Gordon, Make sure you use the right kind of plywood for the homemade rack. I didn't and the brackets delamaniated and ruint the rack. Luckly I found it before I lost a kayak. Paddle like this is your last day, Ronnie *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 8/25/2003 6:06:32 PM Pacific Daylight Time, bennoj_at_isomedia.com writes: > . I'd like to carry the K-Light without disassembling it > for local trips. Does anyone have any suggestions for a roof rack system > that will carry a folding kayak well? The Feathercraft site says any will > work, but I was hoping for some specifics if possible. > I usually cartop my Feathercraft K-1 for local trips and on occasion have cartopped my K-Light. I found it easier to just use Yakima rack bars padded with the tubular pads sufers use for their boards. At first I tried using the saddles and rollers with folding kayaks. They work o.k. but with folding kayaks but I found it easier to just use the padded bars. I find the assembly and disassembly of my1993 Feathercraft K-1 to be a time consuming chore, so for it's faster and easier for me to cartop it for local trips. Conversely, I find my 1996 Feathercraft K-Light quick and easy to assemble - about the same as installing the racks, strapping on the kayak and attaching the bow and stern lines. I tend to transport the K-Light folded unless I have other folks along in the car and need the trunk space for other stuff. Tony Niilus *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
----- Original Message ----- From: <Niilus_at_aol.com> > I usually cartop my Feathercraft K-1 for local trips and on occasion have > cartopped my K-Light. I found it easier to just use Yakima rack bars padded with > the tubular pads sufers use for their boards. At first I tried using the > saddles and rollers with folding kayaks. They work o.k. but with folding kayaks > but I found it easier to just use the padded bars. The windsurfer type pads are the way to go. You can even use them on factory racks if you stretch them around and secure with pieces of continuous velcro or plastic ties (get the UV resistant type). I too had saddles etc. in the beginning but got rid of them. I also have found that using a kayak stacker (Thule and Yakima have them) works well in conjunction with the windsurfer pads as the stacker gives you a tie on point. Several other things to bear in mind when cartopping a foldable: --Don't be timid in how much you cinch down the straps. It is okay to make them so tight that the straps indent the sponsons. --Do be careful if going through large altitude changes enroute, say climbing into mountains to reach some nice lake. Same with large temperature changes such as starting off on a cool morning but expecting to be in hot sun and high temperatures later. If doing either of these, then deflate the sponsons as the air expanding in them under such circumstances may lead to them popping. --Figure out a way not to tie the bow and stern bumper attachments to the carry handles on the folding kayak. Most handles are sewn in and tying the bumper lines to them might stress the stitches. I find that using a short length of webbing around the ends of the boat works well. Run them around the entire end and through where there the boat handles are attaches. This way the boat handles act only as a stopper to prevent the webbing strap from slipping off the end of the boat. Like Tony, I find that often enough it is just as easy to carry the folding kayak in the trunk rather than cartop. This is true of models that can be assembled in under 15 minutes. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 1365, Highland, NY 12528 Tel: 845-384-6979; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Wow it hadn't even occurred to me that you'd have the sponsons inflated when travelling. With the blue foam pads I've always left them empty and then filled them when I got to where I was going. Alas, I have not followed the conventional wisdom well and my K-Light has been left assembled for 4 years. I'm not sure now that I could get it apart, although I've done my best to limit salt contact with the frame. It was bought when I lived in an apartment and had no space for storage and when I moved into a house I just got lazy about breaking it down after each trip. Benno Jones <snip> > Several other things to bear in mind when cartopping a foldable: > > --Don't be timid in how much you cinch down the straps. It is okay to make > them so tight that the straps indent the sponsons. > > --Do be careful if going through large altitude changes enroute, say > climbing into mountains to reach some nice lake. Same with large > temperature changes such as starting off on a cool morning but expecting to > be in hot sun and high temperatures later. If doing either of these, then > deflate the sponsons as the air expanding in them under such circumstances > may lead to them popping. > <snip redux> *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
A good suggestion, but I'm more or less useless when it comes to building such things on my own. :-( It looks like a rack and the surfer pads are the way to go for me. Benno Jones > Benno- > I don't know if you'd consider building a rack. <snip> *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
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