roof racks for a kayak

[cavareno]

We are out looking for our first motorhome after years of tenting and a ford van.probably will end up with a class C or clas B like the Coachman Concord. we would love to find a way to carry our kayacks. in many years of camping the only kayacks i have seen on roofs seem to be on home made racks/ Does anyone know of a way to carry a couple of kayacks without damaging the roof or anyone that makes racks for an RV?
don

[cavareno]

We are out looking for our first motorhome after years of tenting and a ford van.probably will end up with a class C or clas B like the Coachman Concord. we would love to find a way to carry our kayacks. in many years of camping the only kayacks i have seen on roofs seem to be on home made racks/ Does anyone know of a way to carry a couple of kayacks without damaging the roof or anyone that makes racks for an RV?
don

[Fxrscotty]

I seem to remember that yakama made racks for slide in campers. There has got to be something that will work on a C or B. You may be able to order one with a rack system. FYI my folks just got a brand new concord 27.5 and it doesn't have a ladder on the rear! All molded glass and big window. Scotty.

[cavareno]

thanks Scotty, I have been checking the literature and I believe that the Concord may not be built to hold a ladder as I do not even see it as an optio. That has us reconsidering the Lexington by Coachman.Did your folks get the gas or diesel engine, and feedback yet on performance?
Don

[AkTrek]

How long are your kayaks? I have seen a class A like ours with dual ladders side by side and three kayaks bungied horizontaly to the ladders.
Have you considered the Safari Trek? While this floorplan is not for everybody, for us it has been perfect! It has the living area of a 32 footer while being no longer than a standard UPS Delivery Van. It has no bedroom. The full sized queen bed powers down from the living room ceiling at night for watching TV in bed and sleeping, and, with a push of a button, goes back up in the morning. Unique design! We have parked ours on the city streets of Valdez during fair time and driven downtown Anchorage in rush traffic. We just know that if UPS can go there we can too! If you want to see ours, which may be sold by now, go here or to a Trek forum go here. what ever MH you get I'm sure you'll enjoy it! Happy motoring!

[Fxrscotty]

cavareno, my folks just got it a month ago and came up here (MA) from FL for a visit. They left today to head home . I will get the millage #'s from them when they get home. They got the gas one. I also have seen short kayaks mounted verticly on the ladder on some rigs. I am thinking of getting one (kayak) myself so let me know what you find out. Scotty.

[cavareno]

thanks again. look forward to hearing more about the lexingtons trip home.
Can not believe that so few people seem to travel with a canoe or kayak! there is nothing like discovering a beautiful bay or lake and having the ability to just stop and go for A ride across it.
Are we missing something here?
Don

[rebelsbeach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AkTrek:
How long are your kayaks? I have seen a class A like ours with dual ladders side by side and three kayaks bungied horizontaly to the ladders.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What the HECK would you need TWO ladders for?

I don't even have ONE!!

[dieselclacker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by rebelsbeach:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AkTrek:
How long are your kayaks? I have seen a class A like ours with dual ladders side by side and three kayaks bungied horizontaly to the ladders.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

What the HECK would you need TWO ladders for?

I don't even have ONE!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Two ladders to tie the kayaks too, what else

[cavareno]

on the subject of ladders, we are looking for our forst rv. one of the models we like does not come with a ladder. This seemed to turn me off to the vevicle since there is a lot of equipment on the roof and the possibility of putting a pod or small kyack up there. how important do people think a ladder is ?
Don

[AkTrek]

Don't let not having a ladder put you off on your dream RV. Almost all rv's can have a ladder attached for not too much money.A ladder can be usefull for a lot of reasons. Some bike and lawn chair racks are designed just for rv ladders. I'm not sure I would encourage much walking on some of todays rv roofs because of damage to the roof substrate and also because of safety issues..slip-go-boom-oowww!! That being said, on our previous rv with a steel roof, we used our ladder for vantage point photography, both landscape and wildlife. We've taken some wonderful Grizzly and Moose pictures from up there!

[Fxrscotty]

cavareno my folks tell me they averaged 12 mpg for the whole trip! not bad for a gasser. Scotty.

[cavareno]

thanks a lot Fxrscotty, that helps to know. We have spoken to a lotof dealrs and in general find that they are poorly informed about their products and so it is hard to believe a lot of what they say especially when much of it contradicts hat some other dealer told us.
Also I have had a hard time fnding info from Lexington owners.so thanks again
Don

[Rockwood88]

We have two 12' kayaks (that weigh 49lbs each) and even if I could have found a way to put racks on our class A and our high-top conversion van, there is no way I could have lifted the kayaks up high enough without ladders or freaking scaffolding. This being the case, I bought a used 4' x 6' utility trailer on eBay (under $200), u-bolted 3 pressure treated 2x2s (5' long) across the frame and zip-tied some strips of foam across the 2x2s. I added a few upright poles (from the plumbing section at Lowe's) down the center to keep the kayaks from rubbing against each other and just returned from a trip to Cedar Key, FL. The trailer worked great and the entire thing cost under $250.00