Van owners
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2361
Printed Date: 17 Aug 25 at 11:38am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Van owners
Posted By: Wes
Subject: Van owners
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 4:09pm
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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! |
Replies:
Posted By: iansmithofotley
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:06pm
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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.) |
Posted By: bovlike
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:09pm
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I just got a longer mast support made! ------------- Ian (Bov) Turnbull 18ft Skiff Ronstan UK http://www.ianturnbullmarine.co.uk - Chandlery, tapered ropes and specialist solutions for sailors who demand the best - BovBoats.co.uk |
Posted By: rogerd
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:13pm
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Posted By: Major Iyeswater
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:38pm
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I raised my mast support to its maximum to clear the top of a high top Movano and it sheared off
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 |
(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! 
Posted By: foaminatthedeck
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 5:44pm
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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 |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 6:59pm
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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! |
Posted By: stuarthop
Date Posted: 26 Oct 06 at 8:06pm
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with the rents motorhome we just put the masts on the roof and tape up all the shrouds ect to stop rattling ------------- |
Posted By: Hiker
Date 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. |
Posted By: Wes
Date Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 11:55am
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great stuff, that's just a bit of welding, and no need to worry about roof bars then. Cheers for the help!
Wes |
Posted By: Jamie600
Date Posted: 27 Oct 06 at 12:27pm
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When I had my high-top camper, I did the opposite - I actually cut down my mast support so the mast laid flat along the top of the boat. I then bolted an eighteen-inch long box section in between the towing hitch and the rest of the trailer, thus extending the length of the trailer. The mast could then be pulled forward until it was just a couple of inches off the van door, and then onl poked out about a foot at the back. I believe it can extend up to 3 feet from the back if you mark it with a flag. The reason for doing this was that the mast support would have to be ridiculously long to alow the mast to clear the roof, bearing in mind you have to leave some allowance for the mast to move around, for example if you go up a ramp, the mast may hit the roof as the van mounts the ramp. When the mast was flat it could go right up to the doors, and not be affected by ramps or other changes in the road surface. As an added bonus, it allowed a bike rack to be mounted on the doors, and the mast swung around happily underneath the rack.
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