Any windsurfers

[Andy P]

Hi everyone, I have a 2010 cali and at the moment when I go windsuring I throw all my gear in the back with the seats flat. I would like you take my kit on family holidays, but I am unsure about carrying the weight on the roof. All my gear and roof rack come to about 47kg. This is right on the weight limit according to the manual. Has any one carried this sort of weight on the roof, and if so has it caused any problems?I am happy to unload the kit when the roof is up. I just want to be sure it won't damage the roof at 80ish mph on the motorways. Looking forward to your insight and experience.

 

[ArunAlec]

Hi everyone, I have a 2010 cali and at the moment when I go windsuring I throw all my gear in the back with the seats flat. I would like you take my kit on family holidays, but I am unsure about carrying the weight on the roof. All my gear and roof rack come to about 47kg. This is right on the weight limit according to the manual. Has any one carried this sort of weight on the roof, and if so has it caused any problems?I am happy to unload the kit when the roof is up. I just want to be sure it won't damage the roof at 80ish mph on the motorways. Looking forward to your insight and experience.

Sadly my boards have not ventured out on the water for a couple of years - mainly canoeing these days. If you search the forum for canoes and kayaks there have been many discussions on the subject of roof loads. There are some forum members carrying Canadian canoes which are likely to a bigger challenge for the roof than sailboards. My biggest concern with a boat on the roof is the wind resistance and any lifting affect on the roof.

 

[Andy P]

Hi, thanks for the quick reply. Yes, the lift from windsurf or surfboard is my real issue, due to the flat, thin wide shape. I cannot belive any one would stick a Canadian canoe on the roof, I am not that brave.

 

[Bramco]

Lapsed windsurfer here, just about to restart - hopefully this weekend!

First learnt in the 80's when we lived in Holland, so no shortage of water.

I thought the weight limit was 60k but even so, I can see your concern about the shape of the board causing more lift than say a roof box. Also I remember some advice from the ANWB (Dutch AA) saying the most fuel efficient way of carrying the board was with the back end forwards if you see what I mean. I think if you did it this way round then the board wouldn't stick out much at the front and therefore wouldn't cause as much lift. Mind my old Mistral Maui would still stick out one end I reckon, not that I've used that board in years.

I'm just installing a solar panel, so will plonk the board on as soon as I've got that up and running and report back.

 

[owen_h]

another semi lapsed windsurfer here (managed 2 sails last year and twice this year so far). Dont have any roof bars so the boards, sails, masts etc have all gone inside the van on the flat bed.
So not much use to the discussion on roof loads I'm afraid.
If the issue is the boards generating lift on the elevating roof would there be any benefit in having a strap over the roof and boards that is fixed at both sides of the van to the awning rails. Bit like the roof tie down kit on the SE/Ocean?

 

[Andy P]

Lapsed windsurfer here, just about to restart - hopefully this weekend!

First learnt in the 80's when we lived in Holland, so no shortage of water.

I thought the weight limit was 60k but even so, I can see your concern about the shape of the board causing more lift than say a roof box. Also I remember some advice from the ANWB (Dutch AA) saying the most fuel efficient way of carrying the board was with the back end forwards if you see what I mean. I think if you did it this way round then the board wouldn't stick out much at the front and therefore wouldn't cause as much lift. Mind my old Mistral Maui would still stick out one end I reckon, not that I've used that board in years.

I'm just installing a solar panel, so will plonk the board on as soon as I've got that up and running and report back.

 

[Andy P]

Hi Bramco, Thanks for being a guinea-pig. Let me know how many boards and sails you put on the roof. My cali manual say the limit is 50kg, but does not say if this is up or down.
Good luck with getting back into to the windsurfing. Where do you sail?

 

[Bramco]

Andy, see the photo. I had a couple of boards on with no problem. Didn't do 80 but then it's only local. But no issues. The sails etc went inside. However I wouldn't normally have the green machine on board, I was taking it along as someone was interested in taking it over.

