Tony,

I've seen this advice before, and no one ever mentions that if you load
toward the back (hinge end) of the roof, you'll have to lift the bicycles a
lot less distance, along with having better leverage on them.  I suppose the
same would go for canoes, though I'm not too sure about kayaks, which seem
to defy laws of physics on a regular basis.

Karl Wolz

----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony L. Mourkas" <frankenstein@TELPLUS.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: roof rack for 84 Westie

> >My Q: Anyone out there carried a canoe (~80lb) on this type of system
> >(Thule with artificial rain gutters drilled into the camper top)?  How
did
> >it go and could the top be opened with the canoe on?
>
> I have never carried a canoe but have carried up to three bicycles with
> no worries with such a setup.  Yes I have raised the pop top with racks
> and two bicycles mounted, never tried it with three.  But be forewarned,
> you either have to be named "Hercules" or have a helper to raise and
> lower the roof with such a weight attached.
>
> My sister carried her kayak to the LiMBO on Long Island event last
> weekend using such a setup.  I don't think it weighed quite 80 lbs, but
> we could raise the pop top, and subsequently raise the rear hatch, with
> the boat attached.  Definitely took two of us to raise and lower the
> roof.  She was able to take the boat down and put it back up on the rack
> without assistance.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Tony
>
> Anthony L. Mourkas
> Hampden, Maine, USA
> 1984   Vanagon Westfalia    "Gertrude"
> 1986.5 Quantum Syncro Wagon "Wolfgang"
> 1991   Jetta Eco Diesel     "Liesel"
>