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I have had a plastic kayak for years, I never gave transportation much thought, just tied it on the roof for any given situtuation. Now I will have a boat that means a bit more to me, is there a best way to transport it on the roof of a car. On its side? Right side up? Do you have a favorite rack?
Thanks,
MIke
11 replies:
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
HikeAZ,
My wife & I transport two chesapeake kayaks on her car quite frequently. The crossbars are from Yakima (Thule crossbars would work just as well). The J-rack attachments are the stainless steel version from Packemracks.com The Packem racks are significantly less expensive than the name brand j-rack options.
I secure the boats to the j-racks with 1" NRS tie-down cinch straps and use taglines front and rear. No problems at highway speeds(70-80mph), the boats hardly seem to move at all.
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
SignsEHT,
Thanks, a beautiful boat. It looks like you added a little padding between the J-rack and the boat. I will check out Packemracks.
Mike
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
I transport the in cradles when ever possible. My selected system is the Yakima system. I've mounted racks on trucks, cars and the top of a pop-top camper.
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One prefered system is the one on the truck. I carry the kayaks up right. I usually cover my cockpit with a cover. The wife's kayak covered "whomps" so we don't often put the cover on unless it looks like a big rain. I use "hully rollys" on the rear to assist in loading the kayaks. The truck is a lot of places truck with suspension and tires to match. I also carry a three step stool. Note that if you get enough space between the bars, this one is 6 feet, you don't need the bow and stern tie downs. Cars and vans often have racks more designed for short things.
[URL=http://s738.photobucket.com/user/GrumpyOldBakerman/media/biolumen%208%20-15_zps3jtlkv6y.jpg.html][IMG]http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx24/GrumpyOldBakerman/biolumen%208%20-15_zps3jtlkv6y.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
I have since moved the front rack foward over the cab to allow more support and less cantiliver on the kayaks when moved foward to give clearance for the trailer.
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
Third time ought to do it....................This is the camp site at a biolumenscent paddle last summer.
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
I use the foam blocks from Malone (sold here) on rails. I load by carrying the kayak on my shoulder as I go up a three step stool onto the tailgate. The exception is that I use a set of Hulli Rollers on the aft rail when transporting our 79# Shearwater Double. We take the cockpit covers off when driving. It is amazing how little water will accumilate in the cockpit at highway speeds even in heavy rain. Hereis a pict from yesterday before heading to John Pennekamp. Today is Bahia Honda.
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
Thanks, I have always used a J-rack but think I may try upright carry. I will start looking at options that will work for my RAV4.
Mike
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
As a precaution - make sure your cockpit cover is somehow secured so it will not blow off. Mine blew off my Wood Duck and I lost a foam seat but luckily the cover was tied to my deck rigging. (maybe I was speeding.)
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
Canuck, a good tip. Utah has 80MPH highway speed limits (129KPH if you are north of the border:) so I suspect some type of tie-down for the cover would be in order.
Mike
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
Good point about the cover. Mine have a strap and clip foward to rigging plus a strap with buckle around the middle that goes all the way around the boat and over the cover. The cover keeps things from blowing out and things from crawling/flying in. For some reason bugs like the inside of my cockpits. Rain under way is minor. Rain sitting upright in the parking lot in the south can be impressive.
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I know a couple of kayakers that put covers on during lunch stops on a paddle to keep things out of the cockpit.
RE: transporting my Chesapeake
» Submitted by Ralph - Fri, 9/23/16 » 10:35 AM
I've transported my kayaks right side up, upside down, and in a J-cradle. It depended on the vehicle, if the vehicle came with a rack, if I was moving 1 or 2 kayaks (or a canoe & kayak). With my current car & if I am just moving one kayak I transport upright using foam pads and straps going through the car doors. I always try some sort of bow & stern line also. I have used Thule racks but the ones I have do not fit my current car, and I have Yakima J-cradles because I got them on clearance. But they don't fit my current van so I have them attached to oak 1x2 inch cross-bars that I tie to the rack on the Van.
What I am saying is I have no major preference but use what works at the time with what I have.