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Windsurfing vehicle, Mini Van ,SUV,Honda Element or box van
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critter



Joined: 14 Jun 2001
Posts: 79

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Element > another option if your bringing one passenger and you don't want to rack and stack...Using shortboards, I ran straps across the headliner, attaching them at various points, getting one board up overhead. As you already know the car has a crazy amount of headroom so this isn't an issue. The other two boards can be slid on their side up the center of the car.

My E is a front wheel drive vs. you awd. I can get an extra mile or two per gallon. I don't miss awd in the winter either. I run good meaty tires on it and with the exception of trying to drive around in major storms the fwd is more than adequate in snow > the right tires are the key Smile
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 1:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the Honda brand worked very well, excellent.

I looked at the Element , and measured it, inside , it did not offer the space of a long wheel base mini van. I can see it working great for some sailors

I had 2 Isuzu Troopers,both 4 cylinders, which worked ok for windsurf haulingThe point is if its shaped like a brick then its not going to paSS THRU THE AIR very effecient.

the FWD or AWD is a personal need again, my FWD Honda CRX, NOT CRV would plow snow with the spoiler/grill until it got so deep then the undertray high sided

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critter



Joined: 14 Jun 2001
Posts: 79

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes the Element doesn't have the overall length of the longer wheel base mini vans - good point, but as you said, it all depends on what you need to haul.

FWD, Element or CRV sit much higher than a CRX and "plowing" isn't an issue. I know what you mean about the plowing thing.
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adywind



Joined: 08 Jan 2012
Posts: 665

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Whatever works man...whatever works Smile
In the picture: 3 boards;3 sails; 3 masts; 2booms and the rest of the crap. Side mirror is clear and there is still room for 1 more sail at least inside. One more board or something on top also not a problem. Shows 24.7 mpg right now/ mostly highway driving/. Drawbacks: seats 1 only , drinks premium .



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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 7:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



gets better MPG this way

it really is pretty

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boardsurfr



Joined: 23 Aug 2001
Posts: 1266

PostPosted: Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I looked through all 14 pages of this post, but did not see the Nissan NV mentioned yet. I think it deserves mentioning in a discussion about windsurf vehicles.

We got the Nissan NV 2500 high roof model last fall. It's about as tall as the tall Sprinter, but considerably cheaper (new $30K, 1 yr old $24K). Drives quite well; I like it better for long trips (Hatteras 2x a year) than cars. On the Hatteras trip, we bring about 10 boards (including 2 SUPs), 12 sails, 10 masts, and a few booms. Locally, we have everything setup for easy access, with separate racks for 5-6 boards and room for ~10 sails. That leaves enough space so we can both change inside at the same time (a great thing for winter sailing). I'm 6 ft and can stand in the back with a few inches head room to spare.

The downside is gas milage, about 16 mph (the NV only came out in 2012, so few used ones were available, and we had to get the V8 instead of the V6). But since moving from the Boston suburbs to Cape Cod, windsurfing trips are only 8 - 30 miles instead of 35-90 miles, so we're actually using less gas than last year. After 20 years with Honda Civics (the last few years with a trailer), getting the NV was a very nice upgrade.
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U2U2U2



Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 5467
Location: Shipsterns Bluff, Tasmania. Colorado

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

the Nissan came out in 2012, like you said

this thread started in 2008

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coboardhead



Joined: 26 Oct 2009
Posts: 4303

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have a full size long bed Tundra 4 x 4 with a "contractor shell". 5 boards inside, 2 on roof, 8 sails, 5 booms, 6 masts, 4 kites, 3 kiteboards, camping gear and two of us can still sleep inside. Downside is fuel mileage (16 MPG @ 70 MPH) as loaded. Great vehicle if PSC is a venue!

Still miss my old E250 van though (except on washboarded Baja roads). And, it is safer to keep all those potential projectiles out of the passenger compartment!

My wife's RAV4 worked fine for solo trips with (2) boards, 4 sails, 3 booms, 3 masts and a mountain bike all inside...26 MPG.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2013 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

coboardhead wrote:
Still miss my old E250 van though (except on washboarded Baja roads).

I found two solutions to that in my E-250; one took 45 minutes to cover the 5 miles of washboard from I-25 to Elephant Butte Reservoir, the other took four minutes. I don't recommend the latter unless one knows the road very well and there are no cattle. Wink
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wsurfer



Joined: 17 Aug 2000
Posts: 1634

PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Had a '99 Dodoge Ram Van that was great but too old and really sucked up the fuel (V8 with 14-16 MPG on the highway).
Bought this and fits everything and has a nice comfortable ride, sound system is super and mileage is great (30-32 if you don't push it on the highway).
I hope I'll be happy with it for at least 10 years!
Chicks don't dig it but WHATEVER!



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