Is it safe to transport a rotomolded kayak on the roof for several hours in the hot sun?
Sure. Just use cam straps, not ratchet straps.
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I preferred to carry mine upside down when I used to carry it sitting directly on the rack bars with cam straps and bow and stern lines. Figured if it was going to get any contact areas slightly flattened in the heat I would rather it be on the deck where it would not effect performance. Also did not have to worry about it filling with rain if I ran into a storm during the drive.
Now that I have Thule cradles, I feel like it’s safe to carry it upright, unless rain is a possibility.
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Rotomolded plastic gets soft in hot weather and/or in the sun. All is fine so long as you don’t make dents in the kayak.
Ratchet straps are known for over-tightening, which is why they are recommended against. Cam straps are less likely to be over-tightened.
Putting the boat hull side down straight on a bar without padding is also bad. Saddles or J-cradles or putting boat in its side with “stackers” (which is much stronger plastic than the bottom) are ways to avoid this.
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My solution was to create a pair of carpeted saddles that conform to the hull.
Over the years it been subject to many days of 100+ degrees without any deformation.
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Directly on the roof?
No.
A few years ago, I needed keep a plastic kayak stored on my roof for a week of traveling in the summer. I made two wood rails that ran under the kayak from front to back, not across like typical cradles. That seemed to give the hull better support, and I figured that any slight dents in the hull would also run from front to back as a result, and therefore not be as detrimental as dents going across. I tied the wood to the cross bars with thin line. This worked well for me, and the flat-bottomed kayak didn’t develop any dents.
This photo is the best I found. Ignore the white plastic PVC. That’s part of an unrelated loading system. The wood I used was just some scraps I had on hand, but they happened to have a bevel cut on the edge that worked well.
Note: I was paddling in the opposite direction from the “beyond this point” warning. I ain’t no fool.
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