surfboard range?

anybody strapped a bike or surfboard to the top of the car and seen what happens to the range?

even an empty roof rack - how much does that effect range?

Or, range with a drag-chute? :lol:

Puting a bicycle on the back, in the rear turbulant-flow area, should not be too bad.

Will the front seat fold forward completely, to allow a surfboard to (mostly) fit inside?

garygid said:

Will the front seat fold forward completely, to allow a surfboard to (mostly) fit inside?

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The wax and possibly sand from the surfboard, unless it was in a board sleeve, would discourage that practice that in my car.

A removable cross bar roof rack is on my wish list for lumber, and for my thule ski box (holds things other than skis of course) and thule bike rack. At 70MPH, the thule box lowers the gas mileage on my small ICE mobile by about 12-18%, so I'd think it will be pretty detrimental to any highway drive ranges with the LEAF.

I can't say what it would do to the range to have the board on top, but I was happy to discover this week that a 9 foot longboard will fit inside. Just put it in a board bag and you are good to go!

RevBrent said:

a 9 foot longboard will fit inside..a board bag and you are good to go!

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My board is 9'1". I'd bet I am still good if I am flying solo? Yes? That is probably ditto for skis. From the forum, based on "spark's" post, I can make Mt. Baldy, and likely, Mt. High, for local skiing... I think I even have tire chains that fit too. Range, well, downhill to the charger... Still will figure out roof racks for the same, and trips to Osh and Home Depot. Heck, somebody will probably figure out how to mount a trailer for short bulky hauls (or towing a generator). :-0

JimSouCal said:

From the forum, based on "spark's" post, I can make Mt. Baldy, and likely, Mt. High, for local skiing... I think I even have tire chains that fit too.

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Be careful! Mountain High Resort is at about 6900' elevation and significantly further from the LA basin than Mt. Baldy. Still, given a top-off charge at Fontana Nissan, you should have no problem driving the remaining 32 miles and 5400' to Mt. High as long as you don't go fast. I wouldn't try it if chains are required, though, due to the extra drag (and hassle).

abasile said:

Be careful!

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Thank you for the caution, but not to worry. I am slated for April delivery (unless it is like last year, Snow will be gone). But a few comments. Chains are seldom on for more than a few miles on the approach roads--sometime just to get out of the parking lot. My greater concern would be reaching the low end temp limit of the battery spec. Still, I do recreation stuff a great deal on Baldy (further up the hill than Spark tested), and will be giving it a try--that is certain. I have a spot to plug an extension cord in at the top if need be... I plan on testing the limits of this car, but within reason.

JimSouCal said:

My greater concern would be reaching the low end temp limit of the battery spec.

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It generally doesn't get all *that* cold in the SoCal mountains, so that shouldn't generally be too big a concern.

JimSouCal said:

Still, I do recreation stuff a great deal on Baldy (further up the hill than Spark tested), and will be giving it a try--that is certain. I have a spot to plug an extension cord in at the top if need be...

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Ahhh, a place to charge on Baldy! We like to hike to the summit of Baldy every year. Is that plug publicly accessible/usable? :mrgreen:

abasile said:

Is that plug publicly accessible/usable? :mrgreen:

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No. I had to beg.

As an aside, there are two hydro-electric plants in the Canyon as one drives up the hill (they may be the oldest, or amongst the oldest, in the country). Those original Edison plants could be used to support the argument one was using hydro electrons up there...

RevBrent said:

I can't say what it would do to the range to have the board on top, but I was happy to discover this week that a 9 foot longboard will fit inside. Just put it in a board bag and you are good to go!

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glad to hear you can a 9' in there (that's what I ride too), but I'll have a child seat in the back, making it that much more of a hassle...

even with the bag though, sooner or later surfboards inside the car really mess up the interior

somebody strap something to the roof of your LEAF and let us know!

abasile said:

JimSouCal said:

My greater concern would be reaching the low end temp limit of the battery spec.

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It generally doesn't get all *that* cold in the SoCal mountains, so that shouldn't generally be too big a concern.

JimSouCal said:

Still, I do recreation stuff a great deal on Baldy (further up the hill than Spark tested), and will be giving it a try--that is certain. I have a spot to plug an extension cord in at the top if need be...

Click to expand...

Ahhh, a place to charge on Baldy! We like to hike to the summit of Baldy every year. Is that plug publicly accessible/usable? :mrgreen:

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Maybe the Sierra Club would provide access to a plug at their Harwood cabin in Baldy. If you are a Sierra Club member, it wouldn't hurt to ask. Most weekends are "open weekends" at the cabin where people come and go at will. Members pay, I believe, $5 for day use of the cabin (coming and going with everyone else on open weekends). It is a great place to bring your lunch and hang out by the fire or use the kitchen to make some tea.

