Bill, I have a slalom boat with a foam
sandwich deck. Such decks are not strong, and are often damaged while paddling. I always carry the boat hull up, deck resting on foam blocks mounted on the Yakima crossbars, and tied down pretty firmly.
I have never seen any damage from carrying the boat that way.
Every boat is unique, but all of my composite boats, with their thinner decks, have sustained hull up carrying without ill effect.
One of the tricks to carrying composite
boats hull up, resting on the deck, is to configure the saddle support so that the weight of the boat, the pressure of the straps, and the hammering of being driven around on roads, ACTUALLY rests mostly on the seams. I have some old, adjustable, Yakima cradles that make this easy to do. I think it may be possible with other cradles.
deck down
Problem with a composite boat carried with the deck down is you are putting the load on the sides where the deck attaches to the deck. It’ll probably work for awile but you’re overstressing the joint. It’ll eventually fail and probably won’t happen on the car top but in the water where it can cause serious safety problems.
With a cockpit cover the drag differences are minor. If you really want to eliminate drag, put the boats on a trailer.
Bill H.
With your middle and index finger
– Last Updated: Sep-02-09 5:13 AM EST –
knuckles, starting @ your wrist, drag them as hard as you can down your inner (mouse hand) forearm to your elbow and go back to work ... feel the weird 'weakening' ? Thats what those wheels do to your hull everytime you push it across them ... point loading its entire length.
It makes no difference HOW you transport
– Last Updated: Sep-02-09 8:51 AM EST –
The most important thing is proper unloading OFF the racks and care of your kayak when getting ready to paddle.
Here are some good tips on proper unloading and preparation of your kayak: http://shamankayaks.com/shaman/video_sof_durability.asp
I read…
some of these posts saying that the the bottom is much more sturdy (which is true and to keep the hull up!? Either way having the hull down will be more aerodynamic and will ultimately keep them sturdier in the long run because nothing would catch the wind.
Transporting Kaykaks
I’ve always transported my kayaks hull down. Depending on the type of kayak and how the deck is shaped, I found that my kayaks didn’t fit well in saddles if I tried to transport them hull up. It keep water from getting in the cockpit during rain, I purchased a cockpit cover- problem solved. Also by transporting the kayak hull down, it makes it easier to unload the kayak if you are using rollers because deck bungee, cockpit combing, and set don’t get in the way.
This Works
The Pygmy is, in effect, a composite. I’ve used this mode for trips in excess of 300 miles and at passing speeds up to 80mph (semi-trailers on two lane highways). Gas mileage at cruising speeds of 60-65 mph is impacted negligeably (maybe -10%). Take the canoe off and you’d never know there was anything on the roof except for the moan of the wind around the bars.
Nothing moves (you can grab one of the boats and shake the whole car)…but I did once have the cockpit cover blown off by the air blast from meeting a semi while driving at 60 mph into a headwind of ~40 mph. The cockpit cover has a leash so I didn’t lose it. Those are Sportrack Saddle pads on Thule bars.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/Tootsall/Coho%20Much%20Fun/P1020287.jpg
I’ve seen poly boats wrecked by someone lashing them down too tight “hull down” but composite boats are a different animal. I like loading this way because I can carry all my paddling gear in the boat; the canoe paddles and jackets are lashed “up under” to the thwart and seats.
