Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 11:25:49 EST
Reply-To: Dldemarest@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Douglas Demarest <Dldemarest@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Kayak Transport on a Westy
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Hope this helps. I have lots of kayak carrying experience, but I have a
vanagon and have only seen other people's westy's
>The simple no cost solution would be to set my extra tall Thule uprights
>and load bars up over the pop top and lash on the boat as above. Or I
>could spring for the artificial rain gutters and bolt them to the pop top
>and use my lower profile uprights that I used with this setup on my
>former Westy. A little additional cost, a little additional angst in
>drilling holes in the pop top, but as long as the boat would clear the
>bikes in the rear, I could raise the pop top without dismounting boat or
>rack.
I think you'll need the rain gutter things to attach any tower, won't you? I
don't think the westies have an attachment points. The kayakers I know with
westies do what you mention: drill to attach the rain gutter things and then
use the tall Thule towers with 68" bars.
>- Are the luggage rack tie downs of sufficient strength to anchor a tie
>down line from the bow of the boat?
An important question is: how long is the kayak? Most whitewater kayaks can
be carried very securely with no bow or stern tie-downs. Outdoor stores
carry tie-down straps with buckles that are easy to use and very secure, or
just use rope and a trucker's hitch. I only use bow lines when I'm stacking
4 or 5 boats up top. A sea kayak (which would be as long as a canoe) would
need bow and stern tie-downs, though.
>- Can I use the foam blocks and just lash the boat to the roof?
I don't think this will be very stable for a kayak.
>- Oh yeah, the boat did not come with a paddle. Any buying tips
>appreciated. Also are most paddles one piece, or are there some that
>break down for transport, or are adjustable for different users?
Break down paddles are common for sea kayaks and as spares for whitewater.
If you're going to use it casually to cruise around a lake (and not flying
off waterfalls ,etc.) it probably doesn't matter too much what kind you get.
Usually, the cheaper the heavier
>- Where do you carry your paddle in your fully loaded Westy?
I just stick mine inside--i guess my van is never "fully loaded". You can
easily just lash it to the Thule bars and carry it up top.
Doug
