Ford Focus Wagon as a canoe hauler? Distance needed between racks?

[cflcanoe]

Ok so we just went out and bought another vehicle today. A 2007 Ford Focus station wagon. Not a bad deal. But not a great one either. Ow well it has very low miles, recent break job, recent tires, maintenance records showing all the oil changes etc... and it was owed by by a little old lady. No she was not from Pasadena!!! ;-}

Any way to the meat of the problem. Car topping a canoe on this wagon. It has factory installed roof rails. Now if we use them with aftermarket bars it will allow for a 43 inch span for the canoe to rest on. Not so sure how that will work out. The canoes being hauled are 17 foot and 14 foot.

Now I have a couple of ideas. Put a hitch on the back and run a hitch mount rack up from the rear. A Thule 997 Goal post or Yakima dry dock type of thing. Then there is using a rack over the front door area and using the factory rack for the rear. Thus increasing the distance between the bars.

Going to use some nylon webbing under the hood on the fender bolts for a bow tie down point. Not sure exactly wear to tie the stern to the back of the wagon. The hitch might give a good place to tie to.

Any thoughts or ideas?

 

[Alan Gage]

I wouldn't like having a rear support coming off the trailer hitch since you couldn't open the back hatch with the canoe on the rack.

In my opinion the wider you can spread the bars the better so of the options you sited I'd go for Thule over the front door and factory in the rear.

I've got an '01 Focus hatchback that I picked up this summer and have been using it to haul boats. No factory rack and the Thule setup that was on it when I got it had a ridiculously small bar spread (slightly wider than the door itself). I removed the head liner, bolted galvanized angle iron to the roof front and back, and ran a 2x4 front to back on each side and cantilevered over the front of the roof so I've got nearly 8' of bar spread. I ran 3/4" black iron pipe across the 2x4's to support the boat. They're wide enough to carry one boat but I drilled holes in them so that I can bolt a 6' wide piece of iron pipe to them in case I need to haul two boats. It's worked out well and now that I know I'm happy with it I'll probably redo it a bit this winter to make it a little more permanent/beefy/long lasting.

On my minivan I'm severely restricted on bar spread too with my Thule setup (width of sliding door) so I used 3/4" pipe on that one as well to extend front and rear. I used full 10' pieces so probably more bar spread than you need. They don't provide a lot of up/down support (a little bouncy) but provide great racking resistance. But the combination of the Thule racks and extended 3/4" pipe makes for a rock solid ride, though it takes a couple extra straps so that you're tied to the front and back of the extended tubing and the Thule racks in the center. I threw that one together quickly one afternoon when I was leaving for Wisconsin and the USCA nationals carrying a 21' racing kayak with the expectation of also returning with a 18.5' C1. It was intended to be temporary but here it is 5 years later and it's still going strong and has carried boats all over the country and into Canada for me. Heavier tubing or shorter lengths would help firm things up.

Neither of those might work for you but don't be afraid to think outside the box.

If the Thule fit kits happen to be the same for my '01 Focus hatchback and your car let me know and I'll send them to you for the price of shipping.

Alan

 

[seuss]

I used to drive a 2002 Focus. It can be done.




I used a pair of Yakima Hullraiser carriers. Be sure to get the aerobar adapters and they'll mount right on the factory bars. I often carried the canoe seen here (14' 6") and a 17' rotomolded kayak at the same time. I didn't enjoy carrying them up there, but it worked.

 

[Philtrum]

The spread is OK. I prefer 4 feet, but I've found that 40-42 inches is fine, even with an 18-foot tandem. The problem you might encounter is that the rear is lower than the front, thus putting the windward end of the canoe higher and possibly catching a lot of air.

 

[ppine]

Any station wagon should work fine. We used to see 3 canoes on a VW beetle.

 

[Guest]

I have been praising my Focus wagon as a canoe hauler ever since I bought it. Yes I have a perfect rack solution. I have a yakama tower type rack at the front of the roof,and a yakama rack clamped to the factory rack at the rear. Nice long span,and pleanty of strength at the front where it's needed. Oak Orchard canoe in WNY helped me pick this system. I have hauled 1 or 2 canoes of many sizes thousands of miles getting great millage. Why did the dummies discontinue Focus wagons? You can even sleep inside.
Turtle

 

[cflcanoe]

Were/how are you tieing off on the rear of the Focus Station wagon turtle?

Going with a Tule bar in the front and a after market cross member in the back attached to the factory rack.

 

[Guest]

I installed eye bolts under the bumper corners. I think there were already holes. To be honest,hauling my usual 13-14' solos with so little overhang at the rear, I don't tie the rear-just the front to nylon straps bolted under the hood.. Sounds like you will have essentially the same set up as me. Love that long span!
Turtle

 

[Rocky Headlands]

It's an older car and you are obviously committed to paddling. Look at the Yakima side loader. It's like a 6" rain gutter you bolt to the top or side (2 versions) of your Focus. Place them as far back as you can and mount any rain gutter rack/bar combo you want. Ultimate security would come just through bolting a couple of two bys. Just make sure the bolts aren't directly above passenger or driver heads. Did that once to a pickup roof and should have worn a helmet on some roads