[Paddlewise] Cockpit Covers & Racks

Re: Flooded kayaks on racks

I think these roof racks are probably stronger than we give them credit
for. Yakima's stated load limits are very conservative of course. My
figuring indicates that even if you filled a fairly large kayak completely
full of water, including the bulkheaded compartments, it would weigh around
1000 pounds (450 kg.). The kayak would probably destruct before the racks
would.

Once without planning ahead, I loaded up and carried 18 4x8's of sheetrock
home with my Yakima racks on top of an '87 Ford Escort, with structural
gutters, without incident. That works out to be about the same weight, over
1000 lbs. (Don't try this at home, folks.) Yes, I had it all tied down
every which way. That car and rack, with various kayaks, went on to visit
La Paz in southern Baja, Florida three times, the west coast four times,
and also Newfoundland without the kayak, before I retired the car with
164,000 miles on it and the rack. The rack was still solidly attached to
the car at the end, and I couldn't remove it because Yakima's locks tend to
corrode shut in one salt season. 

My current '92 Escort wagon with 183,000 miles and gutterless Yakima racks
has been to the east coast and Florida eleven more times, to the west coast
five times, and to every mountain bike area in KS, NE, SD, ND, and IA while
I was writing a guide book. I always tie every load, except bikes, to the
shipping hooks under the front and rear bumpers. 

By the way, kayaks are way more aerodynamic than bicycles. I get about
33-34 mpg with a kayak on the roof at 75 mph and below 2000 ft. in
elevation, and only about 26-29 with an upright bike at the same speed.
(Add about 3 mpg for Wyoming.) 

So tie those boats down, keep those cockpit covers in place and drive on.

-Andy Knapp
Minneapolis
(All time December record high today, by 11 degrees, of 68 F (20 C).
Average high for 12-1 is 31 F (-1 C). The snow line has receeded into the
northern Quetico. La Nina is beginning to look a lot like El Nino.)

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