Transporting mast without trailer
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 01:05 PM
I recently found a mast for my P18 about 6 hours away. Don't mind making the drive for it but was curious if people's experience with just strapping it down to a truck rack. I would add support on the cab as well as using a hitch rack. With that, I will have 16 ft of support which seems plenty. Would love to hear opinions on this. -
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 01:33 PM
16 foot span is more than i have between the crutch and the back beam of the boat on the trailer. Pad the supports and use extra straps for surety in case one comes loose. Use some safety flagging and offset the mast more forward than back (you can better control what's in front of you than behind you) and pay attention if your 6 hour trip takes you through a drive-through restaurant!
Randii -
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 01:36 PM
Right on Randii. All of my thoughts exactly! Thanks -
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 02:25 PM
i have taken my cat off the trailer and used it to transport just the mast -
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 03:03 PM
If it starts wobbling up front, a line to the front bumper would check that. Did 6 hours recently with a Tornado mast on a minivan. Had a post from front bumper up to quell bouncing.All was well. Though some drivers pulled under the rear overhang at stop lights.
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John
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CT
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 04:45 PM
Good find there, my mindless friend! The goalpost bar on your hitch will help a lot.
I would approach this the same way I would hauling a large Hobie kayak or long surfski, which we do here all the time.
Remove any wires and mast BOBs (or position BOBs in the rear). Tie ratcheting stabilizer lines to the front and rear. Flag both ends. Avoid busy streets, turns and stoplights. Leave extra car lengths for braking.
The biggest safety concern, aside from clipping something with the 8' overhangs, is the panic stop/rear-ending and spearing someone in another vehicle. In which case, you'll wish you had BOBs on both ends. (Hmmm,..)
But there's the risk of denting or deforming the mast too, if things are too tight or too loose. Got rackpads?
6 hours is a long trip to drive without letting your guard down. Scout for suitable rest stops on the up way there. Order an extra-large coffee at the drive thru.
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 05:55 PM
Not sure I'd reccommend this technique, but I got the mast 450 miles to Florida on top of my Xterra.
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Damon Linkous
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 06:28 PM
Check your state laws regarding overhang for "passenger" vehicles... some will require a flag, some may not care, some will have a maximum length of how much you can have hanging out.. If you're using a truck with lumber racks you should be OK... I would leave it rigged with the mast leading edge faceing down.
Damon, you would have gotten a ticket in CA for that... I almost did with a Prindle 19 most on top of a Jeep Cherokee. Funny over 200 miles from San Diego through Los Angeles in rush hour traffic to my house and a mile or so from my house a local traffic cop lights me up and pulls me over... Got a pretty stern warning with the promise never to do it again..
Edited by JohnES on Nov 06, 2017 - 06:32 PM.
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John Schwartz
Ventura, CA
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 09:41 PM
I would put big flags and wouldn't take the risk to drive at night. Maybe bring some bike lights just in case. If the mast has the diamond wires installed it should be fine, if not i'm not so sure, i moved a mast extrusion once and it was very bouncy, it was a very short distance and i just put it over the subaru rack and tied both ends to the bumpers. It felt unstable and quite some stress to the mast and to the rack bars.The disntance between the bars was short, that was the main issue, but i'm not sure at what point such distance becomes safe. As the mast is flexible you can't avoid up/down swinging. If no diamond wires, maybe not a bad idea to bring your trailer. Some might have a better experience to share, as I said my setup was questionsble, but i just drove a couple miles. -
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Posted: Nov 06, 2017 - 11:48 PM
The great part of being a cat owner, is that the adventures aren't limited to on the water! Seems like every one has experience with this. A bike light is a superb idea.
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John
Nacra 5.0
CT
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Posted: Nov 07, 2017 - 04:40 AM
Haven't transported a cat mast without the trailer, which I would advise doing. Borrow one, etc...
However, I have transported, on two different occasions, wooden masts that were about 26' and both pretty "whippy"/bouncy on top of my SUV.
I used a couple of 12' 2x4's to lengthen the support and strapped the mast between. This helped to reduce the bounce.
Tied front and back down to tow points on front and hitch in rear.
It was still pretty hairy and flag on rear didn't keep people from driving under at stop signs.
