small aluminum on camper

[the_anarchy16]

No idea where to put this so im putting it here. I have a 14 foot aluminum (typical old camp style 3 bench deal) that we keep because it can come camping while still pulling the pop up camper (old and crappy and nobody really cares if it gets buggered up a bit with the boat) My wife and I are looking at upgrading to a newish larger popup or a small house trailer (18-22 ish feet) and want to still be able to bring the boat. anyone have any experience or suggestions for a way I can bring my boat and be able to load/unload it with out much help?

 

[Bubbasboat]

Start by posting some photo's of your equipment.

Use photobucket.com or some other online photo hosting service, pics uploading to forum is currently not reliable.

 

[airshot]

Staying with a popup should not be a problem, make sure you get one with a roof capable of withstanding the weight. However a travel trailer....now that's another story.....you got to be really tall to get that boat up on the roof. I have seen cases of people towing two trailers, a small boat trailer behind there camping trailer.

 

[the_anarchy16]

cant double tow in Ontario so that wont work for me. if I go to a travel trailer im going to have to make some kind of winch and roller system to get it up. thinking sticking with a larger popup that's in good condition will be the way to go

 

[Texasmark]

I had a Toyota PU back in 75 when they were still small. It had a Camper style topper on it (painted vertical alum sides, jalousie windows, overhang in the rear, wood frame) causing it to stick up above the cab and thus was quite high off the ground, but due to its construction, it was sturdy enough to hold the boat including the wind load.

I made a square rack out of 3/4" metallic electrical tubing and bolted it to the framework of the camper. I'd pull my boat over to the rear of it, flip the boat over, stand it up on the transom, and duck walk it to the rear of the truck until I could rest the boat on the frame. Then around to the back of the boat, lift the transom and push it up and onto the frame. I don't know how much the boat weighed, but I couldn't lift the whole thing alone. However using leverage I could make this work. Fished alone with this rig for many years. If you have a companion to help out no reason why you couldn't do it with a 14'.

Oh, when I made the frame, the vertical supports on the edges extended up above the horizontal part of the frame to keep the boat from blowing off sideways which I had happen on a topper.....years earlier with the same boat.

HTH,
Mark

 

[the_anarchy16]

glad im not the only nut looking to do this HAHAHA. anyone know if the roofs on 20ish foot campers will support a boat and my fat arse up there winching said boat up? also think that would be too high for driving (clearing overhanging crap and tiping issues)