Car topping a mirror
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=11940
Printed Date: 08 Jul 25 at 7:43pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Car topping a mirror
Posted By: foaminatthedeck
Subject: Car topping a mirror
Date Posted: 31 Mar 15 at 8:08pm
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After a few years off sailing I am looking to buy a Mirror dinghy to teach the kids to sail, there is a reasonably priced boat locally but it doesn't have a road base. Neither car has a tow bar so had planned to get a roof rack and car top, however it appears there are mixed view on the viability/legality of this option. What are peoples thoughts and experiences? Car is a 2006 Honda CR-V and my wife and I are both early 30's and reasonably fit/strong. ------------- Lark 2170 |
Replies:
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 31 Mar 15 at 8:35pm
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People used to car top bigger, heavier boats. In the bad old days, trailers were limited to 40mph, so open meeting regulars often had Fireballs on the roof. Mirrors were often car topped. I guess you need to check the car manufacturer's roof load limit. And that of the roof rack. Does the car have roof rails? TBH, I might bribe someone with a towbar, and a road base, there's bound to be someone in your club who'd do it for the fuel and a few beers? Where are you? |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 31 Mar 15 at 8:38pm
| Many cars have ridiculously low roof weight limits these days. Overweight invalidates insurance so you definitely need to check. |
Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 31 Mar 15 at 9:04pm
| If I remember correctly, there was a mirror on a mini roof at the museum in Falmouth. |
Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 8:22am
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Yes check the roof weight, disadvantage of the CRV would be the height so you will need extra bodies to load and unload.
Check the width of your roof rack, you may have to add width to a standard one. It was no problem on a Superb when I sold one last year. Friend of mine put his wifes 200 on the roof of his ford car whilst he towed the 400 to Garda last year. ------------- Gordon Lossc |
Posted By: mangoman
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 10:03am
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I would have thought it fine; I used to car top a laser on my 2CV and then a Fiat Panda; no problems. I recall my brother taking his fireball everywhere on the roof of his Alfa Romeo in the late 1960's.... Equally so when I was a kid I had to cycle the 5 miles from home to the sailing club at the beginning of the season pulling my Mirror along the road on its trolley; would you dare let your kids do that nowadays ? Then again my parents probably didn't even know I was doing it ! |
Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 11:23am
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Shouldn't be a problem. How much does a Mirror hull weigh these days? You might want to avoid doing what I did as a kid which was to fail to tighten up the roof rack - we got 1/4 mile up the road and on a steep hill the whole lot slide off, still well tied on - to the rack! Amazingly no real damage, and it was a very quite road. ------------- Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59 |
Posted By: Late starter
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 12:14pm
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Roof racking was very popular back in the day, mind you cars had rain gutters which made fitting a roof rack dead easy. I used to roof rack a Mirror on my mk 1 Ford Escort, and tow another Mirror as well when the family were doing the 70s Mirror circuit. Great little boats etc. |
Posted By: MikeBz
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 12:25pm
| I remember transporting our Mirror on the roof of my Dad's Renault 4... |
Posted By: alstorer
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 12:27pm
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We used to car top my Mirror when I was a lad, but dad built extensions for the roof rack so it fitted. ------------- -_ Al |
Posted By: Dougal
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 4:20pm
Yes - we car topped ours but it needed a wider roof rack than standard. Check the width! ------------- What could possibly go wrong? |
Posted By: zippyRN
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 6:38pm
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as has been said you will likely need wider bars than standard I doubt the hullweight of a mirror will post a problem and spar overhangs won;t be an issue if she's original style rigged ( which the folk truth has as the main reason the sliding gunter rig was chosen ) |
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 7:33pm
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It was easier to cartop in the 70's, cars were so much lower and smaller! I was standing beside an old Cortina estate in a carpark recently wondering how we all got into it, towed a chunky 12ft outboard launch and had a Mirror on top. The Cortina is tiny compared to the bus like vehicles we use now. |
Posted By: foaminatthedeck
Date Posted: 01 Apr 15 at 7:37pm
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As suggested my main concern is the height, lifting 50kg is fine, but lifting above my head is another matter. I have bitten the bullet and ordered a tow bar and will look to buy a road base if I go for the local boat. Thanks for the comments. ------------- Lark 2170 |
Posted By: MerlinMags
Date Posted: 02 Apr 15 at 2:31pm
Heavy trailers can do your back in as well. Perhaps order a jockey wheel if you struggle manhanding the thing around.
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Posted By: iiitick
Date Posted: 02 Apr 15 at 3:55pm
| Very nice pictures. Do I see a Mk one Cortina, a Hooper bodied Rolls or Bentley, a Standard Vanguard and a Mk two Sprite. Pre postfix Mini as well. Shorty they will drive through a puddle, the Mini will stop and the boat will be useful! |
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 03 Apr 15 at 6:58pm
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Yup, these picture take me back to 70's idyll. Saw a convertible MG carrying a laser in 1981. It had a frame over the driver that was set into reinforced holes in the wings. Now there's dedication to car topping! |
Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 03 Apr 15 at 7:03pm
| Oh I forgot to say, one huge advantage of car topping a Mirror in hot climates is that it keeps the car cool underneath, bit like a big Landrover safari top. Any one remember them? |