you’re wrong
Foam blocks alone won’t prevent a tightly secured kayak from indenting the roof.
Car roofs vary in thickness. Some are even aluminum or composite.
So do you sell foam blocks in addition to paddle floats? Or are you considering expanding your horizons?
Foam blocks are junk. And if you think
we’re all stupid for spending on Yakima or Thule racks, guess what? We think the same of you.
FOAM N FOAM
? Tension on foam from ropes front and rear does not compress the foam blocks. Foam blocks are cam strapped to the hull not to the vehicle. or not.
Here the platform rack has cabinet utility handles from Home Depot screw epoxied into the platform’s 3/8th’s plywood. The long length cam strap’s bitter end is tied off onto the u shaped handle. Handles are found in fence hardware ?
Front block ties port, stern block ties starboard.
Tension on the bow and stern lines is only snug, no yanking hull down into the foam. The trout scale is missing. I would guess not more than 5 pounds pull ?
I assume all advice unless ‘otherwise noted’ is advice for standard conditions.
There are safety standards for solid that is not convertible roofs ? What materials is a Saturn’s wagon roof made from ? A Saturn is fiberglass ?
We know that roof is not aluminum honeycomb.
The question is a lot like 'my car’s roof seems too short for my kayak so what now ’ ?
One factor to look at here is 'how short is short ? If your small car carries four adults, how much shorter is the roof than a '64 Lincoln’s roof ?
2 Door Accord
– Last Updated: May-24-14 11:04 PM EST –
We had a 2 door Accord that we hauled kayaks on all the time. I used the Thule short roof adapter kit and crossbars. (It's still in the garage if you want to make me an offer, it's just taking up space to me.)
I transported kayaks round trip from the San Francisco area to Seattle twice, 70+ mph highway speeds no problems. Bow and stern tie downs were to the front and rear tow hooks. I never cared about the tie downs rubbing on the plastic bumpers.
FWIW The boats on the roof were worth more than the car. The cost of the roof rack wasn't insignificant but it was worth it compared to the cost of the boats.
You can make a purse from a sow’s ear.
It just won’t be a purse the rest of us want to use.
There is only one rational answer
based on your first criteria, which is the correct priority: “The safety of others. I can’t stand the thought of motoring down the interstate and the yak flying off the top of my car and causing an accident.”
You need a roof rack. End of story.
Now, if money is an issue, good roof racks are seen constantly on Craigslist. For the best setup in my opinion (meaning easiest to load and secure the kayak + safest) you will need:
- A set of square Thule bars. (I mention Thule only because they come up the most often on Craigslist.)
- A set of Thule Glide and Set cradles. The pads are felt in the rear and rubber in the front, allowing you to slide the kayak onto the rack from the rear. Some people prefer to carry the kayak on its side in a J cradle; I find those more difficult to load and attach. Matter of preference, possibly also height of person and car.
- Something to protect the rear window and trunk of your car. Cheapest: a thick rug. Then there are roller devices like the Thule Roll Model or this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grXKtjm8AJk Ignore the foam blocks!!!
Other loading and carrying options: http://www.oakorchardcanoe.com/rackaccessories.php
I paid about $150 on Craigslist for my Thule bars, cradles, and roll loader. Very reasonable price for everyone’s safety and convenience and a fraction of the original cost. REI is having a sale through Memorial Day.
When buying bars on Craigslist make sure the feet of load bar fit your car.
Yes
Yes a fellow paddler had it happen. The rope came off the bumper and went under a tire. It pulled the kayak down and punched the saddles clear through the kayak’s hull.
?
Google images/ideas
http://goo.gl/lIoOg4
http://goo.gl/NkgcNZ
http://goo.gl/d57L2P
http://goo.gl/ba4OFL
that sounds cute
Now cross the mackinac bridge in a 35 mph crosswind, you’ll have 4.5 miles to think of what you’re going to tell the bridge authority when your cute mess of foam and straps is somewhere in Lake Huron.
been there done that
– Last Updated: May-26-14 9:40 AM EST –
Best outcome: The boat will move enough in crosswinds to give you extreme heartburn. Once you get the foam blocks off, you'll instantly know whether there was any sand or dirt between the bottom of the foam blocks and your clearcoated car roof.
