Handling heavy boards

[wernerhickey]

I have to leave the gear on the car 24/7 due to storage issues living in Asia. Not as bad as it seems as parking is always under cover in secure carparks everywhere you go. The need of this and the hassle lifting a heavy board with wind blowing in tight car spaces led me to this solution. You load the board while in the dropped position, then lift it locks in place. It works well with the articulation of the arms able to function in a tight spot. Not for everyone but a great solution for some.

The device is designed for lifting kayaks and canoes, is gas lift assisted and simple to use. I have added a set of wooden rails for the board rather than "hack" the holding arms (think twice, cut once) at this point in time - but could go the full snip at some point. Device - Thule Hullavator.

[dllee]

Poly kayaks can weigh as much as 80 lbs when fully loaded.
Your board might weigh 30.
Can't lift it up over your head?

[wernerhickey]

[jingebritsen]

i have sailed myself to near complete exhaustion. i weigh 97 kg, feel pretty macho about my commacho, and still can appreciate that rack. cheers.

[gregnw44]

This is AWESOME... thanks for posting your pics and experience!!!

Many old school longboards can weigh over 50#... even new raceboards (including Kona One's) can weigh well over 40# with centerboard, fin, adjustable mast-track, and a bunch of footstraps. (Weigh these yourself on a calibrated scale... don't believe the websites.)

Anyway, it's not just 30-50lbs you're lifting overhead. It's the awkward size being 11-12' long and 2-3' wide. And if it's breezy, it's much harder. And if you're in tight quarters, a confined space... it's much harder!
Add it all up, and carrying around a board that's very fast and fun in wind between 2 - 20 mph is WAY tougher. Compared to any shortboard.

I'm lucky that I'm tall and have long arms... and my weak shoulders are still good enough to hoist these things up on top of my 5'9" vehicle (just measured it).
But if I wanted to throw more $ at this sport... I think this invention is a worthwhile investment.
Tons of people buy van's (or similar) so they can load boards in the back, cause they don't want to lift windsurfer's over their head.
HOWEVER, buying one of these "racks" is WAY cheaper than buying a van!

We want our cool sport to appeal and be accessible to all kinds of folks - young, old, short, tall, men, women, etc. And this invention will make it way easier for lots of people to windsurf in typical wind where they live (light wind)... using the car they already own.
As Werner said in his original post, "It's not for everyone but it's a great solution for some."
I totally agree!!

[gregnw44]

Werner, I can see why you're trying out the "wood rails" to rest your board on. Because you didn't want to start cutting or modifying anything yet. And the Thule "kayak cradles" didn't work with the "shape" of your longboard. So you added the 2x4's as a trial... and hey, at least it works.

I just watched a couple vids about these rack. And it looks like the Thule "kayak cradles" and "pads" are easily removable. So you could get some (strong enough) L shaped tubing at a hardware store. You could pad these tubes they same way "Gorge racks" used to be padded.
Then screw them into the same attachment points, the Thule cradles are screwed into.
Next, just use typical foam board pads... and a couple straps... and you'll be good to go.
Another advantage, the over all package would be lower... than the way it is now.

[gregnw44]

Just watched another vid on these -
Werner, do you have the Hullavator 897 (which has been around for approx. 5 years) or the new 898?
It seems that, as good as the original 897 was... the 898 is a bit better. It'll carry wider loads... and is a bit easier to install. Most all the basic good features are the same though, I think.

Another advantage to these units.... is, strapping your board down securely.
You do this while the board is down on the side of your rig... at waist level.
No need to climb up on step-stools... or reach awkwardly over your roof, going from side to side... to do this task.

This unit is also strong enough to carry two boards !!
Like I said in the last post, you could get different "cradle tubes" and pad them they way Gorge Racks used to be. To carry two boards, your replacement cradles would be about the same height as the stock Thule kayak cradles (in Werner's pic). Put foam pads between the two boards, and strap 'em down tight, while the 897/898 is down alongside your vehicle. Which makes this really easy, ESPECIALLY if you're in high wind !!

LOL - I don't even need one of these... but I've almost talked myself into getting one

PS - The Hullavator fits onto Thule square bars, Yakima round bars, or Aero bars.

[isobars]

Werner, do you have a private/personal/reserved parking spot, or is it first-come/first serve? If the former, (get permission and) install two pulleys or hanging hooks overhead and hoist the board -- just a couple of inches is good enough -- each time you park. That worked well in my garage with my Chevy Blazer's 300-pound fibreglass top.

[LUCARO]

Sweet!

[isobars]

More ideas (hey ... they're free.)

I suspect that, barring the hang-it-overhead idea, I'd consider installing a pair of simple round crossbars, add padding that will revolve around the bar, and just slide/roll the board on from the rear. Lay one end of the board on the rear bar, lift the other end, walk forward until the board's where you want it, tie it down, and you're done. If the board wants to blow away while loading, I'd attach a vertical post on the downwind end of the bars to constrain it.

Lighter. Simpler. Lower profile. Several hundred dollars cheaper. Less of a theft magnet. Tight parking spaces not a problem. Never have to lift both ends of the board at the same time (when lifting the first end of the board onto the rear bar, the other end of the board rests on a pad on the ground).

Or just pay a passerby a buck to help you load it. That's good for 500 loads/offloads given the price of these hullavators.

But if cool convenience is a big factor, that gadget is a winner. Many similar widgets are on the market for kayaks, boats and side or rear loading.