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Open Roads Forum  >  Travel Trailers  >  General Q&A

 > Will a canoe on a car roof improve gas milage?

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NanciL

Bakersville, NC, USA

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Posted: 05/23/08 04:00am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

From some experience:
Six years ago I pulled our trailer from NC to Alaska and back with two kayaks on the roof, and I was averaging between 9 and 10 MPG.

In the past few years using the same truck and trailer but with the addition of a canoe between the two kayaks, heading to and from Florida, (which is much flatter) I only get between 8 and 9 MPg.

There are a lot of variables which can affect the mileage, and in my case a couple of possibilities are:
1. the truck was new then and possibly tuned better
2. On the AK trip the two kayaks were lying flat on saddles where now they are sideways on J cradles
But as you can see, the canoe sure isn't helping.

Your exact same question was asked on "Paddling.net" a few weeks ago, by someone that thought they got a bit better MPG with a canoe on their vehicle roof than without it on, (no trailer involved) and all the answers came back with a "no" or a few sarcastic answers like you got here.

Jack L


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shum02

Burlington, Ontario Canada

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Posted: 05/23/08 04:24am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Two years of a canoe on the roof of my F150 and it doesn't make a lick of difference good or bad. Same mileage. There is NO magic bullet.


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lotust

Long Island NY

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Posted: 05/23/08 05:44am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

biskit4camping wrote:

Yeah, lotust... This is a serious question... and a serious thread.

Please enlighten us unwashed masses.



Lighten up please as others have said allready.


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nowgrn4

Tampa,Fl.

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Posted: 05/23/08 06:58am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

biskit4camping,good question.Please revisit this thread and let us know what changes in mileage you find.

pmfinnegan2

S.E. Michigan

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Posted: 05/23/08 07:16am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Honestly I did get about a 1.5 mpg improvement with my canoe up on my roof while I was towing my previous TT. I have not tried with my current TT.


pmfinnegan2
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Essie2Go

Canada

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Posted: 05/23/08 08:20am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

We have a small aerodynamic trailer and find that our kevlar canoe does seem to make a difference in mileage. But unlike the earlier picture our canoe is almost at the height of the trailer.

joebloe

Rockford, Illinois

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Posted: 05/23/08 08:26am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

We used to mount a canoe on my last TV. It fit just right so that we could open the sunroof. The gale being forced over the roof of the car by the hollowed out boat seemed enough to rip your hand off. I don't know what kind of aerodynamic advantages the top of the canoe offer, but the bottom offer none at all unless you can fill in the canoe with an air bladder and hard seal it to the roof.

SpoiledRotten

Central Mississippi

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Posted: 05/23/08 08:41am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

A car in a conoe will yeild even better mileage.


Just the 3 of us...SpoiledRotten, TotallyRotten, and ALittleRotten
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JJBIRISH

Butler, PA, USA

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Posted: 05/23/08 09:52am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

if I got better mileage with a boat on the roof, and was certain that was the reason... I would weld it there so no one could move it...

the only mod with measurable change I have seen is to put a wood block under the gas pedal...


Love my mass produced, entry level, built by Lazy American Workers, Hornet


colochoclab

Arvada, Colorado

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Posted: 05/23/08 11:04am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

He! He!

Send this one to "Mythbusters"!

-Lab


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