PVC KAYAK RACK

Big dave

Big dave

Member
I posted some pictures of my cheap & EZ PVC Kayak Rack in my photo Album.
It Hauls our two plastic kayaks perfect, I think they weigh 35 pounds each.
Big Dave
Raven Dancer
 
Hi Dave,

That's an elegant solution you came up with. I'd like to try it.

How did you put the Tee's on the handrails? Are they sawn in half vertically and Hose Clamped? If so, I'd think you need a clamp on the vertical socket, but you don't have one. Or, did you saw the bottom horizontally?

What size PVC have you used? Are you going to trailer with kayaks on the rack?

Rick from Maine
 
Hi Rick from Maine ! I think the PVC is 1.5 or 1.25 I don't remember, It stuff that I had laying around. The TEE is indeed cut horizontal. I also cut some pieces of garden hose to put over the rail on the boat, then I just kinda pried it open and it snapped right on. I remember it was a very snug fit and I thought about not even bothering with the hose clamps, but I didn't want things sliding around up their so I put them on.
Anyway it has worked very well for me and since I had most of the parts I'm into the whole thing for less then $15.
If it breaks so what I'll through it in the nearest dumpster.
One thing that isn't shown is I have the foam cradles that snap onto the bars for the Kayaks to sit in.
Dave.
Raven Dancer.
 
Nice idea. Did you put anything inside the pvc? I was thinking you could cut some wood dowels and put them inside before you glue it up and it would stiffen it up quite a bit.
 
jkidd":399jukn0 said:
Nice idea. Did you put anything inside the pvc? I was thinking you could cut some wood dowels and put them inside before you glue it up and it would stiffen it up quite a bit.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about that myself, I was going to use some of that spray-in insulation foam by drilling some very small holes in random spots and just spray it in , the stuff I have seen has a little tube on the end of the nozzle like a can of WD-40.
But once I started using it, and had the kayaks tied down there was very little flex, so I just left the money in my pocket.
The whole idea, started as a model that I was going to take to a stainless fab shop and have one build out of stainless steal, and it still may happen that way, but right now what I have seems to work fine.
Someone asked me if I have ever went down the highway with them on the rack, and the answer is no, but I don't see why it wouldn't work because you would tie the kayaks down to the boat at the stern and bow along with the straps over the top of the kayaks. So it would really be the straps holding the kayaks & rack down on the boat.
Right now the kayaks just go in the back of the truck.
Dave.
Raven Dancer.
 
Big dave":1mg5nr50 said:
I also cut some pieces of garden hose to put over the rail on the boat, then I just kinda pried it open and it snapped right on. I remember it was a very snug fit and I thought about not even bothering with the hose clamps, but I didn't want things sliding around up their so I put them on.
Click to expand...

Please clarify for me -- did you cut only one side of the PVC and then you spread it apart to snap onto the rail? And then you put the hose clamp over it? So where does the garden hose go?

Thanks,
Warren
 
Doryman":u6fdtuqr said:
Big dave":u6fdtuqr said:
I also cut some pieces of garden hose to put over the rail on the boat, then I just kinda pried it open and it snapped right on. I remember it was a very snug fit and I thought about not even bothering with the hose clamps, but I didn't want things sliding around up their so I put them on.
Click to expand...

Please clarify for me -- did you cut only one side of the PVC and then you spread it apart to snap onto the rail? And then you put the hose clamp over it? So where does the garden hose go?

Thanks,
Warren
Click to expand...
Warren;
The tee is cut on the bottom horizontal part of the tee that is running parallel with the handrail on the boat ( you can't see the cut in the photo) I just used my band saw and removed about 1/4" or so of the tee, or until it would snap on. If you looked at a cross section of the tee it would look like a upside down "U" with the open part of the "U" about 1/4". I then had a chunk of garden hose that I cut the same length as the horizontal part of the tee, if you look close at one of the pictures you will see a little green, that's the hose, the hose is also split so it will slide onto the hand rail on the boat. I don't remember if I put the hose inside the tee or just put the hose on then pressed the tee over the hose, I do remember that I lubed the whole nine yards up with liquid dish soap so it would slid on.
I hope that this helps you and I am explaining it a little more clearly.
I guess if a guy wanted to he or she could just cut the entire bottom half of the tee off, I just felt the more material I left on the tee the stronger it would be. If it was made out of stainless I think that is what I would do.
Thanks for the question.
Dave.
Raven Dancer.
 
Dave, thanks for explaining -- now I understand. Roger on Dreamer used the same idea to create some clips to hold towels on the railing while drying.

What are the black things supporting the PVC in the center of the roof?

Warren
 
Doryman":3j52ddmq said:
Dave, thanks for explaining -- now I understand. Roger on Dreamer used the same idea to create some clips to hold towels on the railing while drying.

What are the black things supporting the PVC in the center of the roof?

Warren
Click to expand...
Warren;
The black blocks in the center of the rack is nothing more then small foam blocks that you can get at any kayak or canoe store.
I bought this one and just cut it in half. They come with the slots for attaching to any type of rack.
Also what is not shown in the photos is the foam cradle that snaps onto the cross members of the rack which the kayaks ride in.
Dave.
Raven Dancer.
 
hardee":2xezn0l3 said:
Dave, Looks great. Good job. What wall thickness is that PVC?

Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Click to expand...
Harvey;
The pipe is SCH 40, the inside dia is 1", the wall thickness is approx. 1/8", the OD is 1- 5/16".
It was just some stuff I had laying around. I was going to make a proto type to take to a stainless fab shop.
Dave.
Raven Dancer.
 
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