Craddles or Side Racks for car topping?

Advice
#1

Any opinions craddles v. those car top racks that hold the boat on its side for transporting a plastic kayak on the top of a car?



I hear the racks that hold the boat tipped up on its side are better, and less likely to oil-can the boat since the side of a plastic kayak is stronger than the bottom. I’m talking having to drive the boat for hours in the summer sun. thanks.

#2

For poly boats?
Then cradles are better than saddles. Plastic boats are strongest one their sides.

#3

“oil-can” ?
i’ve rackemy brain trying to put that into some kind of kayaking context, but i still can’t get find my way out of oz…

#4

Try Dent
Sometimes when a 'yak is left resting in the sun too long on a rack or sawhorse it takes on the shape of the object it is resting on. That shape is a dent but commonly called an “oil can” because it is similar to what use to happen when you squeezed the last drop of oil out of the can - you got a small dent. (That was when oil came in cans not plastic bottles.)



SYOW

#5

The one problem with the “J” hooks on
top of your car is you are much higher. Even in my BMW wagon, which is pretty short, I can’t get into many parking garages with my boat on my car. We took the ferry from Vancouver and had to pay the “over-height” fare because of the kayak tipped on it’s side. With the cradles we would not have had to do that. It’s also a bit harder to get the boat into the “J” hooks that onto the cradles. But it probably is better for your boat.

#6

Yakima or Thule racks? Any thoughts?
Yakima cross bars=round. thule=square (in cross section). Have to think square Thule racks are better at holding things, even if it might just maybe cause more wind resistance than round Yakima cross bars. Thule’s more expensive, I believe.