Kataphn said:

Maybe the Sierra Club would provide access to a plug at their Harwood cabin in Baldy. If you are a Sierra Club member, it wouldn't hurt to ask. Most weekends are "open weekends" at the cabin where people come and go at will. Members pay, I believe, $5 for day use of the cabin (coming and going with everyone else on open weekends). It is a great place to bring your lunch and hang out by the fire or use the kitchen to make some tea.

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Thanks for the tip! I'd be surprised if the Sierra Club isn't interested in helping its members get to the mountains without using oil. Even if one doesn't hang out there, that lodge is close to the trails and $5 would be more than enough to cover the electricity to charge an EV. Here's a link: http://angeles.sierraclub.org/lodges/harwoodlodge.html

abasile said:

Kataphn said:

Maybe the Sierra Club would provide access to a plug at their Harwood cabin in Baldy. If you are a Sierra Club member, it wouldn't hurt to ask. Most weekends are "open weekends" at the cabin where people come and go at will. Members pay, I believe, $5 for day use of the cabin (coming and going with everyone else on open weekends). It is a great place to bring your lunch and hang out by the fire or use the kitchen to make some tea.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip! I'd be surprised if the Sierra Club isn't interested in helping its members get to the mountains without using oil. Even if one doesn't hang out there, that lodge is close to the trails and $5 would be more than enough to cover the electricity to charge an EV. Here's a link: http://angeles.sierraclub.org/lodges/harwoodlodge.html

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Thanks from here too, a club member. I've been there but never been inside (winter weekday and all locked up). Impressive looking from the outside. I usually think of the Ski Hut up there...

Now, back to my patient wait for the LEAF.

JimSouCal said:

RevBrent said:

a 9 foot longboard will fit inside..a board bag and you are good to go!

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My board is 9'1". I'd bet I am still good if I am flying solo? Yes?

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It would be really, really close. In fact, I wasn't even sure about the 9' board until I got in there and measured it and it was a tight squeeze. Not saying it wouldn't fit, but 9'1" would be the maximum! (With the back closed of course...)

RevBrent said:

JimSouCal said:

It would be really, really close. ... Not saying it wouldn't fit, but 9'1" would be the maximum! (With the back closed of course...)

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Will be getting racks, regardless, I suppose. They work for a bunch of other stuff like bikes and cargo box, etc. Thanks for the in situ data.

JimSouCal said:

RevBrent said:

JimSouCal said:

It would be really, really close. ... Not saying it wouldn't fit, but 9'1" would be the maximum! (With the back closed of course...)

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Will be getting racks, regardless, I suppose. They work for a bunch of other stuff like bikes and cargo box, etc. Thanks for the in situ data.

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I really messed up my Matrix interior putting a longboard in - nose to tail tight - I wish carmakers did rear windows that rolled down like the old station wagons

btw - a LEAF drove passed me on the other side of the road this morning

Did you really fit a 9 0 in there or just tape measure it at a drive event?

I had figured that 8 6 would be the max based on the tape.

I got my leaf last friday and have yet to take the leaf to surf, but was thinking about it for tomorrow.

Now I have to see what can be done.

I will check back in with actual experimental evidence.

OK, I just checked and my 9'0" does fit, but just barely. I don't know about anything bigger, you just have to try it yourself.

Removed the headrest on both of the passenger side seats, and reclined the front, with the back seat down so they are butting against each other. I have a car seat in the back on the Driver's side, so that side was in the upright position, and it still fits.

I still may want to put boards on the top at some point, do they make soft racks that attach in the grooves that run down the sides of the roof?

I still may want to put boards on the top at some point, do they make soft racks that attach in the grooves that run down the sides of the roof?[/quote]

haven't seen any like that, just the ones that pass through the cabin - they work fine but aren't a great solution if you do a lot of surfing or are in a hurry and want to just throw the board on the car and go (before wife can change mind and cancel surf session)

So, does this mean no one has put a rack on their Leaf yet? (Not a soft rack, one that requires hardware installation.)

No way do I want to put my 9ft board, in its dirty old board bag, inside the car! I don't have carseat covers yet, and the seat fabric looks like it will show every bit of dirt forever.

When I ask Nissan about plans for Leaf-specific racks, they just laugh and say they will "eventually" need to provide a solution since Lance Armstrong is the celebrity spokesperson. Doesn't seem to have moved development along though.

Can't wait to see other Leafs at Tourmaline or 15th!

Lea