Trying to figure out the easiest way to hang a porta-bote from the side of a Northstar 850sc. Would like to avoid having to fabricate brackets etc that involve removing the Happijacs and using those mounting bolts. Sort of thinking out loud here. Was wondering if anyone has simply hung a porta-bote or kayak from the turnbuckle mounts under the camper? I was thinking of using ratchet straps and/or bungies around the boat attached with carabiners to the mounts. The hull weight for the 12' boat is approximately 90 lbs so that would put roughly 45 pounds suspended from each mount, although probably a bit more of the hull's (stern) weight would hang from the rear mount. There is also a second set of mounting bolts for a rear mount so a separate bracket could be hung there just for hanging the boat. Photo:Is this not a good idea or feasible? We're not planning on driving cross-country with such a setup but we would be going several hours before getting to our destination. On the other hand if someone has suggestions for fairly low tech alternatives I'd love to hear your ideas. thanks. Jim

SidecarFlip wrote:Put it on the roof.....that's not really an option. defeats the portability advantage of the boat, plus we don't have a roof rack on the camper.

A common RV rack isn’t required on an adequately braced roof.

jat4 wrote:Trying to figure out the easiest way to hang a porta-bote from the side of a Northstar 850sc. Would like to avoid having to fabricate brackets etc that involve removing the Happijacs and using those mounting bolts. Sort of thinking out loud here. Was wondering if anyone has simply hung a porta-bote or kayak from the turnbuckle mounts under the camper? I was thinking of using ratchet straps and/or bungies around the boat attached with carabiners to the mounts. The hull weight for the 12' boat is approximately 90 lbs so that would put roughly 45 pounds suspended from each mount, although probably a bit more of the hull's (stern) weight would hang from the rear mount. There is also a second set of mounting bolts for a rear mount so a separate bracket could be hung there just for hanging the boat. Photo:Is this not a good idea or feasible? We're not planning on driving cross-country with such a setup but we would be going several hours before getting to our destination. On the other hand if someone has suggestions for fairly low tech alternatives I'd love to hear your ideas. thanks. JimThat's what I do for my long board, although it is well under the weight of a canoe or kayak. I attach one end of a light ratchet strap to one anchor in the bed, and the other end to the camper bolt. Front and rear. My camper needs to be raised to clear my truck cab so I have plenty of space to reach down inside the truck bed, you may or may not be able to do that with your truck/camper setup. I also use the corner jack plate to attach my turnbuckles instead of using the camper bolts, so they are are free to be used for my surfboard. I traveled from Yellowknife to the southern border of Mexico (Guatemala) and back without any issue.

ykphil wrote:jat4 wrote:Trying to figure out the easiest way to hang a porta-bote from the side of a Northstar 850sc. Would like to avoid having to fabricate brackets etc that involve removing the Happijacs and using those mounting bolts. Sort of thinking out loud here. Was wondering if anyone has simply hung a porta-bote or kayak from the turnbuckle mounts under the camper? I was thinking of using ratchet straps and/or bungies around the boat attached with carabiners to the mounts. The hull weight for the 12' boat is approximately 90 lbs so that would put roughly 45 pounds suspended from each mount, although probably a bit more of the hull's (stern) weight would hang from the rear mount. There is also a second set of mounting bolts for a rear mount so a separate bracket could be hung there just for hanging the boat. Photo:Is this not a good idea or feasible? We're not planning on driving cross-country with such a setup but we would be going several hours before getting to our destination. On the other hand if someone has suggestions for fairly low tech alternatives I'd love to hear your ideas. thanks. JimThat's what I do for my long board, although it is well under the weight of a canoe or kayak. I attach one end of a light ratchet strap to one anchor in the bed, and the other end to the camper bolt. Front and rear. My camper needs to be raised to clear my truck cab so I have plenty of space to reach down inside the truck bed, you may or may not be able to do that with your truck/camper setup. I also use the corner jack plate to attach my turnbuckles instead of using the camper bolts, so they are are free to be used for my surfboard. I traveled from Yellowknife to the southern border of Mexico (Guatemala) and back without any issue.that's great, hadn't thought about using the tie-downs in the truck bed. Do you find you get much bouncing away from the vehicle while driving? I suspect I could use some kind of secondary strap attached to the jacks to get a bit more stability. This is very helpful to hear, though, thanks.

Hanging porta-bote from tc's turnbuckle brackets?

