[Paddlewise] rack spacing & 'reshaping' plastic hulls

From: Keith Wrage <keith.wrage_at_charter.net>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 11:07:44 -0500
I have a full-sized van with rain gutters and a rack that I can mount 
anywhere along the length of the roof.

Someone's comment in the bow-stern tie-down exchange got me to wondering if 
it is better to space the rack bars apart further - or closer 
together?  Say on a 16 ft boat - should it be support 4 ft from either end 
- leaving 8' in the middle?  Or under the main section of the hull - rather 
than the highly tapered sections?

How does the recommendation change for a plastic boat - exposed to 
sunlight/heat while loaded....it a wide spacing more or less apt to allow 
the hull to deform in the sun?  Seems that a wide spacing might be more 
prone to lengthwise deformation (adding 'rocker') while a close spacing 
would more quickly cause 'boops' in the flatter, less rigid section of the 
hull around the cockpit - from the saddles or foam blocks.

Thanks,
K



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Received on Tue Jun 24 2003 - 09:07:42 PDT

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