"BCITORGB" wrote in message
oups.com...
I love it.... I'm learning.... but: can we get resolution before the
summer? GRIN!

Hm......this IS Usenet, you know.

If you've got any kind of factory installed roof rack or an after-market
rack designed specifically for your vehicle by a reputable manufacturer and
properly installed, a couple of belly bands at either end of the rack will
do just fine for a short boat. Last summer, I traveled 700 miles this way
with a 9.5 foot kayak at speeds up to 70 mph and it never budged......and
this was simply strapped down to the existing rails......no pads, no
supports. I use inch and a quarter braided nylon webbing and
ratchets.....got 'em from Home Depot for about 12 bucks for a set of four.
The breaking strength on the webbing is far beyond anything you need to
think about. Just cinch them down till the bottom of the boat shows some
deformation and the webbing twangs nicely.

Of course, you have to KNOW that your skills in securing the boat are equal
to the task. When you can see the boat beginning to change shape, give a
tug, fore and aft. If it moves.....AT ALL.... cinch it down a bit
tighter.....and repeat. If there's any doubt, run a couple of ropes to
either end of the front bumper. If the boat is longer than about twelve
feet......run a couple of ropes to the front bumper.

If your vehicle doesn't have a rack, get four of those foam blocks made just
for this sort of thing. Do exactly as outlined above, except that now you
will have to run the webbing all the way around the boat AND the roof of the
car, which means passing it through the passenger compartment with the doors
open.

In either case, remember to put a half twist in every exposed length of the
webbing. This will eliminate vibration on a sometimes biblical scale.

Wolfgang
good luck........um......and remember, you never heard any of this here.