well darn it anyway

[PKCSPT]

Thought I found the perfect way to carry my canoe on my car, a rack that would hook into the hitch and with an adapter I could still tow my trailer. However it tuns out they are only for class 2 hitches and mine is a class 1. They don't make a 2 for my car not that I would upgrade anyway. I was already concerned about increasing my hitch weight with the canoe, a bigger hitch would be a bit heavier as well.

So, bummer. I guess a round car and a round camper may not be user friendly for a canoe Maybe weld one to my trailer frame up front and use the canoe pads to carry it on top of the tear? Hmmmmm

Guess for now I will clean my aquariums and think about it some more

[GuitarPhotog]

Can you not carry the canoe on a standard Yakima or Thule canoe rack on top of the Beetle?

That's what I did a couple of years ago when we wanted to take my friend's canoe to Lassen with the teardrop.

Just watch out for exceeding the total load rating on the car, that's what we did when we........

<Chas>

[citylights]

This is the one you want.

Cabelas-Canoe-Loader-and-Rack

Bargain buy, works wonderful. Adapter plate to mount to your hitch and still use the ball to tow.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Canoe-Loader-and-Rack/700655.uts?WT.tsrc=CRR&WT.mc_id=crrdtfd

[PKCSPT]

I don't want to use a roof mount since I have a sun/moon roof.

I am definitely going to look at the Cabelas one, we are getting a new Cabelas near here wonder if they will carry it in store?

[rowerwet]

make sure you have some good tie down points for the canoe to ride on the roof of the car, http://www.instructables.com/id/Car-tie ... -anything/

[Dean in Eureka, CA]

What about the Coleman :Canoe carrier foam type blocks that go on the sides, rest on top, and then have tie downs which go over it?? For years that is what was used to carry a Coleman marine canoe on top of a VW rabbit, Honda Accord, and then a Nissan. Leaves no marks, lightweight and small, blocks on and off in under a minute.

[jstrubberg]

Buy the one for the class 2 hitch. Take it to a machine shop, have them cut off the carrier tube at the bottom and weld in one to make it an extension for your class 1 hitch. Plug your regular tow bar in the back of the extension and take off.

[robfisher]

Here's an old idea.

[PKCSPT]

I don't have good tie down points on my car, especially up front which is one reason for the carrier type I am looking at. And the roof is quite round so the hitch point kinda gives me a longer place to rest the canoe. I have a couple ideas on how to tie down the front but till I get it up there and drive it I won't know if or which one will work. The front bumper is pretty flimsy and so far haven't seen a good way to thread a tie down through that to the frame or anything solid. VW actually has a place that tow drivers have to screw in through a hole in the bumper to pull it onto a flat bed (found that out one day) but it is on the side. I may have to use that or I may have to hav find a way of hooking cord to the front wheel wells to keep the front down.
I found a couple good suggestions from all of you that I will look into and see which might work better. I may just have to use the tear to carry it and a canoe dolly to get it from the campsite to the water when I want to use it.

[pchast]

A friend has installed strap loops to bolts under the hood.
When he loads a kayak he opens the hood and pulls the
straps out from under, then closes it back up.

[Shadow Catcher]

Yakima makes a rack that will fit your VW http://www.yakima.com/fit/baseracks I have used them in the past on cars that did not have a rack in some cases with long bars carrying two canoes including our 18'4" Mad River. You do want two ropes fore and aft.

[PKCSPT]

Thanks everyone,,,,, sooo much better than google

[rowerwet]

the link I gave will cost you nothing but time, it is strong enough to lift the front of my van with