Surfboards + Roof Box + Factory Rack = Brainteaser

[Gnarwgn]

Hey team -

Hoping somebody out there is smarter than me when it comes to loading up the factory rack, and can put this puzzle together.
Trying to get ready for our annual camp/surf trip to Tofino (which if you've never been, add it to the list!).

Here are the puzzle pieces:

1. factory rack
2. yakima skybox 16 (i think the largest skybox, which isn't helping)
3. 3 surfboards

Simple right? Initially I was thinking that I should stack the surfboards, and lash them to the roofbox. Would look a little crazy, but 'work' in theory. My main worry is that this will create too much lift and put undue strain on my thin gauge aluminum factory rack (which at one point sported a sticker instructing me not to exceed 150 lbs...). And with my luck, at that height I'll probably hit a low hanging tree branch on a remote Canadian highway. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

My 2nd thought is to get Yakima extended bars (78" looks to be the longest available), and stack the boards flat on the bars, horizontal to the roof box. This eliminates the lift risk and height issue, assuming it all fits.

Anybody else have a better idea/strategy/time tested tradition?

 

[MechE30]

Unless you’re pretending SUP’s are surfboards, you should be able to fit the surfboards next to the rooftop box. Slide the box alllllll the way to one side, I’m thinking a normal ~24” board will fit. Layer on top of each other with padding in between. I wouldn’t put the boards on top of the box though, at least mine bounces all over the place.

 

[leucadiacruiser]

I was never able to make any use of the factory rack so I ended up going with the Rhino Rack Vortex cross bar kit for the 100 series. Three cross bars bolt into factory mounts. I use a Yakima Box (it's the skinny Carbonite one- can't remember the size), Yakima Skinny Warrior or board bags - whatever the trip requires. I am eyeing a pair of these Feldon Side Stackers to carry couple boards as well as the box and basket. They bolt onto the Vortex cross bars. Not cheap, but Baja washboards are brutal and you only lose a board bag once to make sure that never happens again. Hopefully we'll make it up to Tofino one of these years. Good luck!

 

[hoser]

80/20 to widen the crossbars on the rack.

 

[DiegoCrzr]

Yakima crossbars attached to factory rails can get a lot of gear up there.

 

[GerLC100]

80/20 to widen the crossbars on the rack.

This and to have stiffer crossbars, you could also use 1"x2" rectangular ones or so. Guess the side rails are good to go, but my stock cross bars were fairly flexible...

You could also add another bar for more stability.

 

[Live to Ski]

following w. interest.....

 

[Gnarwgn]

Ok here is where this landed, for the good of the order.

I could not fit both grandma's coffin (carbonite 21 box) and boards, just not enough real estate on the factory rack due to the width of the box. And with a fam of 5, the box is essential for trips. So here's the parts list that solved the issue (and just got back from trip #1, so road tested)! Overall happy with the outcome, and didn't light my wallet on fire too badly.

• 4 Yakima Timberline Towers (REI)
• 2 Yakima 70" Core Bars (marketplace)
• 4 Yakima Core Bar adapters (Yakima)
• 2 Dakine 34" rack pads (REI)
• 2 Dakine Baja Tie Down Straps (Amazon)

My final goal with the summer setup is to figure out how to squeeze in the Waterport Weekender 8 gallon tank for a surf shower.