So normally I'd have one board, boom and mast on the roof with any sails inside.

Given we're landlocked around here I'm a member of Trent Windsurfing. We have use of a couple of lakes near the Attenborough nature reserve west of Nottingham. Nice club. Shame I've been unable to get out for so long. Anyway, it was pretty useless today but I guess good not to have too much wind on a restart. Barbecue was good though!

 

[Life's a beach]

Hi Andy, I have travelled with a couple of boards and sails on the roof with no problems. I use a Thule ranger soft box for the sails as it saves weight compared to a quiver bag or normal roof box. It easily fits 4 sails up to 6sqm plus boom, masts go in the van. Here's a pic from last autumn's trip to Ireland.....

 

[Bramco]

LaB that looks great. Although having just installed a solar panel I'd have to move that to the middle of the van to get the bars nearer together. And I've just fixed the wire on the roof - sigh....

Another thought I had was to get this company to make me a long round waterproof bag to stow sail bags in and then put them in the van. Don't think I'd be that happy putting normal sail bags with wet sails in the van. Used to do this with my old SAAB 9000 and even with leather seats it developed a certain whiff over time.

Here's the link, they do custom made as well -http://www.bags4everything.co.uk/category/308/ZIPPED-ROUND-BASE-WATERPROOF-BAGS

 

[Andy P]

Wow thanks for the replys, that gives me the confidence to give it a go.
I have found this roof box and at only 12 kg should be good enough for all my sails masts and booms.
https://www.tridenttowing.co.uk/car...s-c53/thule-pacific-500-roof-box-silver-p6641
I think I can get all my kit down plus a roof box to about 42.55kg
Nothing looks better than a Cali with a stack of boards on top.

 

[Andy P]

Did you pop the roof with all your kit on or do you take it of every time?

 

[Bramco]

Hi Andy, I haven't taken the kit away with us yet, so haven't had the roof up with the kit on but I'm sure plenty of other people have.

 

[Kmann]

I just spend 4 weeks around Europe with a Thule box packed with my kite gear. It was around 50 kg complete. The roof did not tend to come down, even after several days. And I did not empty or remove anything. Only thing that needed attention, was the actual position of the box and and bikes, so that we could open the tailgate with the bikes still on, and the roof up.

Btw. I have a telescopic aluminium latter in the underseat drawer, so that accessing the box is easy and no struggle at all.

 

[Andy P]

I just spend 4 weeks around Europe with a Thule box packed with my kite gear. It was around 50 kg complete. The roof did not tend to come down, even after several days. And I did not empty or remove anything. Only thing that needed attention, was the actual position of the box and and bikes, so that we could open the tailgate with the bikes still on, and the roof up.

Btw. I have a telescopic aluminium latter in the underseat drawer, so that accessing the box is easy and no struggle at all.

View attachment 15732View attachment 15733View attachment 15734

Thanks for the post, great pics.

 

[Andy P]

Thanks for the post, great pics.

I have just noticed yours is a T6. The T6 has a greater load carrying capacity. According to VW "Roof load limit: 100kg (with two roof carriers) or 150kg (with at least four roof carriers)." so you are well within the roof weight limit.

 

[Ciki62]

I have just noticed yours is a T6. The T6 has a greater load carrying capacity. According to VW "Roof load limit: 100kg (with two roof carriers) or 150kg (with at least four roof carriers)." so you are well within the roof weight limit.

But not on Cali. 150kg is for multivan transporter. t6 Cali is roof limit is 50kg


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[Kmann]

I have just noticed yours is a T6. The T6 has a greater load carrying capacity. According to VW "Roof load limit: 100kg (with two roof carriers) or 150kg (with at least four roof carriers)." so you are well within the roof weight limit.

Are you sure? I think the 50 kg limit is for the Beach/Coast and the 100 kg is for the Ocean …I was carrying the same load on out T5.

