Kayaks are necessary for fun and adventure trips; however, the main challenge is ferrying them to the lake or the river. Transporting them can be a challenge, especially when you do not have the perfect car like a pick-up truck to carry them. If your car does not have a roof rack, you need to get creative and create your rack using various affordable materials.
Building a kayak rack is easy, and you can accomplish it at home without any help. The process saves you the burden of buying a car roof rack. Here is a guideline for building a reusable and temporary PVC kayak rack for your car.
Getting The Materials
PVC pipes are perfect for kayak roof racks due to their durability and resistance to breakage under pressure. They provide reliable support for kayaks without bending or cracking. PVC pipes are essential for this project as they have openings to pass ropes for secure strapping to the car roof. Additionally, they can be joined together to create vertical extensions for safely holding kayaks on the roof. Use PVC joints to connect the pipes on the roof and create vertical roof extensions. These roof rack accessories ensure a sturdy and effective kayak roof rack setup.
Measuring The PVC Pipes
While getting the PVC pipes, measure the car roof, especially the width, to ensure you get the right length of the pipes. The size of the pipes will vary due to the car size; a PVC roof rack suitable for an SUV may not be appropriate for a sedan. Ensure you cut the pipes according to the length of your car roof. The kayak roof rack should not overlap the car roof, making it look conspicuous and susceptible to winds. The size of the rack you build should also depend on the number of kayaks you own.
Create Holes For Tying The Kayaks
You should bore various holes in the PVC pipes. These holes will anchor the hooks that you will use to anchor the ropes or straps holding the kayaks on the rack. You need to create holes at certain levels and ensure you do not make any of them to an extent you compromise the pipe’s integrity.
Assemble The Pipes On The Ground
Before you put the pipes and assemble them on the car roof, you need to cut them in the appropriate and necessary size. Then you can assemble them on the ground before you strap them to the car roof. While assembling them on the ground, you need to determine the right position for the pipes. You need to ensure the joints won’t affect the strap’s passage through the pipes. Ensure the vertical poles are firm enough to hold the kayaks in position.
Assembling it on the ground also shows how other items will fit onto the roof alongside the kayaks. Remember to create a center pole that will be significant for holding the kayaks into position. After assembling them on the ground, you can try strapping the kayaks to see how they will appear and look alike on the car roof. After testing everything and confirming it’s all good, you can disassemble the structure.
Remember the position of every pipe and joint so that you assemble it the same way on the car roof. Ensure you use a three-holed joint to have three points to join the pipes. One hole will be essential for joining the vertical pole, while the other two will be suitable for the pipes running on the roof’s length.
Assemble On The Car Roof
Start by laying the base pipes on the roof. Then pass a rope or strap through the pipes to secure them to the car roof to ensure they do not slide. Use the PVC glue to join the width and length pipes and give them time to stick together before you assemble the following pipes.
Next, you need to join the vertical pipes and secure them using PVC glue. Join three vertical pipes on both sides at the end of the PVC roof rack. You can proceed to test the kayaks on the roof, tie them on the rack and drive around to figure out any adjustments.
While building the kayak roof rack, you need to ensure it is at the center of the car’s roof to ensure safety while driving. Secure it in a way that it does not overlap with any side. It should not overlap too much at the front or the back of the roof. You need to ensure the roof rack does not have pointy edges that can scratch the paint off the car roof. If you notice any, you can smoothen them using a file and then oil the area.
After your trip, you can untie the straps and then store the kayak roof rack in the garage for future use. Whenever you need to use it again in the future, just lay the stricture on the car roof, then strap it with ropes or straps to secure it.
Conclusion
Creating a DIY PVC kayak rack is not a complex process if you follow the necessary guidelines and have the suitable materials. Consider the car size and the number of kayaks when creating the perfect rack. Ensure you use the suitable anchors to safely tie the rack on the roof so that it does not move around while driving.