Max size for canoe on top of Westy?

[California562]

Hi, I have an 87 Westfalia and I'm looking into getting a rack and canoe for fishing. Most canoes are 12 or 13' and up.. many are 15'.. what do you recommend in terms of the max (length and weight) of what can be securely put on top of the vanagon? and, would you recommend using two or three bars for the rack? thanks. JC[/u]

[dhaavers]

I've put 17' canoes and kayaks totaling 110 lbs. up there...you'll be fine!

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[PDXWesty]

All depends on your rack. Mad River 16

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89 Westy 2.1 Auto

[Love My Westy]

I have an 18-1/2' Wenonah fiberglass canoe that weighs 65 lbs. I also have a 16' Mad River Explorer that weighs about 75 lbs. I have hauled both on top of my Westy with a 72" Yakima rack using canoe brackets. I also have jackbombay
Pop Top Shocks which allow me to raise the top with either, but not both canoes up top.

I also carry my 12 ft whitewater canoe as well as a kayak up there. (newer photo, same van)

Note that I have 3 sets of Yakima Widebody brackets. The other set is for when I haul my sea kayaks.

When carrying a canoe, think of it like a weather vane. It will track better into the wind if it is placed on the rack so that the front is shorter than the back.
Also brackets to keep it from moving side to side are important.

As far as length of the canoe, the longer and narrower it is, the faster ie. easier it will be to paddle. Will you be paddling by yourself or tandem? A flatter bottom will be more stable on flat water but is more apt to flip in waves, all of my boats have shallow arch or shallow v bottoms for handling waves. How it tracks is determined by the rocker, or curve of the keel from front to back. Note my yellow 18-1/2 footer is perfectly straight while my red whitewater boat is curved like a banana.

[nemobuscaptain]

[dr. no]

I also have three bars:

and mine sit on the driprail and can be clamped there for "high speed" situations or windy days. We lost the kayaks with a 30mph crosswind once, luckily they went to the right instead of the left. Kayaks are tough.

That's an Old Town 14 and is almost too short...
Also, I would suggest taking the canoe upside down--more aerodynamic in its own shape, and also sits closer to the bus, and anything that breaks the suction of the luggage hole improves milage (I've not done a real comparison with the TD, but when it was gas it was 1.5-2mpg better on the highway).
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Scott
http://lungehphoto.com

'83.5 Westy s/p 1.6td JX and 4sp DK transplant--wonderful!
'86 MB 300GD
'06 MB Sprinter
'17 BMW X1
'89 Isuzu Trooper


PAST VWs:
'82 NA diesel Vanagon
'86 7-passenger Vanagon
'77 Bay
'71 Bay
'74 Things (2)
'69 Karmann Ghia (the only one I miss--in nice weather, anyway...)
'91 Fox

[PDXWesty]

[termuehlen]

Two bars, double kayak, no problem.
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1988 Westfalia automatic Subaru OBD1
1986 syncro tintop wbx

[furrylittleotter]

Depending on your bar selection you can put any canoe you want on there. Personally I can't think of a worse selection for fishing though.

Neil2

[SCM]

[MrBuelterman]

dr. no Where did you get your mounts? I like the idea of taking the weight off the pop top with the gutter supports
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86 2.4L 2WD Peloquin Westy

[dr. no]

Here is my original post:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=288298

Doesn't seem like it could be 8 years ago!
I don't know if Pepboys still has this--it was for putting ladders on trade vans and stuff, but I used Yakima bars.
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Scott
http://lungehphoto.com

'83.5 Westy s/p 1.6td JX and 4sp DK transplant--wonderful!
'86 MB 300GD
'06 MB Sprinter
'17 BMW X1
'89 Isuzu Trooper


PAST VWs:
'82 NA diesel Vanagon
'86 7-passenger Vanagon
'77 Bay
'71 Bay
'74 Things (2)
'69 Karmann Ghia (the only one I miss--in nice weather, anyway...)
'91 Fox

[MrBuelterman]

This looks like the gutter mounted roof rack!

HIGHLAND Heavy Duty Van Roof Top Bar Carrier
https://www.amazon.com/Highland-2006200-Black-Heavy-Carrier/dp/B0002MABL4
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86 2.4L 2WD Peloquin Westy

[Bassyaks]

2 rails, Hobie Pro Angler 14' 130 lbs.

[Macwesty]

I put my 17' Old Towne on the Westy with no rack at all. Just use the foam blocks that fit over the gunwales and ratchet straps.

No rack needed.

Scott
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'82 Vanagon Westfalia
Subaru SVX power!

[Macwesty]

I put my 17' Old Towne on the Westy with no rack at all. Just use the foam blocks that fit over the gunwales and ratchet straps.

No rack needed.

Scott
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'82 Vanagon Westfalia
Subaru SVX power!

[Mighty Van]

I have no picture but I use a 14 foot sportspal for fishing. Works excellent for fishing and bobbing around on a summer's evening. Which sounds like what the OP is interested in.
To carry it on the van the foam blocks work perfect. With the sportspal at least if you load it so the bow goes down into the luggage rack the stern sticks out the back just a little. Strapped down to the brackets that used to hold two racks its very stable in the wind. It's like the van was made to carry the canoe.

[the joker]

I have carried our 21 ft double sea kayak on two yak bars mounted on the pop top with gutter mount brackets no problems for 1000's miles


sometimes our 16' canoe and 13' double llbean otter together



secure everything use good quality tie downs keep your speed down and watch the cross winds and when paddling, always wear a lifevest just try to put it on after already swamped

[Love My Westy]

I should add that if you are planning on carrying a canoe on top, I would advise adding the T3 or Addco sway bars and good shocks and larger or stiffer tires.
These vans already act like a billboard in the wind, and with a canoe on top, a sudden crosswind can send you into the other lane of traffic. Ask me how I know!

[Syncro Jael]

At 17 feet, assembled, the Folbot Greenland II is a great addition to the Syncro Westfalia. It fits nicely, upside down, on the Yakima Load Warrior Basket assembled, and stores in the (2)two blue/black bags when folded up. With it's light weight the top is easily raised by myself along with the Jack Bombay Pop Top Shocks. Once we get to an area with water, we usually leave it assembled on the top and have never had an issue with weight or wind.

◾LENGTH / BEAM: 17′ / 34″, (5.18m / 86.36cm)
◾HEIGHT: 16″, (40.64cm)
◾WEIGHT: 62 lbs., (28.12 kg)
◾COCKPIT SIZE: 92″ x 22″, (2.34m x 55.88cm)
◾MAXIMUM PAYLOAD: 600 lbs., (272.16 kg)
◾BAG 1 DIMENSIONS: 10″ x 10″ x 56″, (27.94cm x 27.94cm x 1.42m)
◾BAG 2 DIMENSIONS: 24″ x 29″ x 10″, (55.88cm x 73.66cm x 27.94cm)

It has been a great addition to our road trips and we get to use it often. We have mounts for (3)three bars, but have only needed the (2)two.

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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat)