Super-sizing CPKayak's Hullivator

The infamous Cpkayak bought a beautiful X-Factor from us a few weeks back and he loved it...but it wouldn't fit in his Hullivator.  The X is wide and the Hullivator was designed for narrow little white water boats.  Having helped Cp load his boat, he really needs the Hullivator to be able to get his yaks up on his camper.

Unfortunately the yak cradles weren't long enough.  I disassembled the end of one of the cradles to see what we had to work with...thin imported steel...yeah my favorite!!!

 

I went to the metal shop and procured some thin 0.065 USA steel to extend the cradles.  I used a chop saw to cut for 8 inch extensions for the cradles. Unfortunately the fine craftsmen at Thule had collapsed the end of tubing installing rivets through the tubing and it was oval instead of round.  I used a press and massaged the tubing back into a circle.  It took a while to get it right, but it matched perfect!



I clamped the cradles and the extensions into a piece of angle iron as a jig...



As I anticipated, the stock tubing did not weld as well as I would have liked, but it came out structurally sound...



But it has to look good too.  A little time in the beauty shop and they were looking better...



A little carefully matched rattle can, a little reassembly and CP...."you've officially been pimped"



They are going to UPS manana.  Enjoy!

that was as good as monster garage!

excellent post!

We used to watch a LOT of Monster Garage back in the day.  Leah started frowning on M-G after I started modifying the kids toys...especially after Paige flipped her Power Wheels as it bolted out of control thru the swing set...sorry honey.  The kids still love the ultimate Barbie quad though!

super cool sean. i can,t wait to check them out.

VERY NICE!!!  You can open up a new biz.  Great White Muffler shop!!!

Stuart

Sweet!!!
Monster trailers, monster kayak carts, monster racks.... what's next,Sean????

Hopefully some monster fish! Vamos a baja amigos!

i received the cradles  thank you. your work is neat and clean, i will size them up when i get back.

very nice job on the racks i have 2 tell you its nice 2 know  iam not the only one 2 pull the kids toys apart 2 make them better or not  this does not make the  boss happy  i have my own Monster Garage going on with the trailer rebuild what was i thanking oh i know kayak fishing & camping  hay sean maybe you can give me some tips onthe rack system i want 2 build are maybe we can barter welding if you every decide 2 go solar in the near furture

Whatcha workin on?  Kinda hard to tell from the pics...monster tent trailer?