Kayak/Bicycle rack

[bgbdbrwn]

Anyone purchased one of the $1500 racks and or made your own?

[Blacksmith]

We bought the kayak / bicycle rack from www.rvkayakracks.com and really like it. He custom fits them to you're rv.
Does you're 303 have the 2" receiver hitch ? Kayaks and bikes are easy to load and unload.
Although I would like to lower mine a few inches because I have to get on a step stool to reach the top bar to unlock it. I may get the optional drop to lower the rack.
But this rack is really a great solution for carrying both you're kayaks and bicycles at the same time.

[bgbdbrwn]

Do you have any pics of it loaded and attached to the 303 that you cam upload?

[Blacksmith]

I have a couple ,wish I had taken more . Next time we get all loaded I will get some more close up.
If you do talk to the man at www.rvkayakracks.com please tell him you saw the racks here and Paul & julie Whitty referred you.
You can see in the pics that it probably could drop down a couple inches . He may still have all the dimensions on file from my rack.

[KeithS]

I have one of these being built now. The only holdup is the delivery of the kayak, so I can provide them with a bow measurement, for the cradle dimensions.

[Namlehse]

Be mindful of your Kayak size. We have lake kayaks (Read: Long), so that kind of solution wouldn't work for us. My Hobie Revo 13 sits at 13'6" long. Standing like that would put it well over 14' into the air (I'm guessing 14'6" at least, possibly pushing 15'?) Remember you're already painfully aware of where you can and can't fit. In our case it would be cheaper to kill an AC unit than our two Kayaks.

I opted for above the cab, however this also has its own issues. For one, my kayaks are HEAVY. The Revo sits at 70, the Oasis tandem sits at 90! It's a lot of weight to swing onto the roof of a truck over 6 feet tall. I'm working on something to make that less of an issue, however I haven't decided on how to handle that just yet.

[Blacksmith]

I have one of these being built now. The only holdup is the delivery of the kayak, so I can provide them with a bow measurement, for the cradle dimensions.

Hi Keith,
Are you having www.rvkayakracks.com make it ? You will love it. They do really nice work on the fabrication.
I am a machinist and make aircraft engine parts , also do blacksmithing and fabrication in my shop. I probably could have made something that would work but the design and fabrication in these racks is excellent .
My kayaks sit with the stern in the cradles.
If you are buying from him please tell him you saw the rack here and tell him Paul & Julie Whitty sent you. He may help me out on my next purchase.
Thanks , Paul

[KeithS]

Yes, from them. I mentioned your info in the e-mail I sent to them today with my bow dimension.

[KeithS]

Paul, somewhere, I thought I read that you had fabricated a stabilizing bar from your rack to your ladder. My rack is supposed to ship today and I thought I might get ahead of the game as time is getting tight to our next trip. There will only be one kayak in the rack for this trip. Do you have any details or close up pics of what you did?

[Blacksmith]

Keith, I took a couple of pics of it but they don't show much. The fiver is in covered storage so I can't really get a good shot of it .I will try to get over there tomorrow and get some better shots for you.
Its pretty dark and the rack is pretty close to the back wall. Next time I pull it out I will definitely get some better shots of it. I made the stabilizer out of 1/4 X 1 1/4 flat bar. Where it mounts to the ladder it looks like an H with the 2 verticals the width of the ladder and the cross piece extends out to the center of the rack, with the cross piece having a slight curve. The cross piece is welded to the verticals. And the vertical legs are mounted to the ladder using U clamps with Nylock nuts bought from Lowes. The cross piece mounts to the rack using the top mounting hole for the bicycle track/channel.
I didn't want it really rigid just thought it would be good to have a little support at the top to keep it from rocking forwards and backwards. I also didn't want to drill any holes in the RV .
It seems to ride really well without a lot of rocking. The rack is designed to be used as is but I am always tinkering with stuff .
After looking at the pics again, I may have used 3/8 X 1/1/4 flat bar. I will go by and check it tomorrow .