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Wes View Drop Down
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Joined: 24 Aug 05
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Posts: 97 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Wes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Van owners
    Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 4:09pm

I've got a low roof Reanult Master as a toybox, and I'm looking at getting some roofbars (as I did with the transit before) to put the mast onto. Before I do this does everyone else with vans carry thier masts on the roof, or do they just poke it up over the back as they would with a car? I've never actually seen another van towing a dinghy before so what;s the normal form?

Oh, and does anyone know a decent place to get a towbar fitted in the Bath / Bristol area?

Cheers!
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iansmithofotley View Drop Down
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Posts: 209 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iansmithofotley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:06pm

Hi Wes,

I often tow my boat on a combi trailer behind my motorhome.  When I got my vehicle, I had a 'long' mast support made along with a more substantial base support for the mast support tube.  The base support is made of heavy duty box section about 2' feet long, with a piece of triangular plate steel welded to the base. The bottom of the triangular base support is drilled with three sets of holes which take three large 'U' clamps and the whole thing bolts to the trailer A-frame.

There are two large screws in the box section to tighten up the mast support.  The whole thing has been galvanised, it cost me £45 for the mast support and £15 for the base support, they were made by a local engineer who makes dinghy trailers. I was originally worried about 'sway' due to the extra height but I have found it fine so far as it is so strong.

I considered getting some roof bars and putting my mast on the roof but my long mast support saves me having to climb on to the roof.

I hope that this helps.

Ian  (Yorkshire Dales S.C.)
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bovlike View Drop Down
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Joined: 07 Mar 06
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Posts: 221 		Post Options Post Options   Quote bovlike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:09pm
I just got a longer mast support made!
Ian (Bov) Turnbull
18ft Skiff Ronstan UK
Chandlery, tapered ropes and specialist solutions for sailors who demand the best - BovBoats.co.uk
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rogerd View Drop Down
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Posts: 1076 		Post Options Post Options   Quote rogerd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:13pm

Hi Wes,

I fixed a mast support to the top of our camper but found it was very noisy pushed the fuel consumption up quite dramatically. I opted for a long mast support and allow the mast to extend over the transom a bit.

There is probably a legal expert here somewhere but I think it can extend up to 6 foot beyond the transom. I put a reflector on the end of the mast as well.

 
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Major Iyeswater View Drop Down
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Posts: 82 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Major Iyeswater Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:38pm

Originally posted by iansmithofotley

I often tow my boat on a combi trailer behind my motorhome.  When I got my vehicle, I had a 'long' mast support made along with a more substantial base support for the mast support tube. 

I raised my mast support to its maximum to clear the top of a high top Movano and it sheared off  (Probably due to sideways swaying causing stress cracking) luckily only breaking the mast when it hit a post and not a load of parked or moving cars!

 

So I feel that beefing up the support is a very VERYgood idea and have now done similar as well

 

Andy Webb of AW Sailboats does make fibreglass supports for Cat masts that can be bonded on to the top of camper vans with Sikoflex or similar, sure he would make some if you could supply the cross-section etc  But also as said they would then be a permanent fixture and may cause noise and some drag.
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foaminatthedeck View Drop Down
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Posts: 318 		Post Options Post Options   Quote foaminatthedeck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:44pm
I exteded mine about 6-7ft behind the back of the boat, it would depend on the lenght of both as the contender is a long boat with a fairly short mast, with the N12 it has to go on the roof.
Lark 2170
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JimC View Drop Down
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Posts: 6662 		Post Options Post Options   Quote JimC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 6:59pm
I have it on the roof. Apart from anything else it means that if my old heap of a van breaks down the breakdown company can get me home. Really the mast suppost needs to be long and string enough to clear the vehicle roof when said vehicle is on a transporter...

Depends on the boat though, if you have a boat where the kite halyard is a major pain to rethread then keeping the spar on the boat looks an awful lot more attractive!

Edited by JimC
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stuarthop View Drop Down
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Joined: 22 Dec 04
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Posts: 1040 		Post Options Post Options   Quote stuarthop Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 8:06pm
with the rents motorhome we just put the masts on the roof and tape up all the shrouds ect to stop rattling

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Hiker View Drop Down
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Posts: 10 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Hiker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 8:49am
I extended the mast support to clear my VW 's high top, always put the top of the mast, (lighter), in the mast support then brace the mast mid length to each side of the boat with an extra strap to cut down the sway. Have been doing it a lot of years without problem.
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Wes View Drop Down
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Posts: 97 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Wes Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 11:55am

great stuff, that's just a bit of welding, and no need to worry about roof bars then. Cheers for the help!

 

Wes
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