Date:         Sun, 16 May 2010 22:33:26 -0230
Reply-To:     Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joy Hecht <jhecht@ALUM.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Roof rack for kayaks on 91 Vanagon Westfalia
In-Reply-To:  <3ABB39A0-6E9B-4AB2-8058-188204530BEB@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

How long are your kayaks?  I've got yakima racks on my roof rack - I
actually don't know how far apart they are.  My boat is 19 feet - are your
boats long or short?  Probably it's best to think of the distance in terms
of what best supports the length of your boat.  My front rack is just behind
the skylight - you don't want the racks to block it.  I can actually move
the saddles around through the skylight, which is kind of useful.  If you
are not very tall, or don't plan to travel with a step ladder to reach the
saddles that aren't near the edge, that's particularly useful, if you need
to adjust the saddle placement depending on what boats you have up there.
(I sometimes have my boat upside down, sometimes right side up, and the
saddles need to be spaced wide for upside down, so this is useful.)

This all sound rather vague, I guess!

Do bear in mind that popping the top with boats up there is MUCH harder than
without.  With my setup - racks plus saddles weigh perhaps 15 lbs, boat
weighs 47 - there's no way I can pop the top by myself.  I used to ask
strangers to help when camping in campgrounds - with two people it's easy,
but even the men I would ask to help usually couldn't do it by themselves.
I've got hydraulic struts now, that works better.



Joy

On Sat, May 15, 2010 at 8:39 PM, gneiss9 <gneiss9@gmail.com> wrote:

> I am installing a set of standard bars ("Gary-Lee roof rack") on my
> Westy and am wondering who else has done the same (spacing for
> kayaks).  I know the rear rack will be drilled into the rear hinge
> supports of the Westfalia roof but as far as the front rack goes,
> what is the ideal distance apart for mounting cradles for sea-
> kayaks?  I've read the recommends on the GoWesty article and still
> would like some advice from those who've done this.  I was thinking
> of placing the bars just far enough apart to support the boats on
> either side of the cockpit (perhaps 40-48" apart?).
>
> I'm putting on Thule "Set-to-go" cradles to support the boats once
> the rack is installed.  There may not be any wrong way to do this but
> just wanting some reassurance before drilling into fiberglass roof!
>
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Trevor Reynolds
> Airdrie, AB, Canada,
> '91 GL 2Wheel drive, AT, Westy "SEN".
> http://westfalia-91restore.blogspot.com/
>