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.
