I know this has been done before..
Why do most people store boards flat in their van? I store mine on their edge.
Wouldn't that be more compact?
I'm going to get another van and want to fit it out so I can carry 4 /5 boards , 8 sails , 3 booms , 4 masts and associated stuff but still have room to sleep if I put one board on the roof?
Not sure I want to get a really large van. I have a compact VW Caddy which I love but my gear has out grown it..
Shortlist is a new Toyota Hiace or VW transporter.
Wonder if it's possible..
6 boards/8 sails and associated masts in mine, i could sleep in it with all of it in there but a bit cosy. Id generally take one of the bigger boards out to sleep.
some clever person needs to invent a retracting jayco expanda "van edition" type pull out system with a "god knows how" canvas seal .
Prop up the distal end with milk crates then you have your van floor space back for night time antics
the new hiace vans are 20cm wider & half a meter longer, petrol is only a 3.5 v6
so economy gose out the window but it has 300hp, fun in a manuel.
5 star crash ratting though.
8 boards, 9'6" SUP, 2 windfoil boards, 5 windsurf boards, 5 booms, 14 sails, 2 foils with room to change inside or bike. 2 SUP paddles.
ProMaster short.
I've hunted around some old threads and found a few good ideas.
1. Mast caddy.
2. Wet clothes drip rack and bucket
3. Wet sail storage half pipe.
4. PVC tubing rack instead of timber
Keep the good ideas coming!
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Van-interior-fitout
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Windsurfing-Van-3
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Seabreeze-layout-ginormous
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Storing-sails-in-your-van
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Mast-storage-in-the-Van
Nice job! ( I haven't read the others yet.)
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/Van-interior-fitout?page=1
I'd still like to know why everyone stores the boards flat and not in bags on their sides? I feel I save space that way but I'm not sure?
I like to keep wet boards in the bags until I get home and then leave them out to dry. That way the van doesn't get touched by wet boards.. the sails are up on a bed and have towels under them , likewise booms. All taken out to dry and the van aired.
Vertical storage
A lot of vans have those long rails inside the cargo area. are there any kind of adaptors that can be used for making vertical board racks?
Tracks similar to these...
www.cargogear.com/Shop_by_Category.aspx?page=all&cat=655
Maybe like these I guess, then bolt on whatever you need!
www.cargogear.com/OneItemInfo.aspx?partnum=COBOLTS
Petrol v's Diesel:
If the new van costs $3500 more for a diesel, that buys around 2690 litres of petrol at around $1.30/l
That is equal to 22.435km in the petrol version. this means that you will get at least 22.000 km of free km using your petrol van in comparison!
In the time you do 22,000 km in your petrol van you would still have to pay for fuel in your diesel. @ 8L / 100km you will use around 1760L of diesel. @ around $1.40/L this will cost around $2460. So now you are nearly $6000 worse off with the Diesel!
I guess it may take a lot of drivers between 1-2 years to do 22.000 km.
So if you do around 22,000Km a year you can save around $1000 a year in fuel cost. Therefore it will take at least another 6 years before you even break even on the difference in purchase cost, on the fuel saving. After that initial seven years and 154,000kms (it make take longer than 7 years if you do less KM/year), yes, you now actually save $1000 in fuel costs per year/22000km.
That's if you even still have that vehicle after it has done that 154.000km!
Bear in mind that Diesels typically cost a huge amount more to recondition or repair the engine when it gets to the end of it's life (worn out or broken). Balance that against the general longer life for many diesel engines, but it really all boils down to the fact that for most private, non commercial use owners, you may never get back the initial higher cost of buying a Diesel new.
And the pertol V6 version will go a lot quicker, quieter and smoother.
PS. I just realised that Toyota claim 8.2 and 8.4L/100 for their Diesels, so my figures are actually slightly optimistic.
New Toyota Petrol v's Diesel? No contest!