Mike Wolf <michael.wolf_at_medtronic.com> wrote: > Perhaps its too late for you Eric and you've already drilled your holes in your > Westfalia, but here are my thoughts: it is important to put the bars under the > kayak bulkheads. My first reaction to Mike's recommendation was: "Bosh! Been yarding my FG yaks around for years without worrying about bulkhead/rack bar coincidence!" Then I recalled some new gel coat cracks induced by Bruno-strength tightening when one was on a padded straight-bar, nonsaddled Zodiac rack in the Charlottes ... and some old ones at the stern (on a light Eddyline layup) right where the yak fits the saddles. No structural damage I know of, but ... Almost all of the rack time of my FG yaks has been on quality Yakima saddles, with as much hull support as most rack systems provide. The problem areas have been way aft or way forward, where the saddle systems do not conform so well to the hull profile. Perversely, the hull of my light layup Wind Dancer shows no gel coat cracks at the forward strap location, which is way aft of the bulkhead, and and where the yak is of largest cross section. Good fit to the saddles? Don't know. Go figure? Probably. I think Mike has a good point, especially if the vehicle sees time on very rough roads. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Jul 19 2002 - 07:58:06 PDT
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