BCITORGB wrote in message
oups.com...
Mike says:
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Inflatable roofrack + sea kayak = either badly dented roof or lost
boat.
Probably both. I'd encourage you to fit some proper bars, probably
Thule,
and Thule J bars or similar.
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This seems to contradict previous posts. Like Cracked Pumpkinhead, I'm
among the uninitiated and am following this with great interest. My
emotions, right now, are like roller coaster...

Yeh, I know - sorry! Have a look here
http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/f...pic.php?t=6544 - UKRGB (
http://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/) is a UK site with an active forum and
this very subject got discussed a while back. Accepting that we're talking
river-boats and hire cars, the principles remains true.

You said you have a small car and even allowing for bow and stern ropes,
you're going to apply some serious leverage to the roof once you've got a
sea boat up there.

Just by way of a wee addition to the debate, a friend was telling me of
being down in N Wales watching a client of ND Kayaks loading her brand new
ND Explorer onto a small European car and using inflaters. The roof dented
to the extent where it didnt recover. A lot of money to fix.

On a personal basis, my sea boat cost me well over a months salary - no way
am I going to entrust something so precious to me to either a blow-up tube
or a few bits of foam. I'm not going to risk any damage to my car either so
for me anyway there's no alterantive to a proper set-up.

I bought Thule bars 5 years ago and they've been on three cars since - the
KCS J's were bought 10 years ago and are still fine. Seems a good bit of
value to me anyway. Now I dont want to get flamed and I realise I'm a new
boy here and that a whole lot of folk have advised that inflaters, or foam,
or whaever will be fine so I'll leave you to make your own decision.

Enjoy your new boat. Mike.