Technique: One Person Topper Car-Topping

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One Person Topper Car-Topping

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10673
Printed Date: 25 Jun 25 at 7:15am
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Topic: One Person Topper Car-Topping

Posted By: 4ply
Subject: One Person Topper Car-Topping
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 1:10pm

Forum,

Has anyone developed a failsafe technique for single-handedly putting a Topper on the roof?

Must be possible, surely?

Any thoughts/advice/experience - please share!

Andrew

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Contender 705

Replies:

Posted By: batman
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 1:32pm

Good question & a couple of options;

1) A 'easy-load' roof rack kit- such as http://www.karitek.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-split.tpl&category_id=149&product_id=1676&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=5 - http://www.karitek.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-split.tpl&category_id=149&product_id=1676&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=5

2) Stand the Topper up on its transom behind your car. You then stand between Topper and car, facing the car. Pick Topper up behind your back using side toestraps, lean forward- with some effort this puts the bow of the Topper on your rear roof rack. Then push forward until in position. I've use this method a couple of times when loading boats on my own- but only for 'beach boat' Toppers- not sure I'd want to do it with a 'pride & joy' or 'racing' Topper.

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 1:38pm

If you bung a blanket over the back of the car and then do the transom method, it saves buggering up both car and boat. Works well.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: RichTea
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 1:48pm

I take it you are refering to home and not when at an event? Is it possible to string it in the rafters of the garage, drive car in, lower it onto car and drive out again?

If I was doing @Batmans second suggestion, then use two tyres either side of the rudder pintels and lots of pipe cladding on the roof bars.

Posted By: robin34024
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 2:27pm

when i was just a little kid, and unable to help, my dad would have the boat right way up on the trolley, rear to rear with the car, then put carpet on the floor, and on the back of the car, then lift the front of the boat up until it was near vertical, and rest it gently on the car. then he simply got hold of the transom and slid the Boat onto the racks, by lifting the transom right into the air, using the car as a pivot point. it looked difficult not to let it drop onto the car hard, but he never damaged either the boat or the car doing it.

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Posted By: 4ply
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 2:43pm

OK. Thanks for this so far. For some reason I'd only though of approaching this from the side. What a numbskull! Sounds doable. And yes - only at home but I may also look to see about a mod to my '300 road base to take the topper.

Thanks again!

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Contender 705

Posted By: kevg
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 5:48pm

Re Modifying a road base, I had a steel Topper trolley that fitted perfectly width wise on to a West Mercia 250 road base. I had additional bar welded on to secure the bow end.

Posted By: chrisg
Date Posted: 31 Jan 13 at 6:21pm

When I was little enough to be of absolutely no help when my dad was car topping his laser, he added a couple of bits of padded wood to the roof rack. They were secured on top of the bars that run across the car, not that go along if you have an estate. On the drivers side they were only as long as the roof rack, but on the passenger side they stuck out a bit, but not past the width of the car. There was then another bit of wood that ran front to back to join them.

To load the boat Dad used to reverse the boat on its trolley rear on to the passenger side of the car. He would then do as others suggested at the rear of the car and lift the bow up past the vertical. As it was near the side of the car when it tipped towards it, the longer roof rack bars would support the boat and stop it resting on and possibly damaging the car bodywork. It was then a relatively simple lift to pick the rear of the boat up and slide it so it was sitting across the car. Then he just span it round the right way and tied it on. The extended roof bars on the passenger side also provided space to tie the spars to. The trolley used to get lifted up onto the upturned hull but it was only one of those crappy plastic ones made from plastic plumbing pipe so was relatively light but guess you could do the same for a gunwhale hung one. You could even strap the trailer to the boat before lifting i guess and the trolley would go on with the boat in one go.

Used the same method for my beloved topper but we forgot to tie the painter on one day and it went under the wheel of the car and ripped the front of the boat off so make sure you tie everything down!

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Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 01 Feb 13 at 11:02am

Just make sure you put the boat on upside down. no risks of scratches to the bit that matters.

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Gordon
Lossc

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 01 Feb 13 at 11:57am

I'm a fan of tying the trolley to the roofrack and then putting the boat the right way up on that. It does very much depend on the trolley design for how well it works, though.

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: Jack Sparrow
Date Posted: 01 Feb 13 at 2:16pm

you just need one of these...

[TUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19Q_8lliuv0[/TUBE]

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Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 01 Feb 13 at 7:50pm

Very nice, but it probably helps if your "car" is a small lorry.

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Peter
Ex Cont 707
Ex Laser 189635
DY 59

Posted By: BBSCFaithfull
Date Posted: 02 Feb 13 at 12:11am

Don't know about you guys but I just lift it on. Toppers aren't that heavy chaps.

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Posted By: robin34024
Date Posted: 02 Feb 13 at 12:19am

the hull weighs 45kg alone, and its a really awkward shape to pick up off a trolley. i've never seen anyone lift one fully off the ground alone.

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Posted By: BBSCFaithfull
Date Posted: 02 Feb 13 at 10:31am

Robin come to the club and I will demonstrate :)

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