Carrying a SIB on the car roof.

[Tarponhead]

What would be the best SIB that could go on the roof rack of my Skoda Superb Estate? I like the idea of inflating it before setting off and minimising the time to get afloat without the faff of parking a trailer securely. In theory the mx weight it can bear is 100kg, but sensibly 60 kg is about my limit even for a fit and strong 60 year old…

(Mod Edit: I've split this from your hello post and placed in the Inflatables section where you might receive even more replies.)

[Tarponhead]

Originally Posted by Tarponhead

What would be the best SIB that could go on the roof rack of my Skoda Superb Estate? I like the idea of inflating it before setting off and minimising the time to get afloat without the faff of parking a trailer securely. In theory the mx weight it can bear is 100kg, but sensibly 60 kg is about my limit even for a fit and strong 60 year old…

I should add that my intended use is for inshore coastal fishing, including trolling and at anchor plus some limited river use, just me solo.

[Fenlander]

One of our members used a trad LWB Land Rover to carry a 45kg 3.8m SIB. Apart from him car topping is not an option that finds any favour on here.

We tried with our 45kg 3.8m on top of a 5-series BMW estate and while it didn't look too bad once on even with two folks it was hard to get it on and off the roof without damaging the paint. Ideally we needed three folks.

There are of course roof rack systems to deal with this but they are a little compact and expensive.

If you were determined this was the way you want to carry the SIB then you do need to look at the air floor models so they are light, somewhere 50kg and under. Most of the alloy floor models will be over 60kg.

Having said that some folks who fish prefer the hard floor to stand on and minimise the risk of hook damage to an air floor.

We are happy keeping to carrying in the car loadspace and setting up each time as, like you, I don't want the bother of a trailer either at home or at our launch location. Some folks though use a bunked boat trailer and others put everything in a box trailer.

I guess for solo use you'd be looking around 3.5m and a 15hp motor would be sufficient, even a 10hp is OK solo.

[Tarponhead]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

One of our members used a trad LWB Land Rover to carry a 45kg 3.8m SIB. Apart from him car topping is not an option that finds any favour on here.

We tried with our 45kg 3.8m on top of a 5-series BMW estate and while it didn't look too bad once on even with two folks it was hard to get it on and off the roof without damaging the paint. Ideally we needed three folks.

There are of course roof rack systems to deal with this but they are a little compact and expensive.

If you were determined this was the way you want to carry the SIB then you do need to look at the air floor models so they are light, somewhere 50kg and under. Most of the alloy floor models will be over 60kg.

Having said that some folks who fish prefer the hard floor to stand on and minimise the risk of hook damage to an air floor.

We are happy keeping to carrying in the car loadspace and setting up each time as, like you, I don't want the bother of a trailer either at home or at our launch location. Some folks though use a bunked boat trailer and others put everything in a box trailer.

I guess for solo use you'd be looking around 3.5m and a 15hp motor would be sufficient, even a 10hp is OK solo.

It’s a great point and I’d be daft not to listen to experience. I have a 16’ plastic canoe that I can get on and off the roof - carefully but it’s too unwieldy to do it safely, hence my consideration of the SIB route. On my own I would take one end and swivel it around so it comes off the side of the car and get under it to lift it off and onto the ground. You can see what I mean…

Trailing a much shorter boat using a box trailer is a great idea. Zodiac cadet maybe or a catamaran to get the most from a 10-15 hp?

[Fenlander]

>>>16’ plastic canoe that I can get on and off the roof - carefully but it’s too unwieldy to do it safely

SIBs too are pretty unwieldy when lifted to head height. Much more lumpy and bulky than a canoe (we've experience of car topping a 16ft Canadian canoe). So I'd be wary of buying a SIB to fit this scenario and then after a few uses realising it wasn't the ideal way to carry.

The box trailer idea is to have it deflated and packed inside although I have seen someone put a mount on top of a box trailer to leave the SIB inflated on the top. But yes it needs to be a short SIB and almost touch the car to the point you can't open the tailgate.

Hopefully when rested after Sunday lunch some other members will be along with more ideas.

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Tarponhead

It’s a great point and I’d be daft not to listen to experience. I have a 16’ plastic canoe that I can get on and off the roof - carefully but it’s too unwieldy to do it safely, hence my consideration of the SIB route. On my own I would take one end and swivel it around so it comes off the side of the car and get under it to lift it off and onto the ground. You can see what I mean…

Trailing a much shorter boat using a box trailer is a great idea. Zodiac cadet maybe or a catamaran to get the most from a 10-15 hp?

As already mentioned, getting 50-60 kg SIB onto a roof, might sound easy on paper, but reality is a different ball game. The weight is distributed over an area of around 4x2m, so no matter where you get hold of it, the bulk of the weight & COG is somewhere else. I doubt very much that you'd manage it without damaging either boat/vehicle or person.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by Tarponhead

What would be the best SIB that could go on the roof rack of my Skoda Superb Estate? I like the idea of inflating it before setting off and minimising the time to get afloat without the faff of parking a trailer securely. In theory the mx weight it can bear is 100kg, but sensibly 60 kg is about my limit even for a fit and strong 60 year old…

Many years ago we used to do family caravan holidays to Cornwall from Durham. We used to car top a 3.8m rib for the holiday as the site we stayed at was straight onto the beach. We had a swb shogun & later a lwb shogun & two of us could load & unload reasonably easily, roof rack was home grown basically a sheet of ply with timber bunks to support the hull shape made long enough that the boat could be slid backwards off the roof then stood at the rear of the vehicle then laid down & onto a lightweight trolley. We used to vacuum the tubes flat for the long journey but did do the odd trip inflated but windage was much greater. A sib upside down on the right rack shouldnt be a problem for shorter journeys the rib sat upright but I'd imagine a sib would need to be inverted but should still be doable with the right rack

[Steve509926]

Hi and welcome,

I put my sib on top of my Navara for 12 months, I wasn't quite threatened with divorce proceedings but it wasn't far from it!

