Re Jason's idea of using the side rails of his Audi Avant (wagon) in conjunction with foam blocks resting on his roof: neat idea. Don't see why it wouldn't work, but I've got a brand new Audi with really beautiful silver metalic paint, and I don't think I'd chance scraping the finish. Also would wonder --- if the vehicle has a sunroof --- if there's room on the roof for the forward block. (About 99% of the Audis I looked at last summer had sunroofs.) Another option (which we Audi lovers are discussing in greater detail off line) is to use Audi's own crossbars, but a set from Audi costs what a whole set of Yakima bars and cradles costs, and is only a little quicker and easier to install than a Yak (and, I would assume, a Thule) system. Those, with padding (which is how this thread actually started) makes a pretty solid platform, but really require (as Ralph pointed out) bow and stern triangulated lines, too). Plain Yak bars with pads and a Kayak Stacker setup at the centerline is almost as solid as using cradles, and could offer the lateral support you'd need --- and might get you out of using triangulated (or any) bow and stern lines. But that's not to open up that "bow and stern tiedown" thread again, please! Jack Martin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed Oct 20 1999 - 13:23:16 PDT
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