 

[Kmann]

But not on Cali. 150kg is for multivan transporter. t6 Cali is roof limit is 50kg

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Not according to the PDF Welshgas posted in this thread …
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/roof-loading.3307/#post-162435

 

[Ciki62]

http://www.volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.../renditions/rendition.file/der-california.pdf

 

[Kmann]

http://www.volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.../renditions/rendition.file/der-california.pdf

View attachment 15744

Well it says 50 Kg. But the other PDF says 100 - 150 kg … both for the T6

 

[Andy P]

All very confusing. The VW website says 100kg for a 2 roof bars and 150 for 4 roof bars. But the PDF defiantly states 50KG. I will keep my kit under 50kg, thanks fro the great posts.

 

[Seán Kerr]

I just spend 4 weeks around Europe with a Thule box packed with my kite gear. It was around 50 kg complete. The roof did not tend to come down, even after several days. And I did not empty or remove anything. Only thing that needed attention, was the actual position of the box and and bikes, so that we could open the tailgate with the bikes still on, and the roof up.

Btw. I have a telescopic aluminium latter in the underseat drawer, so that accessing the box is easy and no struggle at all.

View attachment 15732View attachment 15733View attachment 15734

Just found your post. Very helpful and great pics. I have a new T6 and have what looks like the same roof box as you. I also bought telescopic ladders, which can extend to 2.6m (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01K7JM2RW/?tag=eliteelect-21). Do you place the ladder on the awning side or the opposite side and do you protect it with a towel or similar at the contact point?

 

[Kmann]

Just found your post. Very helpful and great pics. I have a new T6 and have what looks like the same roof box as you. I also bought telescopic ladders, which can extend to 2.6m (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01K7JM2RW/?tag=eliteelect-21). Do you place the ladder on the awning side or the opposite side and do you protect it with a towel or similar at the contact point?

Good questions, because I am not 100% sorted yet.

Actually, I use the ladder on both sides, but prefer the awning side with the door open, then there is bettter room for my feet. My ladder is just 2 mtr. extended, so it can fit exactly in the under seat drawer when collapsed. The excess ladder when taller will only be in the way, when accessing the box. So it is just that it can reach the awning (or rail on the opposite side). But for me, it was crucial to get the ladder in the drawer with all my other camping equipment. It all works very well.

Regarding protection, that is where I am not sorted. I am now waiting for my 4th awning in just one year (!). The two first fell apart in the fabric (known weakness and a warranty exchange), the new one is finally procuced with thatin one piece, but the garage made a huge scratch on it, so now I am on the 4th. Which brings me to the answer:

The ladder makes marks. So my solution will be to put on protective adhesive foil (3M) on the awning and put some adhesive felt on the ladder. But I never came to it ;-)

 

[Seán Kerr]

Good questions, because I am not 100% sorted yet.

Actually, I use the ladder on both sides, but prefer the awning side with the door open, then there is bettter room for my feet. My ladder is just 2 mtr. extended, so it can fit exactly in the under seat drawer when collapsed. The excess ladder when taller will only be in the way, when accessing the box. So it is just that it can reach the awning (or rail on the opposite side). But for me, it was crucial to get the ladder in the drawer with all my other camping equipment. It all works very well.

Regarding protection, that is where I am not sorted. I am now waiting for my 4th awning in just one year (!). The two first fell apart in the fabric (known weakness and a warranty exchange), the new one is finally procuced with thatin one piece, but the garage made a huge scratch on it, so now I am on the 4th. Which brings me to the answer:

The ladder makes marks. So my solution will be to put on protective adhesive foil (3M) on the awning and put some adhesive felt on the ladder. But I never came to it ;-)

Where did you get the 2m ladder? I couldn’t find one. I haven’t even unpacked the 2.6m one yet. I assumed you could partially extend it so that the top wouldn’t stick up over the top of the van?!