Help Needed - best way to lock a kayak to the roof rack?

[telwyn]

Anyone have any recommendations on the best way to lock a kayak to the roof rack? The only solutions I've found on the web are listed here and they seem somewhat insecure - either could be cut with a bolt cutter, but perhaps these are as good as it comes?

Lash Lock

Yakima BoatLocker

If these are as good as it gets, anyone have experience with either of them?

Do you need two per boat so you can't slide the kayak out on either end?

 

[kerry]

I typically use a stainless u-bolt thru the kayak to which I can then attach a cable. I agree that it can be easily cut but most methods are subject to that same problem. A serious thief can be successful but it deters opportunistic crime. Been using them for about 20 yrs with no theft of a kayak yet. I did have a canoe stolen which was locked with a cable around a wooden thwart. The wooden thwart was cut.

 

[rynosurf]

I lock my surfboard to my rack using two cables, one would probably work but I use one on each crossbar so it can't be shimmied out. Feed the cable under the crossbar on one side, throw both ends over the kayak to the other side, then twist one end of the cable around the crossbar to take up any slack and lock the eyes together. I use two 6' cables but you would probably need 10 footers, they cost about $10 a piece. This also gets rid of the need for straps and they will never break.


Or you can just buy these... http://www.rei.com/product/758566

 

[case]

We use cables for the canoe and kayak and haven't had an issue yet. Someone with cutters or other tools will make short work out of pretty much any option out there.
For us it comes down to rather losing the boats than have serious damage done to our vehicle and losing the boats. Friends of ours basically had the roof rack of their Expedition ripped off to access a kayak and two bikes because they had them locked up so well. They were parked a hundred feet off a well traveled road when it happened. IIRC the thieves did upwards of $3K in damage to the Expedition get the stuff off.

 

[DesertBoater]

Home made cables and a combination lock...It's more of a deterrent than anything. If someone wants your boats, they'll come equipped with bolt cutters...I have heard stories about paddlers in a diner with their rig parked outside the window that they were sitting at watching some jack-***** "testing" their straps and looking suspicious until he noticed the lock and cables and wandered off. Good luck with it!

Cheers,
West