Hitch rack carrier for Wing Foil Boards

apctjb · Since 19 Aug 2007 432 Posts Obsessed

Anyone seen a good design for a hitch rack carrier for wing foil boards (think bike carrier for 2 wing boards).

Something for bringing the boards from the house, down to the beach on the back of my Tahoe. Mid size wing boards (80L & 95L) with foils on the boards.

Any ideas, photos, etc would be appreciated. Thinking of welding something up but not sure of the design yet.

ericvs · Since 05 Jul 2008 133 Posts Stoked

I have not seen one, but I can picture using a vertical bike rack style rack to hold the complete boards. Mast up top with wings sticking back and the board strapped to the lower cross bar.

Maybe something like this:
https://northshoreracks.com/racks/nsr-4-bike/

apctjb · Since 19 Aug 2007 432 Posts Obsessed

IWantToFly · Since 29 Jul 2019 151 Posts Stoked

Seems like it would be easy for a custom job. Simple so might not even be that expensive. Build a horizontal tray a little bigger than the bottom of your boards. (The hitch attachment would actually come under the tray, unlike my drawing.) Pad it well so the boards can sit on end - one on each side of the middle. Have a single vertical extension about as high as your board with extensions off each side. (These could even be threaded and holes in the vertical part could be threaded so you could adjust for the height of the board.) Have a bungy cord go from the outside of each piece to the middle to hold the boards. The boards sit in the tray with the foil extending backward.

ericvs · Since 05 Jul 2008 133 Posts Stoked

yeah! I like that. thinking about it more, what if the boards were carried side to side instead of front to back, so your mast and wings might be more protected and wouldn't stick out as far?

IWantToFly · Since 29 Jul 2019 151 Posts Stoked

apctjb · Since 19 Aug 2007 432 Posts Obsessed

A lower tray with the boards upright and foils pointing back seems like a workable design. The rendering was done to relative scale. 80L and 95L boards, 85cm mast.

I wonder if the upper cross beam could be attached to the rear window eliminating the need for a vertical post which gets in the way of opening the rear door.

hilton · Since 15 Aug 2008 798 Posts Opinionated

I would just start with a flat cargo tray carrier and put the boards flat on that.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JF53ZEE?linkCode=ogi&tag=caranddriver_auto-append-20&ascsubtag=[artid|10048.g.36817083[src|[ch|[lt|

The boards should be short enough they can go horizontal rather than vertical.

IWantToFly · Since 29 Jul 2019 151 Posts Stoked

apctjb · Since 19 Aug 2007 432 Posts Obsessed

IWantToFly · Since 29 Jul 2019 151 Posts Stoked

apctjb · Since 19 Aug 2007 432 Posts Obsessed

ericvs · Since 05 Jul 2008 133 Posts Stoked

If you had the masts at the top of the rack then you could potentially tilt the whole system out of the way to access the back door, so you could still get into the vehicle with the boards on the rack without having to remove the boards.

the bike rack allow rear hatch/door access even with bikes loaded

bigjohn · Since 13 Mar 2012 663 Posts Addicted

Rather than attaching the upper point to your window perhaps you could connect something more permanent to your metal trunk door.

Perhaps something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/Mtsooning-Handle-Stainless-Locker-Cabinet/dp/B07D9BDQG9/

A couple of those permanently mounted on both sides of your trunk door "might" allow you access to your back when you opened your trunk (assumes you could rig some sort of fixed point swivel on your trailer hitch)(or perhaps a quick disconnect where you could slide out your hitch).

Also, you might want to replace the screws with bolts and beef up the inside wall of your trunk door with some additional steel (or at least washers) such that you wouldn't run any risk of your foils coming off and flying through the air into the following vehicle(s).

IWantToFly · Since 29 Jul 2019 151 Posts Stoked

I was reminded of this thread a couple weeks ago in La Ventana. Obviously the boards in a hitch luggage rack works decently. The straps on the top are threaded in through the rear hatch. It looked pretty sturdy as it bounced on the beach.

ericvs · Since 05 Jul 2008 133 Posts Stoked

saw this setup at the ES yesterday and thought of this thread. This is exactly what I had in mind. I guess to make it extra trick, you could have the straps attach to the rack instead of back to a ladder or whatever, but this is the Lolo bike rack with foil board carrying capacity installed.