years later was a
little daunting, particularly for my wife. In fact permission to
take the canoe was conditional on me being able to get it up on the roof by
myself, not only that I would have to get it to the water's edge by myself.
I thought about it for a while and decided a custom carrier attached to the
Rola roof bars should work. Another requirement (mine this time) was
that the canoe has to load from the side of the vehicle so that the caravan
would not have to be disconnected.
Since the canoe is a fully decked white water model, it must be carried right
way up, not inverted like most open Canadian canoes are able to be carried.
( At least it has the benefit of being able to carry life jackets, paddles,
spray jackets and fishing rods in the hull while traveling.)
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I made the carrier from 25x25x1.6mm galv tubing and it weighed in at
11Kg. Since the canoe weighs 30Kg and the roof bar are rated at 80Kg, it
worked out well. The cost, about $25.
The side "v" sections have a plastic extrusion pop riveted to the
top so as not to damage the fibre glass canoe while loading and the end
"v" section where the canoe normally rests have a soft rubber like padding.
The photos show how
the loading sequence takes place . . .
first you
position the canoe on the ground at the side of and 45o to the vehicle then . . .
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lift the bow into the side "v"
of the carrier . . . |
then . . .
lift the stern and slide the canoe
on to the carrier so that it is now balanced across the vehicle . . . |
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then . . .
lift the stern into its final
position, the canoe is now approx 45o to the vehicle . . . |
then . . .
lift the bow into its final
position, then a minor fore and aft adjustment if needed and tie down. |
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It is now easier to single-handedly
load on to the 1.9M high roof of the Jackeroo than it was for two of us to
load onto the 1.6M high roof of the Volvo.
I was originally concerned that the Rola plastic ends which couple the
aluminium bars to the roof may not be adequate to support the load when subjected
to sustained road corrugations so I purchased a spare
pair. Those ends are obviously well engineered because
I have had no hint of trouble.
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Single-handedly maneuvering the canoe to the
water was less of a problem, just a matter of somehow temporally attaching a
couple of wheels.
There are many commercially available canoe wheeling cradles available usually
starting around $100 but I didn't see any that appealed to me and besides, I
thought I could build a better one and cheaper.
I purchased a couple of Fallshaw 4.10/3.50 x 4" 4ply tyres on Aust made
Fallshaw plastic rims with replaceable plastic bearings rated at (from memory)
150Kg each complete with a set of spare bearings for a total of $64.
http://www.fallshaw.com/pneu_plastic/pneu_plastic_page.htm
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Some 25mm aluminium and 20mm
stainless steel tubing, a couple of ss bolts, a couple of toggle pins, half a
metre of rubber like tubing and a nylon strap with buckle and
I had a exactly what I wanted.
The wheels are held on with quick release toggle pins and with the wheels off
and side supports folded the whole thing is very compact for storage.
The finished product is sturdier and more compact than any commercially
available one I
looked at, and nearly half the price.
Now I can maneuver the canoe a considerable distance and up and down river banks
with ease. It's about as easy to move around as an empty wheel
barrow.
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The whole project was well worth the effort, instead of hanging up in the
garage gathering dust it's now being used.
The canoe has added a most enjoyable dimension to our holidays and no, we
haven't noticed any increase in fuel consumption.
Now, if I could only
learn how to catch fish.............
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