Ok
1. I agree with you completely that sending 60lb missiles of the roof of your car at 65mph is totally unacceptable. That’s why one uses roof racks, learns how install and remove and just as important how to use cam straps, a bowline and truckers hitch. The skillset required to do this is much less dificult than the ones you’ve learned to send a 3500 lb missile down the road at 75mph.
2. Being attached to your car and using an aftermarket rack doesn’t have to be in conflict
??
AW, you’re telling us:
- you are not equipped to tie a kayak to a vehicle roof…or a dock ?
- You work for Yakima.
- Your roof needs washing.
The foam block/eyebolt/cord rig used with a Solstice Titan went thru 2 tornadic microbursts on the FL Panhandle…common…and one above Palm Beach, several squalls at 60-70 mph. Yes, with these forces blocks sound off squidge squidge but not more than once or twice as blocks move 1/4" OVER THE WAX.
Frankly, I guarantee a well tied GRUMMAN on foam blocks is good for 100 mph.
Are those pictues supposed to impress
me, after my 24 years of problem-free use of Yakima racks?
People who don’t follow the clearly stated instructions for installing and using Yakima racks are EXACTLY the people who screw up trying to use foam blocks and rope. In fact, the odds of screwing up, using foam and rope, are much greater than they are for someone who uses factory racks. And remember, I’ve successfully carried an Old Town Tripper with foam blocks and triangulated ropes. It was rock solid. but I didn’t like it because I want a positive, mechanical, connection of the boat hull to the top of the car, not a roped-down friction fit.
Of course, everyone knows instinctively how to use foam and rope. You see the “foam” along the highways, in the form of mattresses that never made it from showroom to bedroom.
information
Promoting Google Images as an information search.
Rack, foam block, and cow.
There are two major groups in camp: paddlers with all the equipment, paddlers with barely not enough equipment and shackled for their want.
Boosting ‘rack or die’ may not be in the beginner’s best interests.
what are you talking about?!
– Last Updated: May-26-14 9:20 PM EST –
No one ever said "rack or die".
But you did say this:
"reason for racks is you're addicted to gadgets, 'engineered designs' that is lacking ingenuity, and can't tie a knot."
But ezwater is right: the person who doesn't take the time to install a rack properly, ONE time per season, is also the person less likely to install your straps and foam block combination EVERY SINGLE TRIP all season long.
Regarding point #2 from the OP, a rack prevents contact of the boat or foam blocks with the roof once the boat is tied down. No chance of grit or sand grinding between the blocks and roof and no chance of denting the center of the roof.
Can you get by with foam blocks? Sure. It takes more time and diligence. What's your time worth?
My rack cost a small fraction of what I've spent on my boat, let alone gear. For me it's an easy equation. So that's my recommendation to the OP.
OH - there are two kinds of people in the world: the kind of person that thinks there's only two kinds of people in the world, and everyone else.
no. I’m telling you:
My rack was affordable, I’m comfortable with it and it’s sturdy. Sorry, I’m not buying your fable.
It also allows me to carry bicycles, skis/snowboards and lumber easily and conveniently without having to be concerned about safety or damage to the car or what’s on top of it.
Anything else, big mouth?
?
information is discriminatory .
I looked at rack plus rack equipment prices.
There are kayaker not affording wet suits.
I may post photos.
NO ONE SAID “RACK OR DIE”
– Last Updated: May-27-14 11:49 AM EST –
Was that clear enough? How can we make this easier for you? Because your reading comprehension here seems to be sadly lacking.
If you really thought info was discriminatory, you wouldn't need to slander rack owners nor misconstrue their words, now, would you?
Think a …
Yakama will fit this one?
I think it might be hard on the neck
http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu295/Varmintmist/legal2.jpg
