Conference wahoo::fishing

    Gene, I had EXACTLY the same problem.  I fish primarily from my
    canoe, and often alone.  I was doing a number on the roof of the
    car, using just the foam holders...  I looked around for quite
    sometime, but couldn't find what I needed.  When I told Greens Marine
    what I was looking for, they said that most people end up making
    a carrier themselves, which is what I did.  The supports that clamp
    on to the rain gutters (?), were $29.95 - they are extremely heavy
    duty, and are about 6 inched high.  They are aluminum, with a whole
    in the top (horizontally), so that you just build a wooden frame,
    and bolt it to it.  Mine works great, stays tight and everything!
    I positioned the length wise boards so that the canoe fits between
    them snuggly, that way it will NOT sway from side to side.
    
    It's real easy to load the canoe on there, just throw one end up
    on the rack - it sits high enough so the canoe will not touch the
    car while resting this way - grab the other end of the canoe, swing
    it around - it falls snuggly between the legnth wise rails, and
    presto!  All I use to keep it down are two motorcycle tie-downs,
    and it is more secure than anything else I've ever used...
    
    Works great for me... If your ever at MK, I could show you the rack...
    
    good luck,
    
    don mac   
    

    
    I have concidered making my own and may end up doing just that.
    Mine would be for my Coleman Crawdad boat and I don't believe
    it would have the clearance that you mention in loading your 
    canoe, that is why I am trying to find one of the type I mentioned.
    
    
    			Thanks
    			Gene

    Gene, is the Crawdad the green plastic (abs or whatever) type, w/
    the tubular frame?   and a wooden rail floor??   If so, could you tell 
    me how you like it, what it weighs, and how (if at all) you power
    it???  I was looking at one of these the other day, and I think it
    would be a *much* nicer fishing rig than my canoe, abit more stable,   
    (the small outboard I picked up is a bit heavy off the side of the     
    canoe) and I'm pretty sure I could throw it on my rack fairly easily...
                                                                           
    As far as the clearance is concerned, that depends on the size         
    of the rack and the shape of your car, I drive an escort and a celica, 
    the rack that I made will work for both.  If you had a difficult       
    shape to deal with, you could extend the frame a few inches beyond the 
    width of your car and a few inches longer than the roof length,
    this should provide plenty of clearance for just about anything...      
                                                                      
    Also, when I said that the supports were 6 inches high, I was a little 
    short, my wooden frame is about 6 inches off the roof, so the supports 
    may be 9-10 inches total - this height is what provides alot of
    the clearance...     
                               
    I think I have seen what your talking about, but I didn't run into
    one while I was looking, about the only type that I saw was the
    regular car top carrier, with the two seperate rails going across
    the roof, which would definatley lead too a batterd roof top... 
                         
    anyway, good luck!   
                                          
    don mac              
                         
                      

Gene,

The comercial one you are refering to, is sold in the sears boating catalog.
I don't remenber how much, but I remember seeing it.

keith

    
    RE: .3
    
    Don,
    
    The Crawdad is the boat that you described. I like it a lot. I have
    two swivel seats for it, with the backs, real comfortable. It is
    real stable and easy to propel in the water. I use a Minn Kota (sp)
    on it and have plenty of power to get around. I am sure the outboard
    that you have would go on one nicely. I do not know how much it
    weighs, but I do know that it is tough as hell to try to moose it
    around by yourself...!
    
    The car I want to put it on is a Camero, thus even with the racks
    that you describe I think I would have a hard time...
                            
    
    
    RE: .4
    
    Thanks Keith, I will stop by Sears and check it out...!

    Gander Mountain Catalog:
    
     One-Man Boat Loader    $34.99
     Deluxe Car Top Carrier Bracket Kit   $14.99
    
    The boat loader is of the type you are referring to.  The carrier
    attaches on top of the car to which the front of the boat is secured.
    This might be helpful for comparing prices unless you go the DIY
    route.
    
    Steve

    
    RE: .6
    
    Steve
    
    Do you have the address handy, just in case I strike out at Sears..?
    
    
    		Thanks
    		Gene

    RE .7  Here it is Gene,
    
    Gander Mountain, Inc.
    P.O. Box 248
    Wilmot, Wis. 53192
    
    1-800-558-9410  (24 hr. ordering)
    1-414-862-2331  (Customer Service Inquiries)
    
    Item Numbers:
    One-Man Boat Loader                 221 C 9918
    Deluxe Car Top Carrier Bracket Kit  221 C 9911
    
    Steve

    I missed something earlier that could be important concerning
    RE .6.
    
    The back end pole attaches to an existing trailer hitch.  It also
    comes with a hitch extender to use the trailer hitch at the same
    time the pole is being used.  If you do not already have a trailer
    hitch then this would increase the cost considerably.
    
    Oh well... Steve

    
    RE: .8 and .9
    
    Thanks again Steve. I was aware of the need for the trailer hitch...
    
    
    	Gene

    Thanks for the info on the Crawdad, Gene, it looks like a nice little
    boat, maybe next year...  I happened to see one of those rigs that
    your talking about at lunch today, not for sale, on top of a car.
    It had a a good sized aluminum row boat on it, looked pretty strong.
          
    I can see where it would work well on a Camaro, it kept the boat
    *real* clear of the car.  When I mentioned a difficult shape, (talking
    about the DIY carrier) the most difficult shape that came to mind,
    was a Camaro, I can see why you were concerned with the clearance... 
                                                        
    Anyway, looks like you found your source, good luck!
                           
    don mac

    
    Is this carrier for a rain-gutterless car?
    I'm looking for a cartop carrier for a small aluminum boat
    for my Hyundai. (No rain gutters) I've seen something like this
    going by on the highway, but never got a good look.
    Also, if anyone knows, where do they sell these?
    Sears? Kmart?
    
    Thanks for any help,
    Mike
    

    
    One thing you might want to consider for a gutterless car......
    
    When I first got the CRAWDAD, I took the two hunks of styrafoam
    and with a knife contoured the foam to match the contour of the
    roof.  The other side of the foam block matched the contour of the
    boat.  Then it was just ty it down.
    
    Maybe this will help.  Call me if you like and I will go into detail.
    
    TBDW
    

    TBDW,
    I'm not sure I follow...are you putting the boat on top of the car
    "Right Side Up"?  
    My boat width is wider than the roof of my car, so if I wanted
    to put it on top "upside down" (which is easier for me and the roof) 
    then the foam wouldn't work. Besides, with a sturdy rack, I can also 
    load plywood and 2x4's for the home projects.... when I'm not fishing.

Don't they make some car-top carriers with big suction cups?  Then, all you 
would have to do is tie it down front & rear.

Also, I think TBDW's idea of foam would work if you used 2x3's to span the 
width of the boat and simply have the 2x3's rest on the foam.  The only 
concern I would have is side-to-side movement.  Then again, you could always 
run a rope across the top and thru open windows.

-HSJ-

    re: .15
    I like the 2X4 idea using the '4-foam block kit'. I have the kit
    and used it for a scanoe. It was fairly heavy. Ive seen the kits
    selling for under $20 bucks. It consisted of the 4 blocks plus
    really nice tie downs. (buckles/bumper hooks/straps)