"rafters" storage

[Mungo Park]

I have pre made roof trusses in my shop. They are tringular shaped with a little triangle in the middle and 16' long. Their is also a 1/2"X 3" board across all the truses down the center of the shop. this links all the truses together.
I have a canoe and I want to hoist it up to the trusses to get it out of the way.
After looking at it carefully I could hoist the canoe up even higher, if I put it up sideways, between the trusses, and really get it up their and out of the way. BUT to do this I would have to cut out this cross piece between one of the trusses. I do not know the function of this cross piece, so my question is it Ok to cut it out between just ONE of the trusses?
I could get up their and put a cross piece across the trusses at the top near the roof but this is not the sane as this cross piece gors along the bottom of the trusses. Any help wpold be great, I don't really want to leave the canoe outside but do not want it being a space hog in my shop.
Cheers Ron.

 

[Kevin54]

Pics would help, but I think the board that you are talking about is probably to keep the bottom of the trusses in alignment. As long as you don't cut a truss itself, you should be able to cut that board. But as I said, pics would be helpful. A factory built truss is designed to stand alone. If you can post a pic, it would help to make a definate decision. I know that when I built my first garage (24'x24') I took two 10' oak, fullsize 2"x6", straddled the web, and pulled a 440 engine with no ill effects. the garage is still standing 30 years later.

 

[Mungo Park]

Thank you kevin, I can put up a photo tonight when I am at home.
Cheers Ron.

 

[bimmer1980]

it sounds to me like this is the lateral bracing for the trusses. If so, it is used to keep the truss members that are in compression from buckling. If you did cut it, I would recommend making a hinged mechanism for it to lock back into place. If you leave it out, when the truss is loaded to capacity, you run the risk of the truss buckling and the roof collapsing... imagine heavy snow load conditions.....

What ever you do, do NOT cut any part of the truss itself!!

 

[Mungo Park]

Here is a photo, I wanted to remove one of the horizontal pieces you can see in the photo going from one truss to the next. I did have the feeling this was to keep the trusses from going sideways.
If I did remove it it would have the canoe pulled up between the trusses during winter when their would be snow on the roof. I would not cut any part of the truss, I want to cut the one that is in the middle of the photo.
What do you think? Cheers Ron.

 

[Kevin54]

It can be cut. As stated before, as long as the truss itself is not modified you will be fine. Around here they don't even use lateral bracing. At least not any that I have seen in all the houses that I have been in and seen being built.

 

[Mungo Park]

Thanks Kevin for your help.
It would be a the real solution as this would get the canoe inside and out of the way. I would leave it outside but it has some wood on it and it would be toast after one winter, as well the critters around here would move into it modify it to make it their own.
Cheers Ron.

 

[John G]

You say that there is only one of these members running down the center of the truss span?

Install two pieces to attach the two trusses spaced off the center line far enough to allow the canoe to get in. You just want to keep the trusses from buckling. It's more efficient to use one at the center but there's more than one way to skin a cat.