More on Pick-up transport

imported_Brad

New Member
Several of you on the forum have given me some great ideas about transporting my boat in the bed of my pick-up. However, I want to verify that I am carrying my SF in a way that won't damage it. What I would like to do is carry it right side up in my pick-up bed with a 2-3" strap under the mast hole and another one under the center of the cockpit (about 8' from the
bow). Should I be concerned that this leaves too much of the rear of the boat unsupported? And are these two points structurally strong enough? I'll be driving at highway speeds about 45 miles.
Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Brad
 
Brad,

I don't have a pickup. Sounds like you're supporting it in some sort of sling which I think is a bad idea because this would allow movement. How are you securing the bow? What stops the hull from sliding sideways as you round a corner? The hull needs to be held secure. I'd build some sort of bed that's made to accept the shape of the hulls underside. I'd also tie it down so it can't move upward should you hit a bump, which you will. Imagine hitting a bump at highway speeds as you're rounding a curve... The boat pops up and goes over the outside edge. Even if it doesn't go over the edge, I wouldn't want to be driving a vehicle, trying to maintain stability, with that sort of abrupt weight/enertia change. I'd give some more thought to a trailer. Will you always have help to remove the hull? I don't know where you sail, but if it were my new truck, I wouldn't want salt water dripping on it. Your idea sounds great if you're only going a few miles and never exceeding 30 mph.
 
Brad I would suggest using supports under the fish. We take 2 X 8's and scribe the hull profile where it will be located. Cut out and throw a layer of cheap carpet on it. We then just uses a couple of 2 X 4's to make a box out of the two supports. Easy to slide in and out of the bed. The support along the entire hull profile really keeps the interior blocks from spliting loose and the keel og a fish id the worst part to put any pressure on. There's nothing backing it up inside the hull.
 

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