UK-Cherub Forum
Cherub Chat => Sailing Stories => Topic started by: Viper6994 on August 31, 2012, 05:21:04 PM
-
Hi all,
Just wondering if it possible to transport a cherub via a roof rack on a car? I have no tow bar at the moment and am likely to be upgrading my car (2001 fiesta) soon.
Has anyone tried this and do you think it would be possible to do in a car as small as mine?
Regards,
Tye (Desperate to become a cherub owner!)
-
I used to cartop my Foreman 6 on a Saab 99 (probably similar size to modern Fiesta)...upright because it had an extended mast post.
Overhang of the mast wasn't too bad but Cherub masts have got bigger, so it depends on the boat.
Weight is not an issue it's just the practical aspects of attaching it safely
-
I used to do it regularly on the roof of a Vauxhall Nova. (Ooerr missus). I found it was easiest to mount the boat the right way up on the 2 roofrack crosseams, then wedge in a length of 2x4 on each side to stop the hull rolling from side to side. Looked a bit comical with the boat "sailing" along upright down the motorway but it worked OK and I was never stopped by the traffic police. Got some old photos which I would scan and post if some pond-life hadn't stolen my computer.
-
I wasn't even as sophisticated as using some 2*4s...just leaned it over to one side and tied it tight...
Yes, it did look funny 'sailing' down the motorway
-
Phew, feel alot better by the whole idea now!
Any damage to report from just propping it on the bars?
Im looking to get myself a good machine and setting up a fleet at stone sc in essex :)
-
when I used to rooftop a moth a springer from the forestay to the loop under the front bumper stopped a lot of the bouncing.
-
I agree Dave. In fact we used to put a springer on the back end as well and also a line from the stem fitting, down both sides of the boat to the ends of the rear roofrack cross beam to stop the whole boat moving forwards under heavy braking. And a red rag on both ends of the mast.
-
Yes , agree...tying each end down was vital
-
do you think it would be possible to do in a car as small as mine?
(http://www.bloodaxeboats.co.uk/gallery/arrack.jpg)
If you don't get the image go to Bloodaxe boats www.bloodaxeboats.co.uk (http://www.bloodaxeboats.co.uk) and select About, and then A Class Cat
I've roof racked a Cherub on a Hillman Imp... The boat overhung the carboth sides and both ends.
-
Never knew you were a former Imp driver Jim, one of my dream cars that! Apparently the best handling 'mod' was to put a bag of cement in the front to stop it understeering so badly?!
-
Tye,
Where are you thinking of collecting from/based?
If we can help you get boats form A-B and getyou sailing then we will.
On a similar note adding a tow bar to the Fiesta is sub £100 cheap, quick and completely reversable :-)
Feel free to PM...
-
Trying to buy Suicide Blonde, tho the guy has not got back to me since discussing transport...So would be Wrexum to essex, to be honest id be happy doing this on the roof if the seller was not willing to deliver although we were discussing price the last time he emailed so we will have to see!
-
Tye,
I am Essex based (Brightlingsea, sometimes !) - give me a call and lets have a chat and sort something out
Graham
-
If somebody offers to tow for you Tye I would jump at the chance. Although it's not impossible to roofrack a Cherub, it is a bit dodgy. Also, the extra hull beam and mast length compared to when we were doing it 20 years ago might be a serious issue.
-
Of course thankyou all for the support, if and when I can get hold of a boat I aim to be doing the national open scene so will make arrangements for better transport. Just trying to do it all one step at a time!
-
I assume the boat comes with a trolley. The best approach would then be lash the trolley to the roof rack bars. Stick boat on and strap down seperately to the roof rack bars. Tie both ends of the boat and forward end of the trolley to the ends of the car as mentioned. lash the mast at the ends of the boat probably with some rags or foam as padding.
You could event consider tacking a line from the bow to the roof bars to gaurd against sudden braking. I doubt acceleration will be a problem on a fiesta.
Total load on a roof rack is usually 75 kg's but please check your rack/car as a smaller car may have a lower limit. A trolley can easily be 15kg's so a down to weight boat and mast could take you quite close to the limit. If the boat is a little over weight you could be on or over.
-
Car-topping 1980 style
-
Hi Nigel,
Love the cartopping photo. My initial impression was Morris Marina, but I seem to recall you might have said that's actually a Saab. Is that right? My uncle, who was an architect and had an eye for design style, had a Saab 99 for quite a few years about then. The recessed door handles ring a big bell but I can't quite connect it.
Anyway, here's 2631 (Groovejet) leaving Andy Paterson's premises in 1986. I'm not sure if the 1980's motoring design icon belonged to Andy or the new owner though:
-
Here's me looking like a bit of an eejit. Ken and I were pretty fired up, on the way to Largo Bay for an open meeting in 1991. The 1990's motoring design icon was my Mum's, since I was still a penniless student at the time. In fact, the boat cost me £75 thanks to the fact that it had a few holes in it, having been hit by a train ( I kid you not). A few bits of ply, some epoxy resin and a bit of paint and she was sorted. You can actually see the railway line in the background of that photo. The dinghy park at Royal Tay YC is right next to the East Coast Main Line. 2534 blew over on her trolley in a gale one evening, and the rig ended up sticking out over the tracks. The InterCity 125 from Aberdeen took the mast off and rammed the boat down onto her trolley, puncturing the hull with the end of the cradle. Rumour has it that the rig was removed from the front of the train at Edinburgh Waverley, but it was never re-united with the boat. :)
-
Rumour has it that the rig was removed from the front of the train at Edinburgh Waverley, but it was never re-united with the boat. :)
!!!!!!!!
You're right about the car...we must have got the Saab later - that's Gill's Uncle Jack's Morris. The photo was taken at the farmhouse we stayed at in Sarn (near-ish Pwllheli), North Wales. As I recall the sea was too rough the entire week and we never even launched.
-
It was mine! A Metro was much better than a mini ( or so I thought ). Later it started looking a bit rusty, so I poked about with a screwdriver... and found big rotty holes - both front wings near the headlights and near the doors, bottom of the doors, both sills, the front and rear bits like sills under the bumpers, edges of the bonnet and boot... the roof was OK. I did get £25 for it though - weighed at the scrappers at £30 a ton I think.
-
Many cars used to be rust-buckets. The Vauxhall Viva was the worst. 5 years and they fell apart.
How times have changed...my Espace is 'plastic' (no scrap metal value) and doesn't mind me digging the tow hitch into the rear sill - no rust...just a bit of white powdery stuff showing.
-
Seriously impressive photo's guys !
-
Real men in those days Graham...did we worry about roof loading! No sir!
Mind you I can't actually work out what I'm standing on or whether I'm actually in the boat.