I was at our local REI yesterday and looked over Thule's news kayak cradle that is their competition to the Yakima rollers. It has a synthetic fiber surface and is able to pivot to conform to the shape of the boats hull. Has anybody tried it to know if it is easy to slide the boat up and unto the rack? Price is less at $55 than rollers but will it work? Mark Ps Tomorrow is the maiden voyage of my Arctic Tern. Can't Wait!!!!!! *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I have it on my Subaru Outback. It works very nicely. My only concern with it was that, with the boat sitting in place, you can easily slide the boat sideways back and forth in the cradle, so I was worried about whether the boat might shift on the road. I installed the old style saddles forward, and the new sliding ones aft, so the boat is pretty snug when loaded. I have hauled two different boats (a WS Sealution and a CD Caribou) on the system, but so far only on short trips (under 50 miles). No problems. I just make sure the back straps are wrapped tightly and do an extra wrap around the whole cradle/boat. I like the Yakima rollers -- problem is, I don't like much else about the Yakima system (especially the round bars). So the new Thule sliding cradles were a welcome development for me, and I'm satisfied with them. Mark Lane NY >I was at our local REI yesterday and looked over Thule's news kayak cradle >that is their competition to the Yakima rollers. It has a synthetic fiber >surface and is able to pivot to conform to the shape of the boats hull. Has >anybody tried it to know if it is easy to slide the boat up and unto the rack? >Price is less at $55 than rollers but will it work? > *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> I was at our local REI yesterday and looked over Thule's news kayak cradle > that is their competition to the Yakima rollers. It has a synthetic fiber > surface and is able to pivot to conform to the shape of the boats hull. Has > anybody tried it to know if it is easy to slide the boat up and unto the rack? > Price is less at $55 than rollers but will it work? > I tried mine for the first time yesterday. I mounted the cradle as long to the right side of the car as possible. The Sealution II was placed with the cockpit in the middle of the cradle and after some minor adjusting it layed very sturdy There was no problem to get the kayak on the rack and to get it off I rolled it on to my shoulder. I liked it very much. Easy to rig. The band clips are covered with rubber so you don't scratch the boat. Kor *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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