Ralph, As for which rack is better. I have used both on cars. They both seem to hold up well and are capable of carry a load. One thing that I found out recently is that you can buy adapters for either rack that will allow you to put an part from the other company on your rack. I have Thule rack now and wanted to put the hollyrollers (yakima) on it. They sold a little adapter that made the square bars work with the hollyroller's round fittings. Just something to consider. Kevin Maude -----Original Message----- From: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com <rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com> To: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net <paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net> Date: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 9:18 PM Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] Roof Racks >John Lowe wrote: >> >> I can see this starting something possibly but would like opinions >> on roof racks for carrying a sea kayak. >> I have a 1996 Ford Taurus sedan and need to get a roof rack. Had >> lots of recommendations for both Thule & Yakima, and I would like to >> know who has these racks or others and what your suggestions would be >> to best carry my kayak. > >Unlike feathered paddles vs. unfeathered, etc. I don't think you are >going to see a holy war of Thule vs. Yakima. They seem to be priced >generally the same, have similar accessories, etc. It can get pretty >expensive either way depending on the towers you have to use, etc. You >may be looking at $300 all told. Regarding features one company may be >better in one and weaker in another. Overall--a wash. > >You could get away with a much cheaper arrangement using the $29 setup >involving foam blocks which comes with straps and tiedowns. Or you can >use the type of pads that stores sell for kneeling while gardening. >That and some webbing straps and you are all set. Here is an >arrangement that one of my newsletter readers sent me two years ago that >works just fine. It is meant to carry some folding kayaks on a car roof >(yeah, many of us do it at times to show off we have kayaks; a kayak >inside your trunk isn't as sexy or attention getting) but would work >just as well with a plastic boat. > >BEGIN ARTICLE FOLDING KAYAKER MAY/JUNE 1997 > >A Cheap Roofrack >Seymour Boorstein is an old friend from California. While he is >reasonably well-off (a psychiatry practice in California has to pay >off!) and he certainly can afford the very best of things, Seymour seeks >simple solutions for his needs. Here is his idea for a cheap substitute >for all the fancy Thule and Yakima roof racks with their kayak cradles, >stackers, special tower adapters, et al: > >"Great talking to you! I have used the following roof rig on the Lexus >ES-300 and LS-400 successfully to carry one or two Feathercraft K-Lights >going at 60-70 mph on our freeways. > >1. Front and rear bumper tie-downs. Voyageur (1-800-843-8985; or >802-496-3127) has a bow/stern tie down kit (item # 2007149; $13.95). It >is real simple with 12 foot straps and well-designed “S” hooks. The kit >is sufficient for one K-Light. When carrying two, I use an NRS-6 foot >strap ($4.05; see NRS ordering info below) which can easily lengthen >these tie-downs. These are cinched snug but not boat-bending tight. The >kayaks are held more securely if you crisscross the Voyageur straps, >i.e. from right boat to left side of bumper, left side boat to right >side of bumper. > >2. Two NRS-15 foot tie down buckle straps. These (item # 1440-15, >$5.65; NRS at 1-800-635-5202) come with protective plastic under the >buckles. I tie these straps down just in front and behind the cockpit. >I run one of the straps through the shock cord loop of the boat’s >cockpit cover so that if the cover blows loose it won’t get lost. Each >strap is run through the car’s open doors and secured to itself from the >other side within the passenger area. The straps are thin enough that >the doors can close on them with no damage or bulge. I cinch all the >side tie-downs real tight, letting them indent the air sponsons quite a >bit. (Editor’s note: make certain they’re not overly inflated. On hot >days, you may damage the sponsons. Also when going to higher >elevations, the compressed air inside expands and could damage them—see >Folding Kayaker, Jan/Feb 1994, p. 10) > >3. Roof pads. (Editor’s note: This is the heart of the system and what >makes it so cheap and applicable to any car without a lot of extra >adapters or adjustments and tedious work like in any of the commercially >sold racks). I use four simple garden kneeling pads, the rectangular >ones that have a cut-in handle in them and cost about $5 at any >department store or garden shop. Better yet are the bigger square ones >from Brookstone that come in red or yellow and cost about $10. Their >smooth surfaces really stick to the roof and do no damage to the >finish. To avoid losing the pads while getting boats on and off, I tie >small pieces of nylon cord from their handles to the kayaks or the >tie-down straps. > > Some other points: I protect the car finish where straps may be in >contact with it such as the bow and stern straps. My solution is some >soft pieces of fleece or flannel attached to the straps at points of >contact with heavy duty rubber bands. I also learned that it is useful >to put some twists in all the straps so that they don’t vibrate at high >speeds like violin strings. > >---END FOLDING KAYAKER ARTICLE > >You see, you don't have to spend big bucks. Pocket the difference or >spend it on a better paddle or toward some cold water apparel to extend >your season. > >best, > >ralph diaz >-- >----------------------------------------------------------------------- >Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter >PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 >Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com >"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." >----------------------------------------------------------------------- > >*************************************************************************** >PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List >Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net >Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net >Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ >*************************************************************************** > *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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