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Topic Closedcanoe on top of rpod
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Joined: 04 Apr 2011
Location: brownsville tx
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: canoe on top of rpod
    Posted: 17 Apr 2011 at 11:40pm
outbound-techntrek
do you guys think it would be possible to carry a canoe on the roof?i thought about taking my trailer by a fabrication shop and getting an idea?i was thinking if a guy started off the tounge went up and down the lenghth with some kind of light framework going down to the receiver hitch in the back.the canoe weighs about 71 pounds.im just not sure if you would have to brace side to side.
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 7:47am
Well... off the top of my head, here are some reasons not to do it:
- its too high - how the heck would you get a canoe off of there without a stepladder?
- the roof is only fibreglass.  I'd be concerned about adding any additional weight without adding some structural support up there.  Slugging a canoe up there will likely dent in the fibreglass in short order.
- there's a lot of things poking through the top of an RPOD: A/C, antenna, sewer stack, roof vent.  I don't think you'd be able to find a place to put a canoe.
- it will be very difficult to build any sort of rack of the rear of the rpod.  It would be tempting to use the spare tire assembly as a base, but it just wouldn't hold the weight.  You'll have to weld something to the rear frame and then bring it up.
- driving under an overpass: you'll be adding about 2 1/2 feet to the height of the r-pod.  The height may be ok on a highway, but you'll have trouble driving under rural bridges and those "Welcome" signs on the way into campgrounds.  And you'll have constant problems with trees.

Personally, its rare that I ever have a campsite with onsite access to a canoe route.  Generally, I setup in a campground and then have to drive to a designated spot to launch.  Altogether, it makes more sense to me to carry a canoe on top of my tow vehicle.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Joined: 20 May 2010
Location: Conroe, Texas
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Posts: 77 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 10:47am
Are you still pulling with the Tacoma? I'd imagine it would be easier to fabricate a rack for the truck than one for the 'pod. Not to mention easier and safer getting it up and down. Even at 6' 2" you'd need a ladder.
   
'07 Dodge RAM 1500 ST Longbed QuadCab 4.7L V8 --- '10 Forest River R-Pod 172
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 11:18am
ive got a set of racks on my truck,its just that my truck is a 4 door which meens short bed on a toyota,in order to haul my canoe it has to be so far back on the rack that its like an inch from touching the front of the trailer going down the road,makes me a little nervous but seems to work fine.never took height into consideration on my roof idea.
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Joined: 26 Nov 2009
Location: Reading, Pa
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Posts: 3990 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 11:41am
I have Kayaks I take with me camping.  I at first wanted to try to make some kind of rack on top of the R-pod but then It would have looked like a big old ladder rack up there.  I had to try to clear everything on top.  I then looked at the tow vehicle I was driving and came up with a Thule Kayak J-hooks to carry them with. (Found the parts used on Craigslist).  I have moved them from several diferent vehicles and now putting them on my Dodge Ram 1500 with cap.  I had thought about replacing the back window on the pod to slide them inside the r-pod but my wife put a stop to that as she did not want wet and dirty boats inside.
 
This is a pic of them with a chevy Trailblazer
 
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Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Location: Manassas, Va
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Posts: 93 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 2:24pm
If you have a Tacoma, this is what has worked for us in the past.  Our current TV for the pod is an F250 with a cap on the back so we have different racks for it. 
The ladder  rack on this  Tacoma was fabricated by my husband but I am sure that you can find a commercial counterpart.   Hopefully you can access the picture.
Terri and Craig and Panzer
2009 - 175 RPod
2000 Ford F250 XLT Extended Cab Diesel
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Joined: 04 Apr 2011
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 3:10pm
its really no problem using the racks i have.they are made by thule and adjust up and down and have load stoppers that keep the canoe from shifting sideways.i just liked the idea of putting it on top of the rpod.i saw a small trailer awhile back that had a canoe on top but it was in passing on the highway and didnt get a good look.but like outbound says height may be an issue.
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 5:09pm
With a pickup, I'd be inclined to cobble together something like this:
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 5:26pm
i wonder how that rack is secured to the cab of truck,that would make life better for me.il look on the internet.  thanks
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Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: Oshawa, Ontario
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Posts: 767 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2011 at 8:03pm
Its a Yakima half rack.  There's a video about it at the bottom of this page.
Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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