Do you leave your yak rack on all season or take it off and on when needed? I tend to take it on and off as needed to save a little gas mileage. FishHawk
It takes less than 5 miutes to remove.
I always take it off,esp. since it is my wife’s car.
I leave mine on.
I noticed little difference in milage when I took it off. Plus, the Civic Hybrid gets up to 46 mpg with an 18’ kayak on top anyway.
On all the time
– Last Updated: Mar-16-09 8:29 AM EST –
A customized set of ladder racks for the pickup, sometimes gets used for lumber or ladders. And, it makes the vehicle easy to find in a crowded parking lot. The upright towers do get removed, both to cut drag, and to get into the garage.
Re: the note about gas mileage with boat on top... I got my best mileage ever when I did cross-country with two boats up there, nicely breaking the wind, even though I was carrying a substantial load of other stuff.
I leave it on all season then
take it off in winter. Dodge minivan mileage is the same with two or no canoes. Hard to believe, but true.
I take my thule cross bars off…
the saab as it knocks 2-3 mpg off my highway driving.
I use the new hullaport pro on my subaru and leave those on during the season with the vertical bars down unless carrying a boat. It comes off for winter.
Yak Rack
I only use my yakima rack when I spend time in Florida during the winter, I use my foam blocks as a ground cradle If I know i’m not going out for a few daze–when I’m home upon the Ohio River I use my V-Foam blocks when I travel for a one day event,easier to take off and put on, in fact I prefer using foam to travel because I feel it holds a better grip especially in a high cross wind situation-
take adaptors off, but leave cross bars
– Last Updated: Mar-16-09 6:33 PM EST –
I usually take the kayak adapters off, but leave the cross bars on. If I will be padding again real soon, I will leave the adapters on. If I won't paddle for a while and/or will be taking a long drive without needing the roof rack, I do take the cross bars off.
Interesting, I have not noticed a mileage gain with the kayak adapters off versus on. I have noticed a 2-3 mpg gain when I take the cross bars off. No noticeable mileage gain when I take the kayak adapters off but leave the cross bars on.
mine is a pain!
bike side, kayak side, stretch kit - every now and then it comes off to wax the car - but its too much of pain in the behind to get it on and off for a teeny bit of gas mileage.
Plus even if the “off season” there is roll practice and cold weather boating - so its there.
Coodn’t tell yer about a ‘yak rack
Since ah’ only use a “canoo” rack - which ah’ leave on all de time bein’ dat ah’ carry all sorts of udder crap on me car too.
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2154224040094647494OGklSF
FE
Seasonal
It won’t fit with the ski rack on, so they are switched as the seasons change. Just swapped them yesterday so I could paddle, can still put the skiis in the car for the last 3 or 4 trips to the mountain this winter.
I leave it on
since I usually paddle two or three times a week, 12 months a year. My Yakima rack has been on my Saturn since 2002. No problem, still get great gas mileage.
I have the Thule quick disconnect feet
I think I loose a couple of mph at highway speed with the racks on. With the Thule quick disconnect feet it is quicker and easier to take the bars off than it is to fake down the tie ropes. It doesn’t take any longer than 1/2 minute to remove the racks.
Off when not in use…
– Last Updated: Mar-16-09 10:42 PM EST –
We use ours almost weekly, year round.
Yet I take the bars off, because it only takes a minute or so, it may help save some fuel, they are less likely stolen from my shed, and the vehicles looks better without the stuff on the roof.
I like smooth lines.
Not to mention easier to wash....
OTOH, this last week we knew we would paddle 3 days of the week, boats and racks stayed on the car.
And of course when traveling...
I guess that's the way I see it. No boat, no rack.
T
Thule Off
Thule Tracker II goes on in 1/2 minute and off in less. Piece of cake, so it stays off. WW
theyre all just bad quality rip-offs
especially thule
I leave the rack on
and there is almost always a boat on it ready to go. I don’t use that vehicle for much of anything other than paddling.
There is a boat on the rack as we speak. No sense in taking everything down just to put it all back up again.
I always take it off
My Saris rack goes back on in less than five minutes, so it’s not worth the loss of gas mileage and increased wind noise to leave it on.
Yup, That “Bad Quality Ripoff” Thule…
…is eleven years old and a little bent from hitting a tree. WW
Gotta be TC. Even P14 isn’t
ignorant enough to make that statement.