Surfboard or Paddleboard Roof Rack

Anyone have any recommendations for a surfboard rack? My GF and I are going down to NC in the summer for a vacation and want to bring a 7' surfboard and a 10.5' paddleboard. Paddleboard is pretty wide at ~3' so that may cause some issues. Going to take my '01XJ that is completely stock and still has the OEM roof racks on it.

I see there are quite a few options, but wondering if anyone has personal experiences, both good and bad, with certain manufacturers. It's going to be an 8 hour, 325 mile trip (one way) so I need something that isn't going to fly apart on the highway.

This is my rack with 2 16 foot canoes on it. The rack is available at marine stores (that's where I got this). It's a gutter mount, The crossbars are 1" cold rolled steel tubing with a 1/8" wall. The crossbars were only 48" when I got it, which was fine for 1 canoe, but I got new crossbars at metal supply shop and went to 70".

The canoes weigh about 90-100 lbs. each, 36" at the center (beam) and are secured with ratchet straps. The bars are 70" but the boats rest on the crossbars where the canoes are narrower.

I have driven this set-up regularly at freeway speeds without a single jiggle. Still tight after 300 miles of highway and 20 miles of bumpy gravel/dirt roads.

Thanks for the picture. I'm probably going to wind up doing something similar. Just learned that my GF's uncle wants to unload two kayaks that he inherited and has used maybe once or twice. I ordered up this after some research:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Inno-Kayak-Canoe-Locking-Rack/15729975?sourceid=1500000000000003260530

Looks like it'll do the trick for now and then I'm going to look into extending the rack like you did and adding a second set to haul both kayaks at once - or one kayak, one surfboard etc.

I've used various rack systems (tend to find them at yard sales and the like), and both Thule and Yakima work pretty well, but the pieces aren't compatible, and of course they're expensive.

There used to be a brand of gutter mount feet that you could buy that allowed you to make your own rack with a 2x4 or other wooden or metal crossbar. I think they still exist, but I forget the brand and can't find them readily on the web. I have a set somewhere deep in my barn, and I'll see tomorrow if I can find them. They were nice cast aluminum feet, not cheap, but not too bad, and very versatile. If I find them I'll get a picture.

One way to get a wide and very sturdy rack is to get an ordinary metal crossbar rack, and then attach a longer 2x4 to the top of the bar with U-bolts. I did this for years, in order to carry two full sized canoes on a Thule gutter mount rack. I just u-bolted plain 2x4's to the bars, and put eye bolts at each end of the 2x4 for tiedowns. At various times I carried a pair of 15 foot canoes on a Colt Vista, a Volvo 240 and a Cherokee, for thousands of miles without incident.

I am in the process of retiring what may well be my last gutter-equipped vehicle, so although I expect to keep all the rails and bike racks and the like that I have, I may be able to get rid of some other parts. I'm heading off for a trip for the next two weeks or so, but if you haven't found anything suitable by the time I return, and if you are interested in some old but sturdy Thule gutter mount feet, I can probably come up with something.

edit to add: I found a listing for the custom feet I was talking about: Quick-n-easy: http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=3200

I use the Yakima 1A towers and crossbars on the XJ's I also have the Yakima RailRiders custom fitted to the Commander's rack

Here are the 1A's on my first XJ

I have been happy with my Surco stuff. With a spare in the roof basket (dumb I know) it survived a rollover with only slight tweakage, the rest of that jeep went to the big metal yard in the sky. The rack ripped the factory nutcerts out of the roof, and turned the factory rails to sphagetti in the process.

Summit sold their stuff when I got mine. If you have any questions, call the manufacurer in Los angeles, they were super helpful when I called.

I am still running the original crossbars on drip rail mounts.

Matthew Currie said:

edit to add: I found a listing for the custom feet I was talking about: Quick-n-easy: http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=3200

Click to expand...

Those are the feet of the one I have (I couldn't remember the name) but the top part has bolt in eyes for 1" dia. crossbars.

I used to do the 2x4 route until I dropped a 2x4 on I-80 and the 2 cars behind me almost crashed.

:skull2:

Anyway, it's a great rack for heavy, oversized loads. I've used it for lumber, furniture, etc.

I think if you used the Quick-n-Easy feet with 2x4's you'd have to make sure they're pretty good quality, and make sure they're mounted in a way that won't split, because the feet only have a single bolt hole. It's one reason I never bothered to set mine up. But with a little reinforcement or other fittings, the feet are pretty versatile.

Hi friends i am here i just want to say you that racks aren't more than $60 you can get them on amazon or at a sports store the longboard might be a bit more expensive at around $800 to over $1000 when they are new if you are just starting out get a used board or a foam board foam boards are easier and both are cheaper anways good luck.......

7' is typically considered more of a fun shape than a longboard...

regardless, dont take either of those, including your girlfriend to buxton or S turns unless you seriously know how to ride them. the local boys will tear you apart if your in the way or trying to snake.

Kayaking at Lake Castaic by lw5315us, on Flickr

I have been carrying our kayaks for years on this rack. The oversized boats do toss the XJ around on windy days due to the large amount of sail area and the raised COG.

Search Craigslist or e-bay for a set of classic Aloha gutter mount racks. I pulled mine off my VW bus when I sold it. They look good on the XJ.