AnEv942
Nomad
Jul 24, 2019
Thanks Silver- though weights on the camper location I don't see as problem having a hard time picturing, I was really curious about a 12' boat on the side of a 8 1/2' camper..
Link is a 10'
silversand
Explorer
Jul 24, 2019
Jat:

The RVnet member Skipbee has a Portaboat, and can provide details on mounting it to side of truck camper:

….a mention in a past Post

Here is a past link to a step-by-step mounting of Portabote to side of truck camper jack legs:

….making a bracket and mounting Portabote

….several Mid Atlantic truck camper rally attendees own Portabotes, and I have seen (personally) an owner's boat mounted to the side of truck camper (this was at a Northeast Truck Camper rally a number of years ago). So, it is not only possible, but not uncommon.
MKish
Explorer II
Jul 22, 2019
You can contact Northstar and get their opinion on it, too. They actually answer!
jat4
Explorer
Jul 19, 2019
mkirsch wrote:
Those mount points withstand shock loads many times the force/weight imposed by that lightweight boat. I don't see a problem.

that was kind of my thinking as well. I'm thinking two sets of straps, one from each of the tie-downs in the bed and a second backup set from the mount points on the camper. I'll try driving it that way for a bit to see if anything shifts. When I get the camper back on I'll take a photo to share here.
mkirsch
Nomad II
Jul 17, 2019
Those mount points withstand shock loads many times the force/weight imposed by that lightweight boat. I don't see a problem.
billtex
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2019
Search for skip...he did same.
I carry my 14’ on my roof.

Bill
jat4
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
ykphil wrote:
jat4 wrote:
Trying to figure out the easiest way to hang a porta-bote from the side of a Northstar 850sc. Would like to avoid having to fabricate brackets etc that involve removing the Happijacs and using those mounting bolts. Sort of thinking out loud here.

Was wondering if anyone has simply hung a porta-bote or kayak from the turnbuckle mounts under the camper? I was thinking of using ratchet straps and/or bungies around the boat attached with carabiners to the mounts.

The hull weight for the 12' boat is approximately 90 lbs so that would put roughly 45 pounds suspended from each mount, although probably a bit more of the hull's (stern) weight would hang from the rear mount. There is also a second set of mounting bolts for a rear mount so a separate bracket could be hung there just for hanging the boat. Photo:

Is this not a good idea or feasible? We're not planning on driving cross-country with such a setup but we would be going several hours before getting to our destination.

On the other hand if someone has suggestions for fairly low tech alternatives I'd love to hear your ideas. thanks.
Jim

That's what I do for my long board, although it is well under the weight of a canoe or kayak. I attach one end of a light ratchet strap to one anchor in the bed, and the other end to the camper bolt. Front and rear. My camper needs to be raised to clear my truck cab so I have plenty of space to reach down inside the truck bed, you may or may not be able to do that with your truck/camper setup. I also use the corner jack plate to attach my turnbuckles instead of using the camper bolts, so they are are free to be used for my surfboard. I traveled from Yellowknife to the southern border of Mexico (Guatemala) and back without any issue.

that's great, hadn't thought about using the tie-downs in the truck bed. Do you find you get much bouncing away from the vehicle while driving? I suspect I could use some kind of secondary strap attached to the jacks to get a bit more stability. This is very helpful to hear, though, thanks.
ykphil
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
jat4 wrote:
Trying to figure out the easiest way to hang a porta-bote from the side of a Northstar 850sc. Would like to avoid having to fabricate brackets etc that involve removing the Happijacs and using those mounting bolts. Sort of thinking out loud here.

Was wondering if anyone has simply hung a porta-bote or kayak from the turnbuckle mounts under the camper? I was thinking of using ratchet straps and/or bungies around the boat attached with carabiners to the mounts.

The hull weight for the 12' boat is approximately 90 lbs so that would put roughly 45 pounds suspended from each mount, although probably a bit more of the hull's (stern) weight would hang from the rear mount. There is also a second set of mounting bolts for a rear mount so a separate bracket could be hung there just for hanging the boat. Photo:

Is this not a good idea or feasible? We're not planning on driving cross-country with such a setup but we would be going several hours before getting to our destination.

On the other hand if someone has suggestions for fairly low tech alternatives I'd love to hear your ideas. thanks.
Jim

That's what I do for my long board, although it is well under the weight of a canoe or kayak. I attach one end of a light ratchet strap to one anchor in the bed, and the other end to the camper bolt. Front and rear. My camper needs to be raised to clear my truck cab so I have plenty of space to reach down inside the truck bed, you may or may not be able to do that with your truck/camper setup. I also use the corner jack plate to attach my turnbuckles instead of using the camper bolts, so they are are free to be used for my surfboard. I traveled from Yellowknife to the southern border of Mexico (Guatemala) and back without any issue.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Jul 16, 2019
A common RV rack isn’t required on an adequately braced roof.
jat4
Explorer
Jul 16, 2019
SidecarFlip wrote:
Put it on the roof.....

that's not really an option. defeats the portability advantage of the boat, plus we don't have a roof rack on the camper.