I have just purchased a Thule base rack with the Glide&Set saddle combination. The primary boat that I will be hauling will be my WS Tarpon 140 (14' SOT). I've been toying with the adjustments and can't seem to get quite the fit I was hoping for. Is it better to have the "set" sections more under the boat and then adjust them to wrap up the sides or to set them a little wider and have them more "clamp" the boat between them? The same questions applies to the "glide" half of the saddle kit as well (better under or on the sides?). Other factors: My crossbars are about 36" apart, the boat is 28" at it's widest and weighs about 60 pounds.
I have that set up and it works well Well from experience I’d say set them close because they will spread out on their own throughout the summer.
This equipment otherwise works well for me because I’m somewhat handicapped and my van is tall. My Pungo is about 30 inches wide and weighs 53 pounds.
It works best if you use a beach towel on the back of your vehicle to keep it from sliding off your vehicle while loading it. I’ve done it both ways and truly it is so much easier to put the towel over the back and then lean the boat up as far and as close as you can to the back of your vehicle before lifting the kayak up.
Once it is up there you can push it forward until you are happy with the settings. It is easier to then readjust the settings on the outside of your rack if you want to.
Either way, lash down the front end and the back end. Someone showed me how to do this an easy way. Start on the other side and tentatively lock the ends together and toss it over (both front and back). Then go to the side where you will be tying down and unhook and set the clamp up on the narrower part of the kayak before tightening it down. I carry a step stool and an extra bilge pump - because sometimes it rains between trips. One pump is in the hatch and one in the back seat.
At the moment I totally need to reset my glide and slide stuff.
Things ought to stay the way we put them - but in my case they don’t.
My experiences… I have a Glide and Set, and like them much more than the Mako’s that I use for the other boat. You say your boat is a tarpoon, as I recall that is fairly wide and flat. This is probably the source of the issues your having with them.
I have the glides close together. As I move the center of the boat over them, I have to make sure they steer straight. This no doubt will be harder on your SOT. The rear of my boat is more narrow, and sits nicely in the glides. They are less flexible than the Sets, and you’re probably going to have to choose to put them wide.
The Sets can be adjusted both how far apart, and how much angle up they are. You should be able to adjust your width and angle to curve around from the bottom of the hull to the sides.
You may want to abandon the Glides in the rear, and set the rear of the boat on a foam pad. You can also run the tie down straps through the scupper holes, with the holes aligned right on top of the rear bar. The holes work great for keeping the boat in place, fore and aft, and side to side.
Exactly! Yes, you are right on about the slide part. The flat bottom surface breaks and then angle up once and then twice…this is where the boat wants to fall off the slide and drag on the crossbar…right where it angles up. It’s still easier than wrestling with a couple of foam blocks on a bar roof. Now I have them closer together and that helps…I just worry about them providing no horizontal support and the boat shifting to one side or the other in transport. I guess I’ll just double check my straps often and hope for the best until these new saddles prove themselves (taking it out for it’s first extended trip today).