I have begun noticing electricians and plumbers with a 6" PVC pipe with end caps on their roof racks. I ran into a guy tonight at dinner and found out it is called a conduit carrier.

You buy the cast aluminum end pieces, put it on your own pipe, and then attach it with U-bolt (or similar) to your roof rack. Most are even lockable. I would put foam in the ends to protect the rods and put the rods in their cloth bags.

It looks like a great idea for use as a rod rack esp. for longer rods. Has anyone ever used one of these for carrying fishing rods and, if so, what was your experience?

Here is a link : [www.tailgater.net] Look near the bottom of the page.

Thanks

-John

I've built several 4" pvc tubes for carrying 4 piece rods on planes/jets and have often thought about building one for my car like the ones you posted and using it instead of the suction cup contraptions that are around for sale. I like the lockable option. I'm sure someone could rig up a locking device that could be adapted to fit off the shelf pvc fittings, some kind of bike lock or such (those metal end caps look $$). The tubes I've made work real well as either carry on or check in luggage on flights. They hold three rods in their bags and a length of pipe insulation snugs everything into place and keeps the rods from jostling around inside the tube.

Tight LInes,

Tim

Tim,

I'm glad you mentioned the pipe insulation. I was trying to figure a way to make sure the rods were protected. I had thought about foam in both ends and putting them in bags. In addition to that, the pipe insulation sounds like a great addition.

What I like about using some like the conduit carrier is that it lessens the likelihood of a rod getting broken in my SUV or hurting someone if I have to stop suddenly.

-John

Put the rods in separate bags for extra protection. Inside the bag, you can also wrap the rod in a plastic bag such as those most blanks are delivered in from the manufacturers. Stuff some newspapers in with the rods to minimize movement inside the tube, too.

Uncle Russ

I used one for about two seasons for my two peice float rod (13'). It made more room in the Rover until I got rid of it for something that gets way better gas milage. I glued a end cap to the bottom made a cut out for the centrepin and then used two springs connected to eye screws that held the top end cap in place. It worked out great. Made trips to MI and NY w/o loosing a rod. I didn't use ubolts to hold the tube in place I used the extra large and thick zip ties and they work just fine.

Randy