Does anyone have a Volvo C30 that they carry a 17'+ sea kayak on? If so what are you using for rack system and your thoughts on this. Contemplating on going to a smaller vehicle and this is one I'm considering. Thx in advance
Maybe I should add that I'm looking into my 4th Volvo, I'm in a xc 70 and just thinking of smaller to try and get better gas mileage etc....so going from full blown wide spread rack to a much closer has me questioning myself.
Looks good
According to the Thule Dealer Handbook the load capacity is 130lbs with a 30.25" bar spread. 27" is usually the minimum for sea kayak lengths. You should be good to go on the Thule front.
New car, new kayak?
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection
Thule would be in keeping
with the Scandinavian heritage.
Great car.
Hiya
I’m the last standing Volvo 544 owner in NA.
Search in Google Images for: Volvo C30 …the menu will fill…add kayak or kayak rack.
Follow the smaller right screen images into blogs on your concerns.
http://goo.gl/SbjMj2
seriously?
That’s a classic!
Volvo-rack
Thx for the link
Same kayak
Same kayak different model Volvo than I already have
WON stock sedan
1952 at LeMans
I have to hold my end up
ask
your Volvo dealer.
no hillclimb trophies?
Pikes Peak?
Mille Miglia?
Paris to Dakar?
Monte Carlo
was popular with Swedes. The chassis goes well in snow as do Swedes looking for sunlit warmth.
Several 544/444 with Ford or Chevy V8 went up Pikes Peak in competition.
For me, down hills were our forte. The 544 goes down on 3 wheels like an Alfa.
Tho One Day I was up extra early for a run up Clingman's. The drive from camp was longish. I pressed on. Arriving at the entrance road at speed, a Bear came around the corner....slowed and went on as I slid around onto Clingman's climb. Only car on the hill.
Our last batch of parts including a new engine was from the King's sister, Kundert.
Mine is getting a supercharger or a Buick.
Today the hauler is a 5.4 E250 with GT suspension.
Thule
Slipstream
cool stuff
That must have been fun.
I see them still, every once in awhile, at shows. A friend of mine back in high school days had a Saab 99, which was also a bit of a rally legend. It didn’t seem like much but that car was a hoot.
Getting more bar spread
I think that both Thule and Yakima have kits for greatly extending the spread between the bars. This does nothing to reduce the stress of rack-to-roof connections, but hopefully those connections are strong enough that it won't matter. What it *does* accomplish is a reduction in stress at the boat-to-rack connections, and makes the boat a lot more stable. Carldelo is one p-netter who uses this method. In my town, I sometimes see a small car with a short roof that has an extreme Yakima extender setup that provides about 12 feet of spread between the bars. It even has what appear to be factory-made diagonal reinforcements to keep the whole setup nice and stiff. Where there's a will, there's a way.
take a look at
European rally videos…Swedish Rally…in Utube.
a analogous behavior system exists tween new sea kayakers and new rally drivers esp in the French. Renoo sold a customer’s off the floor rally car often seen in these videos. Tupper rallye !
The 99 Turbo, the Grosser Surburban, were top of the hill in the '70’s for kayak/canoe haulers.
C&D built a Grosser Burban with a Callaway BOP Turbo Diesel for Maine/Canada/Wy
The 444/544 was designed I’m told by the usual…ex MB engineers fled the Homeland. The design is still current needing discs. Unfortuneately, Volvo’s motors depended on octane/lead now gone from the market.
In the video, there are several,the 544/120 are seen sliding blissfully thru the woods. very good at that.
V-bars on a short roof
V-bars work well, mine are Kayakpro, Goodboykayaks.com makes a version popular here. Thule Slipstream already mentioned is similar.
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l234/carldelo/SC-1%20Construction/P1040171.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l234/carldelo/Pachena%20on%20Mini/Pachena005.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l234/carldelo/Pachena%20on%20Mini/Pachena007.jpg
my 900
could shake the rear end loose if you really tried…or were in snow. No handbrake needed.
Remember that crazy rear-engined rally car that Renault made from Le Car?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz22lVvFZcE
actually I think the extenders
have feet that rest on the roof, so they do provide a bit of assistance on the load but not much. But I agree that Cardelo's approach is best and an V-bar or Goodboy rack is in my future. It's pretty slick and looks like it'd be quicker to load as well.
12’ spread?
GBG - you got a photo of that car?
12’ bar spread, I’m envisioning a Mazda Miata with ladder rack bars bolted onto the front and rear bumper as if they’re carrying a hang glider.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection
also, the factory bars sometimes
facilitate a wider bar spread. This is one reason why I don’t categorically dismiss factory crossbars .
