Build a Double Canoe Carrier for a small car
You will need;
1) A sheet of plywood
2) A circular saw or table saw
3) Wrenches or a socket set
4) 4 U bolts or car muffler clamps (I used 2 inch)
5) 6 eye bolts
6) 20 large washers to fit the above hardware
To start;
-
Measure the
distance between your cars roof rack bars (say about 2 feet)
-
Take some ½ inch
or ¾ plywood and rip it with a circular or table saw so it is
about 4 or 5 inches wider than the distance between your rack
bars on the outside edges. A couple inches on the front and back
of the bars will be needed to bolt to later.
-
Cut your plywood
to the width of your two canoes plus about 6 inches. This is
usually about 6 foot 6 inches. You will want an inch or so
between them and a couple inches on the outside edges to install
eye bolts to tie to.
-
With your plywood
now cut to shape, find the center and draw a line across
dividing it into two halves roughly 2 feet by 3 feet. On this
line measure in a couple of inches on both sides and mark a
drill hole for your eye bolts. Be sure that your drill holes are
both towards center enough that your eye bolts will miss the
roof racks bars. If in doubt put the plywood on your car top to
check things out before drilling.
-
Measure in
from both outside edges now a few inches and draw lines to
find the drill holes for your outer eye bolts. The side eye
bolts should be in from the side, front and back a few
inches for extra strength when you tie to them.
-
Install all
six eye bolts with large washers top and bottom. My eye
bolts are rated for 80lbs. You may use a hacksaw, metal saw
or grinder to shorten the excess length of the eyebolts if
you wish. Be sure they are very tight though.
-
Place the
plywood on the roof rack and center it left and right, front
and back. Measure in a few inches from the tips of your roof
rack bars and mark the drill holes for the U bolts, this can
be done by pencil or by pressing the U bolt into the soft
plywood to make an imprint then penciling over the mark.
When all 4 are marked take the plywood down measure
everything again and straighten things up and drill your
holes slightly larger than the diameter of the U bolts.
-
Now place
the plywood back on the car top, center it and install
the U bolts as tight as you can with the last of the
washers on top and you are done
A few notes:
-
You could
use two more U bolts in the center if you wanted to, it
is a bit overkill but it makes the contraption a bit
quieter.
-
I used
thinner plywood on mine because it was free so to
compensate for the reduced strength I doubled the
thickness on the edges.
-
If you
remove your roof rack for yearly maintenance like I do
you will have to put it back exactly in the same place
for the double carrier to fit back on again.
-
This
drives like a dream with two canoes on top slightly
pointed in at the front but is very strange to drive
with on windy days with no canoes on top. It is best to
remove it after every trip as it goes on and off in
minutes once you get used to it.
-
You will
never get into a car the same way ever again after using
this. The first time you smash your head or scrape
yourself on the bottom of an eye bolt you will forever
look like you are getting into a helicopter.
-
Finally
with the bolts sticking up on the top you have to be
careful not to scratch your gunwales with them. You
could cover U bolts sticking up with something though
but on the 001 and 002 models I haven’t done this yet.
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