[Paddlewise] Racks on pickups

Would like to know of any practical roof rack experience from anyone who
has carried a kayak with the forward rack mounted to a pickup roof and
the aft rack attached to a fiberglass cap.  I'd like to be able to use a
third bar at the aft end of the cap with rollers or a skid to get the
kayaks up, but then secure them on the next two bars forward.  This
bridges a gap between the truck roof and the cap, obviously.  Specifics:
tough old F150 with rain gutters, short cab, long bed, and a solid Leer
cap the same height as the truck cab.  Perfect fit.  Will put artificial
rain gutters (Thule) on the cap, but prefer the idea of the truck roof
supporting some of the load and the cap handling the rest.  Also keeps
the kayaks above the truck vice carrying the load on the cap and having
some overhang aft.  All old, substantial Thule or Yak rack gear with an
old, substantial paddler at the wheel.  Just never before in a truck.

The obvious concern is that if there is some significant flexing or
movement between the cap and the cab, the kayak might be stressed or the
finish scuffed over time.  But there's movement on other racks --
observed on others' vehicles -- and we survive.  The intuitive reaction
is that forces will damage the boat.  Does anyone have first hand
evidence corroborating this -- or, better, refuting it?

For the record, I stopped kayaking (and PaddleWise participation) about
five years ago, after my Audi A4 Avant (wagon) was converted into an A3
(the Audi approximation of the VW Golf) by a Ford F250 at a stop light.
The car was totalled, and the impact set off a plaque avalanche that put
me in the hospital for some coronary artery remediation.  The Chesapeake
Light Craft North Bay (three and four mil plywood under fiberglass) on
the roof rack survived with some cosmetic rubber scuffing, while the
Audi factory roof rack collapsed -- as did the driver's seat.
Everything is relative, and a wood boat beats a metal car, a
manufacturer-designed rack and my semi-automatic personal pump -- but
the car and the rack were totalled and I'm fixed.  So living on a
Ford/Leer expansion joint may be not that hard for a CLC boat or two and
an ancient VCP Pintail to handle.

But I'd still like to find out from someone else's experience.  Sorry
about the length of the text.  (Great to be back with the list.)

Jack ("Joq") Martin
Canoe Neck Creek in Southern Maryland
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