SUP Rack help!

Bombdogmom · 02-11-2022, 10:03 AM

Hi! I hope this is the right place to post!
I have an E250 with a penthouse top. I added the aluminess ladder and pole with hooks for my paddle boards, however i want to mount 2 boards that are 34 in wide each. Not enough room to stay above the wheel well and thinking to go below it would just trash the board with rocks and debris…Wondering what others have done??? I dont want to go on the roof, it will be too heavy to lift the top ( manual version of penthouse)
Any creative options? Thanks for your help!
And yes Im fairly new here:

Steve C · 02-11-2022, 05:04 PM

I personally can't imagine that one paddle board (or two) would increase the resistance in lifting the top that much. My recommendation would be to put either one or both up there and just try to push the top up and see what kind of resistance you have. If it's too much you could always take a link of the chain up and try again. Aren't these boards in the 30-40lb range?

Bombdogmom · 02-11-2022, 07:53 PM

Its already fairly heavy with solar panels up there..for an old lady anyway

DosMars · 02-17-2022, 11:32 AM

My penthouse doesn't want to go up with a sup up top either. I can get it up with effort, but I don't trust it to stay up if the wind kicks up. I keep hearing about taking a link out of the chain for added tension. Can anyone show a pic of this? Do you have to ratchet the spring in to take in a link? isn't it under tension when the top is up?
Any detail on how to do this would be great.
Thanks for the thread!

Steve C · 02-17-2022, 11:51 AM

DosMars, here's a link to Larrie's video. It goes much deeper than just "taking a link out", but should certainly show how to take up slack in the chain.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...rby-28156.html

DosMars · 02-17-2022, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve C

DosMars, here's a link to Larrie's video. It goes much deeper than just "taking a link out", but should certainly show how to take up slack in the chain.

https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...rby-28156.html

Thanks Steve, I'll take a look at that video. I had a feeling it was a little more involved.

campIV · 02-17-2022, 12:09 PM

This doesn’t directly answer your question, especially since you’ve already bought the ladder racks, but I solved that problem by buying two inflatable sups. I carry them inside a large weather and dust resistant zippered bag on a hitch rack. I use an electric pump that takes around 8 minutes to inflate each board.
And like you said, with solar panels already mounted going on the roof isn’t really an option either weight wise or shading the panels wise.

DosMars · 02-17-2022, 12:31 PM

Thanks again for that link. Very straightforward and well-done video. Now that I've seen it done, I think this easily fits within my wheelhouse.
For anyone who's done this, what sort of results do you get from removing one link? Two links?

OlyEsteban · 02-17-2022, 12:54 PM

I have an E350 (Quigley 4x4) with a penthouse and the same aluminess setup. I regularly haul 2 paddleboards or a SUP and surfboard. In that case, one of the paddleboards or surfboard is below the wheel well. My fiberglass SUP has a soft case as does my surfboard. My other SUP rides cover out with the deck pad facing the van.

I spend a lot of time off pavement as well as approach drives on the freeways. I haven't found that the boards take any damage. Extended drives on dirt mean the cases get dusty.

My suggestion is get a CURVE or similar bag for the board, drop it below the wheel well and enjoy!