How to attach kayaks

[1tonpaulie]

I have a 2010 grandby with the cheap boat rack. I just got two kayaks and want to mount them to the roof. Any ideas or thought would be helpful.

Thanks Paulie

 

[BobD]

Since you already have the racks all you should need are some cam straps to secure them. Here's the link to NRS, I've used their straps for years with no problems.

http://www.nrsweb.com/frames/straps.asp

 

[Lighthawk]

I've gone through this and have posted about it on this forum. The short answer that I learned was to use a combinations of Yakima rollers in the back and saddles in the front. Absolutely use cam straps, per BobM. For me I need a small step stool, which we use anyway, to tie down the boats.

I later learned I could strap the nose(s) down to the bar on my cab and save the long straps across the hood. I like to have at least three straps on each boat, two on girth and one on the nose. Sometimes I'll secure the stern of each 'yak if we're driving far or rougher roads.

 

[bsharp007]

Yakima and Thule both make adapters that allow you to attach their kayak carriers to just about any aftermarket rack. Their systems will come everything you need including the straps. Most people go with a 4 point attachment for each kayak. 2 straps attach the kayak to the crossbars and one strap on each end of the kayak going to the bumpers with a tension system. This has worked well for me with two 50lb 18' kayaks from CA to Canada, Baja and elsewhere. Dont make the mistake of just trying to strap your kayak directly to the racks especially if they are plastic, something called "oil canning" occurs causing the shape of the kayak to deform.


I have a 2010 grandby with the cheap boat rack. I just got two kayaks and want to mount them to the roof. Any ideas or thought would be helpful.

Thanks Paulie

 

[SunMan]

I use Rac Roll surf racks. Kayak sits fully on the racks and does not come in contact with camper surface.

http://www.racroll.com/

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I have seen customers just wrap small pieces of the black foam pipe insulation over the aluminum boat / luggage rack, set the kayaks on that, and then secure eveything down.

I have also seen customers attached the Yakima or Thule kayak saddals directly to the aluminum boat / luggage rack, set the kayaks on those, and then secure eveything down.

Some basic sample pictures attached.

Hope this helps with ideas.




.

 

[1tonpaulie]

Hey thanks for all the great input. I really like Lighthawk idea of rollers in the back for easier loading and saddles in the front for added holding. Sunman I liked yours the best, but the link doesn't work. They may not have paid the hosting fees?. Anyway Thank You to all!

Paul Vollmer

 

[Lighthawk]

Hey thanks for all the great input. I really like Lighthawk idea of rollers in the back for easier loading and saddles in the front for added holding. Sunman I liked yours the best, but the link doesn't work. They may not have paid the hosting fees?. Anyway Thank You to all!

Paul Vollmer


Thanks Paul. The components I used are Hully Rollers / Mako Saddles, which is a common set up. I bought some of the gear used on CL/Ebay. I can load a 12' long, 50# kayak solo, by getting the nose into the rollers then pushing it up and into place. I hang onto a rear strap to help control the boat, until it tips into the front saddles. It took a bit of experimentation to learn where I wanted the bars placed on the tracks/FWC; mostly the rear track needs to be as far back as possible. The other trick I learned is to preplace the front cam straps before I put the boats up.

 

[SunMan]

Paul,
I noticed the company website was kind of dead but you can google them and find them elsewhere. They are about $50 a pair. Good luck whichever way you go.