Yakima Round bar length

Advice
#1

I have two 28" wide kayaks. Can I get away with the Yakima 58" bar or do I need to go to the 66" bar?



Honda Accord Sedan 2001

Wilderness Systems Tarpon 16’ and Tarpon 12’

#2

66"
The 58" bar might be a bit tight – since the cost of the bars is the same, get the 66" and if it’s too long you can cut it down.



Dan



http://www.westcoastpaddler.com


#3

Why?
Now why didn’t I think of that? Thank you.

#4

Then again…
If you use either a J-cradle or a stacker bar so you can transport the kayaks on edge (or close to it) the shorter bars will work just fine.



-rs

#5

Thanks
Thank you for those suggestions too. I already have saddles, sharks, and hully rollers from a previous vehicle/rack. I am giving up the pickup for the better mileage in the Honda.

#6

Oops… another 5 bucks
Just checked the Yakima website and the 66" bars are an additional $5 more. It would probably still be worth it for the extra five bucks to get the longer bars.



http://www.yakima.com





Dan



http://www.westcoastpaddler.com


#7

How many of you reached for your calcula
tor immediately ?



I would say to go for the long ones and cut them down if need be or just watch your head ! + Cyclists off to starboard please.

#8

Cyclists
I always load flush to the vehicle on the starboard side, excess hanging over the port, but good point.

Thanks.

#9

66 inches on a Honda accord
Is a pretty awkward overhang. You could get them both on a 48 inch span if you bought stackers or cradles. Hang on to the saddles for your next car, or sell them easily on ebay/craigslist to recoup some of your money. The fifth or six time you or a passenger beans themselves on the bars you’ll think the additional cost was worth it.

#10

DIY style custom lengths
if anyone is the DIY kind of person, just get some of the galvanized pipe from Home Depot in the plumbing area… same wall thickness as the Yakima, cut it to whatever length you like.



But here’s the trick…contact your local heat-shrink tubing supplier and get some tubing and use a heat gun to shrink it around the pipe (there’s different types of tubing, some more abrasion resistant than others). This brings the diameter of the pipe up to the Yakima factory diameter perfectly. I made 2 custom length pipes for my volvo for 20 bucks this way.

#11

The Copper pipe works too …
Nice accent to some cars.

#12

58 inches will be fine
I have the 58 inch bars and have two sets of makos and hully rollers for my two 28 inch kayaks. Works just fine.



No need to go bigger than you need, you’ll just have that much extra bar sticking out.