Can I keep a Kayak on the roof?

[Bill Sprague]

I'm considering building a wooden Kayak.  It would weigh about 40 to 50 pounds.  It would not be hard to make fitted cradles to hold it upside down on the roof.  What would be the best way to attach the cradles to the fiberglass  Beaver roof?  

Thanks!

[Jay and Raylene Todd]

Hey Bill,

If you never, ever, ever, ever want the cradle to come off the roof, I have some structural epoxy used in the aviation industry in the freezer out in the hangar.

[Bill Sprague]

Hey Bill,

If you never, ever, ever, ever want the cradle to come off the roof, I have some structural epoxy used in the aviation industry in the freezer out in the hangar.

I thought of that approach, but I don't know how the roof is attached to the frame.  I have visions of the kayak causing the roof panel to flutter!

[Edward Buker]

On a cool morning when there is a heavy dew you should be able to see the locations of the ribs on the roof. It may take a couple of tries to have the right conditions. I have viewed all the frame patterns on the motorhome sides but I have never confirmed that on the roof but it is likely that the same thermal pattern differences would occur under the right circumstances. With a carpenters pencil or tape you could highlight the frame support locations and mechanically fasten the supports if the spacing works for you.

I think between mechanically fastening and bedding the supports in Acrilar you should not have to worry about any any roof panel flutter. My own opinion is that Jay's adhesive would be fine alone and the kayak support frames should stiffen the roof panel and I cannot imagine flutter with the kayak support frames in place.

My first thought was to fiberglass the frames in place with the West System. It is also very strong and would eliminate any possible holes and leak issues with mechanical fasteners and allow any spacing that works without worrying about tieing into roof framing members.

Regards Ed

[Joel Ashley]

I've wanted to put a kayak or canoe on top of our motor home(s) for years, but at 9-14' the boats are usually too long.  And:
1 -Even the lightest of them would be cumbersome to raise to the roof without the risk of inadvertantly marring the coach;  
2 -The coach roof has to be pierced with new holes, unless you opt for Jay's epoxy;
3 -The boat is just harder to get at and replace than if it's on top of the toad;
4 -A toad-mounted boat can be taken to launch sites not close to camp without transfer off the coach;  hey, when I'm ready to go fishin', I just want to get the boat in the water and go, and when I come back tired, I just want to load and go.  Toad-mounting simplifies all that.

Weighing the negatives of coach roof mounting, I've essentially concluded it's just better to carry the boat on the toad's roof.  Kayak/canoe dealers have appropriate and secure car roof rack systems that would be easier to mount and use.

-Joel

Addendum May 2011:  check out the Thule Hullavator.  It can cost up to $1000 total, but makes loading/unloading from a toad very easy, esp. if your surgeon has put limits on your back like mine has.

[Edward Buker]

Joel is right if your tow can accomidate a rack system. I have kayaks that mount on a rack on a Suburban that we do not tow. We used Yakima Hully Rollers and Saddles on a Thule rack. It works out well because the kayak can be easily pushed up on the rollers at an upward angle and then settle in the saddle on the alternate roof mount. If I was traveling with a kayak I would also mount a drain plug in the hull and keep it open. Most kayaks do not a have a means to drain the hull while sitting in a mount.

http://www.rackattack.com/product-pages/yakima-hullyrollers-with-tie-down.asp

Later Ed

[Keith Oliver]

Bill:
So tell us, did you build your wooden kayak?  Are you carrying it on the roof of your coach, or on the Toad?
Is it a cedar strip built? do you have any pictures?

I have a couple of plastic kayaks that I plan to carry along.  I presently carry them everywhere I go with my boat, and since I now have a coach, I plan to continue to have them along with me,  at least until I replace them with cedar strip kayaks.  I have roof racks for my cars, so can easily carry the kayaks on the car roof.  They fit nicely on the roof racks, without any special gear (after all these are just cheap plastic, and any deflection fixes itself with a little sunshine).  The cedar strip kayaks will require a form fitted bed to sit in, on the roof rack or on the coach roof, or whatever they are supported in will damage the surface of the kayak, or the kayak can damage the coach roof.

If I was to put mine on the roof of my coach, I would need to drill into the structural beams and attach hold-down points.  I would use a stud finder to locate the beams and use self tapping screws, washers and 3M 5200 or equivalent to bed the hold down points in place.  Foam beds would be adequate, which could be glued down so they wouldn't shift.  Getting a 40 lb kayak up on top without touching the shiny parts is only moderately tricky, and with help, should be no problem.

[LEAH DRAPER]

I would be very concerned about essentially raising the clearance height of the motor home making it subject to lower bridge or tree height, but then I pretty fussy about those types of things.  

[Richard And Babs Ames]

Maximum legal height is 13 ft. Do not exceed it.

[Ken Buck]

Maximum legal height is 13 ft. Do not exceed it.

That requirement may be State dependant. For example my State allows up to 14'.

RCW 46.44.020
Maximum height — Impaired clearance signs.  

It is unlawful for any vehicle unladen or with load to exceed a height of fourteen feet above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. This height limitation does not apply to authorized emergency vehicles or repair equipment of a public utility engaged in reasonably necessary operation. The provisions of this section do not relieve the owner or operator of a vehicle or combination of vehicles from the exercise of due care in determining that sufficient vertical clearance is provided upon the public highways where the vehicle or combination of vehicles is being operated; and no liability may attach to the state or to any county, city, town, or other political subdivision by reason.....

[Bill Sprague]

Bill:
So tell us, did you build your wooden kayak?  

I'm still drooling over the Pygmy Boats and have done nothing.  http://www.pygmyboats.com/

[Richard And Babs Ames]

2bucks I realize that different states have different maximum heights, but 13 feet is the lowest I am aware of. You still have to be careful, as our Garmin tried to route us under a 10 ft high railroad overpass in Cleveland, Tenn last year. That would have been interesting.

[Keith Oliver]

Bill:
This is what I was thinking of:  http://www.orcaboats.ca/

Richard:
My coach manual says 11'11" tall.  When I measured, this is to the top of the horns.  The TV dome sits another 7" above that, so 12'6" and is 12" off the roof.  Most kayaks are 12" or less, inverted on the roof.  As long as you don't lift them up with cradles, there is no problem staying under 13'.
Now my coach has puny tires, 265/70x22.5, so those with 290s or bigger, are going to have considerably taller rigs, and even the TV dome may already be pushing 13'.
Here in BC, our regs permit overall height of 13.6'.  The reciprocal agreements between states provide for that to be OK everywhere in North America without having to get a special permit for any jurisdiction that might be more restrictive.

Magellan Co-Pilot has an RV setting that routes for 13'6" minimum clearance.  So far as I can tell that is the only software that does so.  It also can be set to "truck" for a 14' clearance.