Adventure Jones Blog - Archive for

Stash your board on the roof with a snowboard rack.

If you’ve got a car full of people ready to hit the slopes, you know what it’s like trying to fit everyone’s skis and snowboards in the trunk or between seats. You can make things a lot more comfortable with a rooftop carrier or hitch mounted carrier. Keep your skis and snowboards secure and out of the way on the roof or back of your vehicle.

Roof Mounted Ski and Snowboard Racks

Rooftop ski and snowboard racks require a roof rack base for mounting. If you have a naked roof, you can purchase a roof rack system from Thule, Yakima, or another brand. Rack systems are also available for vehicles with factory rack systems already in place.

The best part about choosing a rooftop ski and snowboard rack is that you can use the roof rack base for carrying bikes, kayaks, canoes, surfboards, and other gear during the spring, fall, and summer months. The roof rack system holds any type of carrier, which is a bonus if you’re a multi-sport fan.

Cargo Boxes

Besides ski and snowboard racks, you can also use a cargo box to transport your gear. The advantage is extra protection from the elements. Plus, you can stash your boots, bags, and other gear inside the box for more leg room in the vehicle. Make sure the cargo box is long enough to fit your ski length and large enough to fit all of your gear.

Hitch Mounted Ski and Snowboard Racks

Another option is to purchase a hitch mounted ski and snowboard carrier. With a hitch mount, there’s no need to purchase a roof rack system. Installation is quicker, and the skis and snowboards are easier to access, since they are at a lower level. The downside is that it limits access to the rear cargo area, although some racks fold out of the way when unloaded to allow rear access.

Water Tubing on a Deck Tube

It was one of the last good tubing days for northern Minnesota—right before a cold front would blow in and force us to dig out the long underwear and stocking caps for the rest of our vacation. We wanted to enjoy the water while it was still tolerably warm, so my family and I packed up the boat, threw on our swimsuits, and headed for Birch Lake in downtown Hackensack.

Only three of us were up for tubing, so the rest of the family sat out by the dock to watch from shore. My mom was the bravest of the bunch. She’d never been tubing before, but she was adventurous enough to give it a shot, even against the advice of her chiropractor.

My brother-in-law went first. He dove off the swim platform and came up howling from the shock of cold water. In a few minutes, he was used to the temperature and ready to ride. He grabbed hold of the two-person deck tube and muscled into place. The driver took it easy the first time around. Then it was mom’s turn. After watching my brother-in-law’s reaction to jumping in the water, she chose to climb from the boat directly onto the tube, telling the driver several times to “take it slow.” The boat took off for a gentle ride. Mom was smiling. After shouting back and forth to see how she was doing, the driver accelerated without warning, and I watched with panic as my mom clutched the handles with a death grip. The smile was gone, and I couldn’t tell if she was enjoying herself anymore or if she was just hanging on for dear life. After a few minutes, she gave the signal for the driver to stop, and we pulled the rope in to the boat. She was a little shaky but still in good spirits, declaring that it was “fun, but I wouldn’t want to go any faster.”

Next it was my turn. Knowing my brother-in-law who was driving, I was a little nervous about what kind of ride he was going to give me, but it started out pretty tame. I couldn’t even get outside the wake. After a few minutes I was getting bored, so I stuck my thumb up four or five times to tell him to pick it up, and that’s when the real fun began. My brother-in-law did everything he could to get me off that tube, and I did everything I could to keep him from dumping me. Several times the tube would flip halfway and I’d somehow come out on top again, with the spotters in the boat yelling, “She’s still on!” I made it without getting dumped my first time around, but my second ride got even wilder and dumped me outside the wake after hanging on for a few precious seconds with the deck tube flipped most of the way out of the water.

It’s hard to call it quits when your adrenaline is pumping, but we finally decided enough was enough. We’d be feeling sore for the next week as it was. We headed back to the boat launch, reluctant to leave but promising to give it another go next year. Even my mom said she’d be up for tubing again.

