Nice car and kite equipment

[ryansurf1]

How does your kite gear coexist in your clean car?

Two weeks ago a lady turned in front of me and killed my truck

Tomorrow no more bed, but only a trunk w/split fold down seats to put the occasional wave board. I guess i was spoiled always carrying several kites, boards and equipment in a bed with a hard lid. I already verified that i can carry enough kites / boards and accessories.

The issue is i don't want the new car smell to replaced with salt water stench in three days. I was never concerned with wet shorts, harness, towel, bar (occasional kite). Now i am trying to determine how best to accommodate them.

I am too lazy to load and unload all my shit every time i think there might be wind. In addition there is not direct access to a shower at my main launches. I had several ideas and welcome any thoughts. I don't think there is any good solution to Air / water tight the trunk with split seats, although i did consider Line X spray the trunk.

A more practical approach I was thinking of some combination of containment. Wet shorts, harness, rashy, wetsuit, bar in a water / airtight box. Large Vaccum pack type bags for kites, which i have used for travel. Some type of water tight socks/bags for boards. Driver seat cover.

What have you found that works or doesn't? I will quickly destroy this car if i don't address it early.

[TommyDuotone]

Try the rubbermaid containers the sell at Wallmart. They're rectangular with a locking lid and come in many sizes. You can also change out of your wetsuit while you are stepping in the container(keep sand out). Mine stores my harness, wetsuit, bar, booties, camel pack, ect.. Real easy to rinse out everthing when your done just by filling it up halfway.

[kiteingcolin1]

. I had several ideas and welcome any thoughts. I don't think there is any good solution to Air / water tight the trunk with split seats, although i did consider Line X spray the trunk.

A more practical approach I was thinking of some combination of containment. Wet shorts, harness, rashy, wetsuit, bar in a water / airtight box. Large Vaccum pack type bags for kites, which i have used for travel. Some type of water tight socks/bags for boards. Driver seat cover.

What have you found that works or doesn't? I will quickly destroy this car if i don't address it early.

har! get real! the car is doomed, throw a bucket of sand in over the seats and dashboard, get it over with quickly, bit like tearing off a band aid slowly if you don't,

[OzBungy]

Subaru Outback (I have a 2000 model. I check all the new models when they come out but I think mine is better than the new ones.)

Plastic tub for wetsuit, harness, pump, lines etc in the back up against the back of the seat.
Two kites can stack up on the other side against the seat.
Two TT across the back. My lightwind board is 135x47cm. I can fit up to 140cm and I could stack up three boards if I wanted.
Towels and one more kite on top of the boards.
5 litre water container filled with hot water and wrapped in a towel. Stays hot for up to 12 hours for washing off after a winter kite.
Chamois cloth for cleaning sand and mud and crap off the kites and for drying the boards.
Broken end off a little hand broom for brushing off heaps of sand at launches where there's no grass to back up on.
Black tinted windows so you can't see inside.
Pull the luggage curtain over and it's all hidden and invisible.
Surfboard in a black cover sitting on the back seat. It tucks in very neatly on the diagonal and the black cover makes it invisible through the tinted windows.
Good sense of balance to be able to change in and out of a wetsuit without dragging it in the sand.
It all slots together neatly and so as long as you keep it neat it's not a problem to deal with.

Put in a little effort to minimise sand on stuff when packing and unpacking.

Use the hot water to wash sand off stuff and to warm up after a session.

[Mikael]

Ideal solution is to get a cargo box and a roof rack. I put all my wet wetsuits, harness, pump and kiteboard/surfboard in it. I keep my kites in the trunk.

Other trick is to a get a big travel bag and put it in the back of your car. I have a big dakine bag that can fit most of my gear. So when I toss the wet/sandy gear in my car, it's contained in that bag (which is waterproofed) so it doesn't damage the car.
Get a plastic cargo mat for your trunk or go buy a piece of industrial carpet (find a color that matches your interior) and cut it to fit perfectly your trunk and the folded back seats. This way, it's easy to remove and clean, shake the sand off, dry or vacuum.

[alexeyga]

Clean car and kitesurfing or wavesufing? That's a dreamland...

Get another used truck instead and use the remaining cash to get some new gear...

[sw67]

I have never been able to keep a car clean - sand seems to stick to auto carpeting and you can never get it hoovered out. Tried all the tricks inc plastic boxes and getting changed outside even in winter.

I have used a van now for a few years and brush it out now and then

[Kamikuza]

Refuse to buy a new car or bikes (and don't like buying new kites) cos they just get messed up and I can't be bothered with the stress. The only thing I worry about is getting the seats wet, cos in this heat they'll go moldy like overnight!

... I really must vacuum out the mountains of sand in my car ...

[Laughingman]

Come on now peeps, don't be so lazy. You've heard of a shop vac right?
I drive a Mitsubishi Eclipse, I can comfortably fit 3 kites (15m, 12m, 8m) 2 boards 154cm and 140cm, 2 harnesses, pump, full wet suit, shorty, repair box, etc... and my travel bag for staying at the cottage for 3 days.
Sure there is a bit of sand from time to time but the great thing about sand is that it can be vacuumed out! Might take a few passes with a good shop vac but it still comes up.
My car is usually clean enough to even have someone ride with me and not be embarrassed by it.

Sincerely

Pete

[boardingbob]

I bought some inexpensive plastic solid colored shower curtains that happen to match the interior of my car. I lay one down first then all my stuff. The other one goes over everything to protect from UV and keep wet from dry. They actually make a decent beach blanket to change on as well. Never thought that I would use the built in magnets but they came in handy when they stuck to the car and made a sun shade to keep my car from geting baked one day.