Hitch rack would have been a great idea. Make sure you cushion all mounting points
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Posted: Nov 07, 2017 - 05:10 AM
As John pointed out, be sure to tie down both mast ends with ropes to the car bumpers to get a very light bend. Don´t overdo it! This prevents any bouncing that could permanently damage the mast section.
Edited by revintage on Nov 07, 2017 - 05:13 AM.
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Posted: Nov 07, 2017 - 09:15 AM
Thanks for all the info gang! Would love to be able to put support on the front bumper but no way to securely attach it without drilling holes into the bumper. Majority of the driving will be on the interstate and will be done during the day. I feel pretty confident in my ability to get it home intact! -
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Posted: Nov 07, 2017 - 09:52 AM
what about tow strap attachment points under your front bumper? lots of cars have them -
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Posted: Nov 07, 2017 - 08:31 PM
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Posted: Nov 08, 2017 - 08:06 AM
I've got tow hooks to be able to tie to but not really sure how I would be able to mount a support beam of sorts. Im thinking it won't be necessary. Especially since majority of trailers only have 2 support locations. -
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Posted: Nov 08, 2017 - 11:25 AM
i thought you are truck roof racking-it? why are talking about a trailer now?
and i am not thinking about a beam but tying the mast down
I was suggesting you wrap a loop in the middle of a line, loop the mast (luggage tag it) and tie one end of one side to the tow/tie hooks -
1 per side will eliminate to possibility of sway, wobble, and lift
i would use a truckers hitch as well so i could micro manage the line tension -
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Posted: Nov 08, 2017 - 04:59 PM
IN EARLY 70S FLIPPED A HOBIE 16 IN ATLANTIC SURF WHEN INEXPERIENCED MATE FAILED TO GO FORWARD AND SET JIB; THE NEXT AM WAS ON MY WAY TO SOUTH JERSEY SHORE FOR EXTRUSIONS( NEW MAST) IN MY FRIENDS JEEP CHEROKEE. DAMON'S POST AND PICTURES TELL THE STORY BETTER THAN WORDS ,BUT- I HAD LARGE RED FLAGS TIED TO EACH END OF MAST CENTERED ON ROOF ETC,ETC. TODAY YOU CAN PICK UP MAGNETIC FLASHING LIGHTS AT HARBOR FREIGHT VERY INEXPENSIVE AND I WOULD ATTACH THEM TO REAR OF MAST AND BACK OF SUV FOR ADDITIONAL NOTICE TO CARS APPROACHING FROM THE REAR, I LEFT HAZARD LIGHTS ON ALL THE WAY FOR RETURN OF 400MILE PLUS ADVENTURE. BE ATTENTIVE & CAREFUL ON APPROACHES TO CARS IN FRONT, LEAVE 5 CAR LENGTHS MINIMUM!!! DRIVE BY DAY. UPON RETURN BRIBED FERRY CAPTAIN TO TAKE MAST OVER TO FIRE ISLE AND WE "CEMENTED" TOP AND BOTTOM OF OLD DESTROYED MAST AND WAS BACK IN THE ATLANTIC IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS -
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Posted: Nov 09, 2017 - 11:04 AM
I second checking your state’s laws regarding objects overhanging the vehicle. It is not just a matter of getting the mast home safely - the issue is the safety of other drivers. Your mast punches through someone else’s front or rear windshield in a hard stop situation and kills someone, you’re going to be in for one hell of a lawsuit.
I would definitely look into using a trailer to get your mast home. It will be much safer.
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Posted: Nov 09, 2017 - 04:07 PM
Seems like the OP's 16' of supported length is a little different than your average roof rack. The P18 mast is just under 29', leaving less than 13' unsupported length... and you have another 4+ foot of windshield, hood, and bumper forward. If you center it based on the bumper and hitch rack, you'll have about 4' extending past either end of your vehicle. Certainly flag and secure it well, and add a flasher if you'd like, but this isn't likely to get a second look from the constabulary.
You're not just hillybilly-ing it into a short-bed, shoving it through the rear window slider, and tossing your arm over where it sits on the bench seat, with 20' hanging past the bumper.
Randii
