Yakima Rack question...anyone done this?

[FJOE]

Just keep in mind that if these are polymer boats, storing them upside down, then securing them with rope/straps over several hundred miles WILL deform the boat. Especially if its in any sort of heat. The rack bars press against the plastic, and combined with vibration and heat and the tension of the straps will cause dents that are very hard, if not impossible to remove. Not cool on an expensive boat. There is a reason that most rack store the boats on their side, or in a "V" shaped cradle, deck-up.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Just keep in mind that if these are polymer boats, storing them upside down, then securing them with rope/straps over several hundred miles WILL deform the boat. Especially if its in any sort of heat. The rack bars press against the plastic, and combined with vibration and heat and the tension of the straps will cause dents that are very hard, if not impossible to remove. Not cool on an expensive boat. There is a reason that most rack store the boats on their side, or in a "V" shaped cradle, deck-up.

Actually, the inverse, of your inverted boat theory, is true. The deformation of boats is called oil-canning, and it is best avoided. However, the worst scenario involves oil-canning the wetted surface of the boat which can alter tracking or simply slow the boat to a crawl. If you don't have dedicated saddles for the boat to carry it upright, the ideal scenario is to protect the wetted surface (bottom) and place the boat upside down with the bars contacting the boat at the places that have maximum material and are stiffest. The combing of the cockpit works. If the boat has a bulkhead or hatch area, those reinforced spots make for good contact points.

 

[Lucky j]

Question, did you mesure them, to my knowledge, they are 1" diameter. But with this, I'm not sure anymore.

As for wrapping tape around them, like mention, It's a no go for me to. But I think you could try shrink tubing with hot melt glue Inside. I'm sure it wont be as good as the genuine stuff that Yakima use, but better than tape.

I'm following this tread, I'm one of the gur that as never been fully satisfied with Yakima or thule equipment. Theire is always a good side and a bad sike to any of the stuff.

The Yakima bars are 1 1/8 outer diameter. Since you already have the towers just buy the bars. You'll notice the Railgrabs have teeth that bite into the plastic coating on the bars to kee them from rotating. If you used an uncoated steel bar the towers would work well. Also you won't need the 78" bars. The 66" will fit fine. You aren't grabbing the kayaks at their widest point.

As said above, Yakima will bear liability if something happened and you were using the system correctly. If you are using only parts of the system, everything is on you.

FYI REI Anniversary sale 20% off Yakima this week too.

 

[RangerXLT]

What is does the price difference for convenience and security? I would say buy the yakima bars and be done with it. I occasionally see that size on Craigslist. I have a set of 58" bars on rail grabbers and a separate rack system with 78" bars that are probably close to 15 years old now. Get the quality bars and be done with it. Also just my .2 cents but I wouldn't use ratchet straps either, in my experience I've seen ppl over tighten the straps numerous times resulting in damage to the canoe/kayak. My uncle turned me on to these straps from NRS. Never let him down or me down. Just saying.

http://www.nrs.com/product/1440/nrs-1-hd-tie-down-straps


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