Child lock.


The crew is me. Perhaps a second person, but fortunately, as a sculler, I have no friends.


Yeah, I saw that too, I just feel like the size and wind load of my boat is a little different than the roof box, so I wanted to see if anyone had experience with the suction cup solutions they could share how effective they really are.

Those were what I was eyeing. What is the biggest load (perhaps aerodynamic load) you've put on them? What cars, ever tried it on the glass roofed Tesla?

Yes, wind load on the suction cups is definitely my concern. I doubt it's technically legal, but many people do it fairly frequently. And I never cartop my boat to Oklahoma, if I have to go that far I'm putting it on a trailer that someone else is going to drive, so we're OK there.

I do not have any experience with Tesla nor with Sea Sucker mounts (although both seem to be fine, well designed products). But since this is the internet and my day job was an engineer), I feel compelled to share my relatively worthless opinion.
Based on the surface area of the Sea Sucker mounts and their solid construction they may well be up to the task. However.....
There was a thread some time ago on a bicycle forum I frequent which discussed one Tesla 3 owners experience with cracked rear glass using a SeaSucker mount to carry a single bicycle. There is a lot of non-sense in the thread but the event raises concerns.
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycl ... glass.html
It not clear to me how much of the Model X roof is not glass but even these other areas of the roof may be of concern based on the recent recall for older Model X cars for “roof panel detachment”. NHTSA campaign number: 20V710. Tesla’s own number for this recall is SB-20-12-005. While I’m sure this issue has been addressed on new vehicles it certainly suggests that, while the design (when property bonded) is adequate for the intended air loads, it may not be sufficiently robust to support the larger multidirectional loads that would be imposed by the roof mounted shells. Loads that were not anticipated or considered by the Tesla designers.
We all know from experience that there are margins built into most things that may allow us to use them beyond their intended limits, but as aviators we try and use our superior skills (and judgement) to avoid routine beyond limit operations.

I have no idea of the nuances of roof racks sitting on Tesla roofs and I know that roof mounted bike racks typically carry otherwise unsupported bikes but...

I’ve car topped boats for a loooonnnngggg time and if you’re putting a long load up there, you better be using the rack to support it and have tie downs forward and aft to the bumpers/tow eyes to keep the load aligned and stable. Don’t want to launch it off the roof because you had to brake for something.

So really the suction cups support and resist sliding but shouldn’t have to be relied on not to get ripped off the roof.

It seems like you need some thing with a little more utility!!!
https://www.gmc.com/electric-truck/hummer-ev

I would weld up a loading roller and tie down for the rear that comes up from the trailer hitch. Then use some suction cup mounts for the roof section. Finally in the front fabricate a tie down that screws into the front tow hook mounting point and provides a mechanical connection in the front. All pretty easy to do and you're not relying on just suction cups to hold the boat.

Probably just get an F150 and move on.

I like the out of the box idea! But looks like I couldn’t get one for a while...

I’ve thought about that, I do have a hitch T rack. Like this:

Tbar rack

I will probably end up with something like this, just searching for the optimum convenience...

I’ve thought about that, I do have a hitch T rack. Like this:

Tbar rack

I will probably end up with something like this, just searching for the optimum convenience...

These boats are 27’ long, 11” wide, and weigh about 28 lbs all in. There is no bow eye! Ratchet straps are way too much force...

These boats are 27’ long, 11” wide, and weigh about 28 lbs all in. There is no bow eye! Ratchet straps are way too much force...

Yes, all carbon components. Recently even the riggers have become carbon, until recently those materials were usually too easy to damage via impact and were impractical for riggers, but they have become much tougher.

Here is one example. here’s another.

If that is a "he" standing next to that Tesla then I may need to contemplate turning over a new leaf