surfski + roadtrip + hotel/motel question

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6 years 9 months ago #28888 by sandysan
I am about to embark on a multiday trip to retrieve my first surfski. This is a long drive, doable in one day as a youth, not so much anymore. It will be in a cover in my goodboy classics and let's face it a 21 foot boat strapped to the top of a SUV is far from inconspicuous. So the plan is to stop somewhere indeterminate along the way. People have suggested motels but a previous experience at one ( that I'd like to not revist) makes this unlikely. So what to do? Do you leave your boat on the roof in a strange city all night and hope for the best that it will still be there in the morning? Do you try to get a first floor room and if so, can you get a really long ski into the room? Do you hope that the conference room is not being used and slip the guy some cash to store it there overnight? Do you park right under the security cam an again slip the person at the desk a couple of bucks to keep an eye out?

If i'm stopping it's because I'm tired of driving but if I'm worried ( justified or not) about the boat I won't sleep which kind of kills the intent. Do people take naps at reststops?

So what do people in similar situations do? Bring a sleeping bag and find a sketchy motel?

Thanks

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6 years 9 months ago #28892 by LakeMan
I always made reservations at a hotel that had an outside room door and brought my kayaks right on in. If you don't they will not be there in the morning. Other options is to go to a rest stop and sleep in the car. Many of them now have night security. I also suggest adhering to the second amendment.
They sell kayak cable locks which would help but it would only slow down a seasoned thief.
So, out if curiosity, what craft are you picking up?

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill

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6 years 9 months ago #28893 by sandysan
It's a full carbon Nelo ocean ski, kind of old but rarely used (a dozen times or so by a paddler better than 99% of paddlers)

So when you travel on a long roadtrip, you know where you are going to stop in advance? I know most motels have outside access so I might have to bite the bullet ( and bring my own sleeping bag/ pillow and sheets). I looked at the legality of sleeping at rest stops which seems to vary by state.

I also looked to see if I knew anyone that lived along the way, alas no.

The market for surfskis where I am isn't glowing hot but they look like they must be worth something which could entice some naerdowellm

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6 years 9 months ago #28895 by Fath2o
Here in SO Cal I have friends and see others who store their water craft on the roofs of there vehicles full time. I often leave my ski on my roof for weeks at a time. 99% of people don't have a clue what it is. Seems like it would be quite a unlikely for a thief to steal and transport a big bulky item when they don't even know what it is. Then they have to try to indiscreetly sell it. I think it might be more likely they would just steal your car.
Be sure if you transport it with the stern forward to secure or remove the rudder to prevent damage.
Will it be covered by insurance?
Good luck and enjoy your new boat.
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6 years 9 months ago #28897 by sandysan
I know that the likelihood of some theif thinking " I can cash in on that red hot stolen surfski market" is pretty low but for all the wonderful things that surfskis are, inconspicuous during transport ain't one of them. Many of them are expensive, but in my non criminal mind they pretty much all look expensive to people who have no idea what they are.

As for transport I spoke to my insurance agent, it's covered. The problem is that I suspect that they have no idea as to it's value and if they paid me what I paid for it ( completely unlikely) It wouldn't be enough to get another. The reason I'm willing to do the traveling is because of the price I paid for it. As its travelling in a set of goodboy V's the remote chance of it getting stolen is more of a concern than the actual transport.

But it will be an experience. I think I found a place to stop and store the boat inside with me.

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6 years 9 months ago #28937 by sandysan
Well after going up boatless with the rack inside the car in one day I decided to try to make the trip back with the boat in one trip. I just got home ( approx 1000 miles) through a little rain, a lot of fog and stopping frequently to check the boat my one impression is that the goodboy bars are AMAZING! They were easy to assemble and the boat ( in a cover) didn't move at all after an extremely long journey at 65 mph.

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6 years 9 months ago #28938 by LakeMan
Glad to hear you made it. Although a thousand miles isn't that long it's a heck of a long way with a new ski on the roof. I drive only a short distance to water and I watch my boat the entire way.
Let us know what you think of your ski once you give it a good run.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill
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6 years 9 months ago #28939 by sandysan
I'm and old guy. In my youth I could jump in a car and just drive till I got there. I though those days were behind me but I made it both ways straight. The boat is out of its cover back on the racks and I'm getting ready to go now.

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6 years 9 months ago #28941 by LakeMan
Try a donut pillow. Might help in that area. :-)

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Winston Churchill

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6 years 9 months ago #28942 by sandysan
Old but perhaps not that old. It's the fatigue more than the aches one gets from driving in the same position for hours upon hours. It certainly helps to leave very early in the morning, driving the fist leg in the dark while one is uber alert is easy and when it starts to get dark again, it's pretty much time to pull over. I used to drive this way but getting the family into the car at 2am because I'm ready to go is a hard sell.

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