I have a 16 ft pop up camper with an air conditioner unit in the middle on top. Does any one know how I can set up to carry two 10 ft kayaks on the top that would clear the air conditioner unit. I really dont want to drill any holes in the camper and the only suction cup holders I have seen are not tall enough.
Top
I know you said you didnt want to drill holes,<br /> but I think the best way would get or have someone <br /> build you a rack. <br /> You could drill the holes on the side. <br /> I dont know if that would work but thats my idea .
I would not trust anything that was not screwed in.
Just a thought.
When I was a kid, my parents used to take us camping in their pop up. It didn’t have an air conditioner, but we had more bikes to carry than would fit on the car. My dad build a wooden frame that sat flat to distribute weight on the roof of the camper for the extra bikes; I believe it was held down with bungees or straps attached to the roof latches.
You could build something similar but adding the necessary lift by using small sections of 4x4 and clamping pipes across them or use Thule/Yakima parts for a more “pro” look.
Phreon
If you use a wooden craddle rack
you can nail it to the roof. then you won’t have to drill holes.
Okay, so I wasn’t quite as helpful. But drilling and bolding is all good if you own a caulk gun!
Liveoutside
COMBO TRAILER
I would like to chop a tent trailer and rebuild it so a kayak rack is between the chassis and the tent top.
Wait,
What is wrong having the kayaks on top of your towing vehicle?
My kayaks are very heavy
fishing rigged sit on tops and it would be easier to load.
Use plywood to support and distribute
the weight. Get a 4’ x 8’ piece of 3/4" outdoor plywood, and have it split in half lengthwise. Lay each piece on top of the camper, again lengthwise on each side of the air conditioner. Lay each kayak on each piece of plywood. You will have 2’ of width for each kayak width, and the 8’ of length should be enough to support the 10’ length of each kayak.
You will need to finalize the design with some way of attaching the pieces of plywood to each other for the ride. You will also need to attach the plywood pieces and the kayaks to the front frame with straps, and also to the back bumper or frame with straps. At least 2 straps should also be used across the width of the entire assembly and camper, and attached to the frame of the camper.
The design will take some customizing, and you would need to take off with it, if you should chose to do so. The pieces of plywood can be put aside when not in use.
Good luck, and Happy Paddling!
Also check…
at PopUpPortal.com. They have a lot of ideas for that stuff. I had put eye bolts in the metal frame for tie downs. 2 on the bumper frame, 2 on the tongue frame on each side of the battery rack, and some on the side frames. Strapped our one canoe on the camper but got my truck rack that day and didn’t have to use it.
PVC pipe
I just finished making a rack from PVC pipe for our popup camper. We needed to carry two yaks over the AC unit … I basically made two sets of “goal posts” with feet at 90 degrees. Using 1 1/2" pvc, it cost me less than $60 total. I don’t have any pics yet, but here’s a link to photo of a single yak rack over an AC … it shows what I mean about the feet at 90 degrees to the rails.
Cheap, easy, effective.
http://www.gallery.pstartech.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=35103
Pop-Up Camper Sites
Go to www.popupexplorer.com, www.popupportal.com, to check out the forums located there. The “pros” over there will be more than happy to provide you with advice and/or photos of an existing arrangement for carrying watercraft on your pop-up.
Any day on the water is a great day.
Cal
What Brand?
Most major brands sell racks as a accessory. But they do require drilling
Chopping the camper
I would like to be able to stop and sleep on the way to my paddling destination without having to unload the boats. A small step ladder would allow me to raise the top and climb in to sleep keeping the yaks loaded and locked up, hence the chopping and rebuilding idea.
popup
thanks, I liked your idea alot. I think that I will try this. Take care.
Two Yak Rack for popup with AC
I got my two yak rack built and it works great! We just got back from a long trip through the Ozarks and I had no problems with the rack. Total cost was under $50. I used 1 1/2" PVC, the vertical top posts are removeable for easier loading/unloading. Here’s some pix:
http://www.gallery.pstartech.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=44489