Along with the table I was thinking about crafting a canopy that mounts to my Yakima roof rack. I like the idea and cool factor of the Shadyboy but will not spend $300 on it.


I'm thinking something that can be set up quickly and can offer shade and rain protection. Simply a tarp does this so I'm thinking that will be the canopy material. I don't want it to be very large so a very high quality tarp in small size isn't too expensive.

Like the table I'm playing with the idea of using PVC. I think I may try to make something like the sport shade.


Nothing will be retractable. Just a tarp with PVC at the far edge, guy wires and some way to attach it to the vehicle. For attachment to the pvc I was thinking these.


I have a Yakima Steelhead on the driver and passenger sides of the 4runner. The tray has a groove in the bottom that will accept a carriage bolt. I was thinking maybe 3-4 bolts to hold the tarp. I have a grommet kit so I would put the holes where they need to be and use wing nuts to hold the tarp to the tray. The guy wires would tension the whole thing and keep it up.

I'm not sure how I am going to keep rain water from accumulating on top of the tarp. I'd like it to slope away from the vehicle but still be able to open the door while the canopy is out.

At the end of the day the whole thing would roll up and fit inside a little stuff sack and be put inside the vehicle.

Any thoughts. Anyone ever make something like this for more than one use. I've seen many a bungee corded tarp thing but I was thinking of something just a little different.

I have another idea using star nuts (go inside bike steerer tubes) inside the Yakima bars to mount the frame. The tarp would them be secured to that.