Rooftop "Rear Boat Loader"?

B

Bryan

Smolt
I've seen them in Canada multiple times, but rarely in the U.S.

Anyone have any experience with a motorized auto loading Rear Boat Loader as shown in these pictures?

Note: These are made by two different companies in British Columbia.

There was a company in Portland that made these, but I think the owner may have retired.

Thanks.

Cheers,

Bryan

Screen Shot 2023-01-22 at 11.00.34 AM.pngScreen Shot 2023-01-22 at 10.37.52 AM.png
 
Yep, that's the company in Clackamas. I've not checked recently, but last time I did about a year or so ago, they didn't respond to phone calls or e-mails. Someone told me the owner/founder had retired, but that may be totally wrong.

Cheers,

Bryan
 
Last night I was cruising Craigslist looking for the perfect one-old-man boat and saw that there is an electric boat loader listed in Shelton for $1200. It was on the Seattle list. Search “boat loader.”. Now you know what I know. I don't know squat about the product or seller, or even where Shelton is. I'm in Orygun.
 
If you go looking for a used one, I've noticed that the newer models of these are a lot quieter than the earlier varieties. At least the ones we see in BC.
 
I've been using the EIDE loader for 2.5 years. It works very well once you get it dialed in. A friend who's very mechanically inclined helped me install mine, then he went out and sourced his own parts and assembled one for himself for about half the cost. Send me a PM if you want a PDF of the installation instructions.
 
I have some good experience here. I have one...the same one in Bryans first pic. I go to BC a lot to fish and saw them often up there. I researched places in the US to get it and Eide came up; this was about 5 years ago. I ordered one from them and had to do the install myself. A major pain. And it was a simple motor that used an electric screw driver to drive it. It basically sucked for my nearly 200 lb Koffler Pram. It was way under powered and I couldn't get it mounted properly on my truck. I sent numerous pics to the Eide owner and he tried to help, but I was overall really disappointed. So, the next time in BC I talked with some dudes and they said. "4 Boys. You can get it installed at 'Cap It'." This is there website: https://www.loadmyboat.com/ So I hauled my boat up to BC in Abbotsford and had 'Cap It' install it. It has been fantastic ever since. Power is wired to the truck battery and a key fob drives it remotely. I can load my boat myself. There is a place in Bellevue that carries the same model, and will install it, but after talking to them on the phone, I didn't feel like they were very experienced, so I decided it as worth driving to BC to get it done by the 'experts'. It is super beefy. And I have had it transferred to 2 different trucks (Tacomas) over the years. It uses nylon ropes to load your boat and it is important to get the ropes cut properly per the length/weight of your boat.
 
Bryan said:
I've seen them in Canada multiple times, but rarely in the U.S.

Anyone have any experience with a motorized auto loading Rear Boat Loader as shown in these pictures?

Note: These are made by two different companies in British Columbia.

There was a company in Portland that made these, but I think the owner may have retired.

Thanks.

Cheers,

Bryan

View attachment 50899View attachment 50900
Click to expand...

Just curious, what size and weight of boat would you be using this for?
SF
 
JackJester said:
I have some good experience here. I have one...the same one in Bryans first pic. I go to BC a lot to fish and saw them often up there. I researched places in the US to get it and Eide came up; this was about 5 years ago. I ordered one from them and had to do the install myself. A major pain. And it was a simple motor that used an electric screw driver to drive it. It basically sucked for my nearly 200 lb Koffler Pram. It was way under powered and I couldn't get it mounted properly on my truck. I sent numerous pics to the Eide owner and he tried to help, but I was overall really disappointed. So, the next time in BC I talked with some dudes and they said. "4 Boys. You can get it installed at 'Cap It'." This is there website: https://www.loadmyboat.com/ So I hauled my boat up to BC in Abbotsford and had 'Cap It' install it. It has been fantastic ever since. Power is wired to the truck battery and a key fob drives it remotely. I can load my boat myself. There is a place in Bellevue that carries the same model, and will install it, but after talking to them on the phone, I didn't feel like they were very experienced, so I decided it as worth driving to BC to get it done by the 'experts'. It is super beefy. And I have had it transferred to 2 different trucks (Tacomas) over the years. It uses nylon ropes to load your boat and it is important to get the ropes cut properly per the length/weight of your boat.
Click to expand...
I drove from Snohomish to Beaver, OR to buy a used 4boys for my F250. Last year I switched to a 2500HD w/ canopy. To move the loader over atop the ARI canopy, I’d have to cut rather large notches out of the fiberglass canopy, in order for the 4boys mounting plates to be installed. I sold the loader and now load on a Thule rack.
 
They used to make one in Lynnwood. But it's been closed down for quite a while. Just buy a plastic boat and stick it under your shell. Sears used to sell those also. It's a wonder what has came and gone on in the last 65 years. when you achieve my old age, you have seen a lot of shit come and go. I think I've been through about 11 or 12 Presidents. Oh shit, I just made this political.

I recounted again last night. I mussed a few POTUS. Add three more to my total.
 
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Thanks for everyone's input.

I'm in discussions with both of the B.C. companies. Their systems are basically the same, with some differences. I'll be getting a new pickup truck and canopy, so part of the equation is not only matching their Rear Loaders with my boat, but also with the truck and canopy.

Cheers,
Bryan
 
I have a shell on my F250. My loader is mounted on top of this rack. Its support arms slip under the shell and the clamping force of the shell holds the rack in place. No drilling necessary.
 
Lakedude said:
I've been using the EIDE loader for 2.5 years. It works very well once you get it dialed in. A friend who's very mechanically inclined helped me install mine, then he went out and sourced his own parts and assembled one for himself for about half the cost. Send me a PM if you want a PDF of the installation instructions.
Click to expand...
I’d be very interested in a copy.
I recently bought an Eide loader on marketplace.
Thanks
 
Got one this year. I go up to BC a lot and they are everywhere.
2 brands, Loadmyboat out of Kelowna and Load-it in Abbotsford. Essentially the same.
I got the Load-it because I could drive up for the day and pick it up. Came in 2 surprisingly small boxes.
No duty. Took several days to put it together, but now I know how everything works. Very high quality.
I have some insights on the electronics if anyone is interested.
Works amazingly well. I pull a trailer so if I want a rigid boat it’s the only way to go.
If you don’t pull a trailer, boat trailering is much faster since you can show up with your boat basically rigged.
I have to rig after unloading the boat. Trade offs.
There are a couple on Facebook Marketplace right now.
I haven’t seen the Edie in person but I think they are lighter weight. The winch system isn’t nearly as beefy.
I messed around with a homemade set up and the Load- it is far superior.
Again if anyone is interested I can post some pics and talk more about what I’ve learned messing with these and my lame ideas over the past several years.
 
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