sagart Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Having swapped to an Auto Sleeper Topaz http://www.auto-sleepers.co.uk/vw_Topaz.htm...VW 2.5 with permanent high top I have a real problem - nowhere to carry a surfboard (not sailboard) With a disabled wife and a large dog I have no room inside the van for the board. I have seen similar vans carrying a board or boards on the side of the hightop, but have never managed to catch the owners to find how they do it. Advice would be very welcome as I have just had to hire boards on a daily basis while in the SW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 I doubt if you will be able to buy this type of item off the shelf Roger, but if you try "roofracks" on the web you may have some luck, or at least some info to point you in the right direction. I imagine you have a fibre glass hightop, and even though I have helped fit a lightweight awning on a similar type of roof without any problems, I would be concerned re. the extra weight of a surfboard which may put too much stress on the fibreglass itself. If you have a steel roof, then there would be no problem as long as you put plates behind for added strength. This still leaves you with the problem of where to get a suitable roofrack. I did see something similar on site this summer, but this was purpose built for that particular vw hightop. The owner had made two metal straps, shaped to fit the roof profile and though it was bolted to the roof, the main supports were fixed to the actual body itself. He had two surfboards fitted either side with shaped flanges and not only did it look safe, but the overall look was not out of place either. I spent a lot of my working life in metal fabrication and I see no problem getting this sort of thing made up, so possibly the first the thing to do, is visit any small engineering firms local to you. Howard.............As an aside, what language is that on your signature. New to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Just noticed that you are from the Isle of Skye Roger, so I presume it,s Gadhelic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 If there's a standard fitment you might find something in a surfboard mag. have looked at fiamma 2005 nothing there. I'm guessing my answer to carrying complete kit of wind surf race gear is a bit ott, it was to build a trailer :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagart Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 Thanks for a highly detailed and very helpful response. i was afraid that it would be a complex matter. I bought the Topaz as most suitable for our roads here in the Western Isles an Skye where diesel is still £1 a litre, and overlooked the board in the barn. I will take this up with a local firm who do metal fabrication...and hope! The signature refers to the district where I live on Skye and is in Gaelic...."in Minginish of the grren slopes..." My sincere thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagart Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 Yes Gaelic, I live in a bilingual area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagart Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 The signature refers to the district where I live on Skye and is in Gaelic...."in Minginish of the grren slopes..." Ouch!!! "in Minginish of the green slopes..." Blame it on being away in England and trying to access this site with Opera on a Sony Ericsson P910i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Have you looked on the fiamma site just to see if they have something for the side of the van Or maybe the top? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howie Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 No problem with you being bilingual Roger. As Colins picture of a pretty butterfly suggests, we are all very easy going on this particular forum. One other option you may like to look at is the inflatable roof racks that have come on to the market recently. With a bit of modification, you may find a solution to this problem. Howard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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