"I've never had a towable that was so much fun." - Mike Richy

“I had a Super Mable for two seasons and let it go with my boat when I sold it. I’ve never had a towable that was so much fun. The fact that three people could ride at once was a gas saver! Taking one or two at a time in a tube keeps your gas tank empty and makes for a long day at the lake. This also keeps the kids (and adults) entertained when using as a swim platform; it’s like having a couch on the lake! The only down side is that is rather heavy, especially when it is wet and your trying to pull it into the boat after a long day, your probably better off towing it in to shore.

I just purchased the 4 person model (Great Big Mable) for my new boat and expect to receive it by this weekend. I’m assuming this one will be really heavy once it’s wet but being able to place 4 screaming kids (or adults) 60′ behind you will be worth the effort. Everyone loves this thing! Highly recommend.”
- Mark J. Tichy

“We just bought our first boat a month ago and I decided to splurge on a nice towable for the kids. I read the 5 star reviews on Amazon for the Super Mable (SM) then also watched some videos of the SM in action on the [...] website. All of that convinced me to buy it and so far after 2 long uses the SM has exceeded my expectations and the kids absolutely LOVE her.

Last weekend my daughter and 3 of her friends rode SM for over 4 hours and could not get enough. We started out with only 3 of them on it but they asked if we could try pulling them all and it pulled just fine. I do have a heavy duty 4-person tow rope and I would not recommending towing SM without one.

SM also makes a great floating island between the times when it is being towed. The kids love to jump off it and flip it or just lay on it and hang out. It is like having a boat annex which is nice because at 19 feet our boat is not a yacht.

Caveats:
SM is HEAVY when wet. It tends to collect water, not in the bladder but under the nylon cover, and it is a bit challenging to empty. Even when complete empty of water it still weighs probably 40 lbs dry and even more wet.

SM takes a pretty long time to dry. I generally blow it back up at home and leave it outdoors in the shade for the several hours it takes to dry off.

SM takes up a good bit of space in the boat when deflated and especially when inflated. […] As other reviewers have said, I would be careful removing the air plug to the bladder as it is sometimes tough to open and you could conceivably rip the bladder if you pulled too hard on it.”
- Robert Sweeney

“We’ve had this towable for two years. Versatile, great for young and old. It can submarine if the rider(s) don’t lean back when first starting, but is not an issue. Very stable when going forwards; for a much more exciting ride, use the reverse strap and stand up! We’ve caught some air going over the wake in this position, and have seen some rather spectacular tumbles as you can flip it over if you go too fast. Kids and teens love this tube, more so than the round doughnut-shaped one we have. We’ve used it as a floating couch when having lunch on the water, too. One caution: be careful when pulling out the plug to deflate (wiggle it out, don’t pull it out), as we had to order a replacement bladder when the plug ripped. Overall, a fantastic ride!”
- h2ofreeze

Aero bars are made from aluminum, with a sleek and aerodynamic design.

One of the main differences between the two major roof rack brands, Yakima and Thule, is the shape of their load bars. Yakima offers round bars, while Thule offers a choice between square or Aero bars.

Yakima Round Bars

The advantage of Yakima’s round bars is the ability to easily rotate accessories. When not in use, you can lay your bike rack, boat cradles, and other accessories down flat for better aerodynamics and clearance. No need to remove the rack accessories in order to clear the garage door or parking ramp.

Thule Square Bars

Thule offers two different types of load bars: square and Aero. Square bars secure the load in place and keep your accessories from rotating accidentally. There’s peace of mind that comes from knowing that the square bars prevent rotation while you’re driving down the road. Square bars fit almost any carriers—both Thule and other name brands. The carriers mount to the bars using clamps.

Thule Aero Bars

Thule’s Aero bars are designed with a T-track slot to slide accessories into the track and automatically secure them in place. Not all carriers are compatible with Aero bars. An adapter may be required to mount some carriers to an Aero roof rack, especially for older model accessories. Aero bars are made with aluminum. Square bars are made with steel and coated with polyethylene.

Compatibility

Since most of the carriers and gear mounts made by Thule, Yakima, and other brands are now designed to fit either square or round crossbars, you can use a Yakima bike rack on a Thule roof rack or vice versa. Gone are the days when you had to stick with one brand or the other. So if you like the look of round bars over square, or Aero bars over round, rest assured that most carriers will be compatible with your roof rack.