We now blow and go for day trips and use a trailer for longer holidays, so much easier.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f49/carava...ler-86495.html

[Blankton]

Hello and welcome.

I put my sib on the roof of my passat estate all the time by myself. I have a system and I think it is pretty easy to be honest.

I put the boat behind the boot of the car, about 2ft away, pointing away from the car, with the cones pointing at the car. Then I just lift it from the bow onto the cones and then let it "fall" backwards onto the roof rack. I use the anchor painter to steady the fall backwards onto the car. I have a boot footing the cones to control any sliding. I end up with the bow of the boat on the roof rack and the transom and cones on the ground. I then lift the transom and shimmy it forwards. It is pretty easy when you get the knack.

I've got a 3.4m aluminium deck sib, which is good for fishing and just narrow enough that it goes on the roof rack. Any wider would be difficult. I did have an air deck, which was even easier to get on the roof, but not so good for fishing.

Here are some fishing pictures from Cornwall.

Rock, camel estuary:


Port Gaverne

[beamishken]

[QUOTE=Blankton;879349]Hello and welcome.

I put my sib on the roof of my passat estate all the time by myself. I have a system and I think it is pretty easy to be honest.

I put the boat behind the boot of the car, about 2ft away, pointing away from the car, with the cones pointing at the car. Then I just lift it from the bow onto the cones and then let it "fall" backwards onto the roof rack. I use the anchor painter to steady the fall backwards onto the car. I have a boot footing the cones to control any sliding. I end up with the bow of the boat on the roof rack and the transom and cones on the ground. I then lift the transom and shimmy it forwards. It is pretty easy when you get the knack.

I've got a 3.4m aluminium deck sib, which is good for fishing and just narrow enough that it goes on the roof rack. Any wider would be difficult. I did have an air deck, which was even easier to get on the roof, but not so good for fishing.

This is kinda how we loaded the rib apart from the boat was the other way up, we used a carpeted plywood sheet onto the roof bars so the boat couldnt touch the car & scratch it & it overhang the back just enough so the boat could lean on the rack instead of the car during loading & unloading. Far easier than trying to lift the boat over the top of the car from either side. Quite easy once you perfect the technique even with a fairly heavy rib

[Fenlander]

Interesting to read the couple of replies above where it has worked for folks.

Our trial on the drive is in this thread and after a couple more attempts, one on a windy day and on my own, I decided for our specific SIB, car, roof bars combination it was more faff than carrying packed in the car.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/sib-ae...oof-75048.html

There its also this thread with more experiences.

https://www.rib.net/forum/f50/sib-on...oof-42774.html

[treerat]

I used to put the Yam 3.83 on the roof of the Insignia. I added a set of boards that ran front to back so it sat nicely.

[Nasher]

We carried our 3.8M Aerotec on the roof of our Discovery on many occasions.

Yes it's a bit of a pain to get it up there, but with a decent roof rack and standing it on end behind the car it was easy enough for me to lift the transom end and slide it forward on my own.

We now have another Aerotec to play with next year, and a newer discovery. I'm not expecting any trouble even though I'm a few years older.

.

[User name]

Getting an inflated SIB onto your roof is pretty easy. I transport mine on the roof deflated though. It's not as easy to get up there but it's a lot less draggy on the motorways.

If you do transport it inflated though, be conscious of the pressure it's inflated to. Too little and it might move around a bit. Too close to the limit and it might overpressure in the sun when strapped tightly, depending on how long your journey will be.

[spartacus]

Tarponhead - if you opt to carry the sib on the roof of your car, ensure it's secured with ratchet straps. You can use off-cuts of carpet to protect the tubes. Once you get a speed up, then it's going to create quite a wind resistance. Bungee cords or rope are no use. You also don't want local traffic cops to take an interest if you're hurtling down the motorway in the outside lane.

[Peter_C]

And IF you are going to use ratchet straps, make sure they are locking. If a ratchet with S hooks comes loose, they fall off much of the time. Rope with a tenshioning knot is more reliable in some ways vs S hooks of any kind, even if you can find a way to face them so they are less likely to release. I use locking ratchet straps from the transom to the trailer.

To save on exertion I would bring it in the car and blow up onsite. Just use a high volume leaf type blower before switching to a Bravo type pump or hand pump.

Time wise it might be pretty close not having to tie down and untie even.

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by treerat

I used to put the Yam 3.83 on the roof of the Insignia. I added a set of boards that ran front to back so it sat nicely.

I think adding a full length board or boards that overhangs the rear of roof is the key to success when car topping a rib/sib, trying to lift a sib over a car roof onto roof bars alone without scratching the roof would be pretty difficult but a sheet of ply fixed to the bars makes it quick & easy.

[jeffstevens763@g]

Side loading roof rack google it

[beamishken]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

Side loading roof rack google it

£40 for a sheet of ply or £500 for a rack I know what I'd be using

[jeffstevens763@g]

Suits you ok I’d rather load the boat with cordless drill than lift and tug but that’s me