Thanks to all for your help replies to my post.

Doug

"Michael Daly" wrote in message
...

On 5-Apr-2006, wrote:

If the crossbars are particularly flimsy/flexible, especially if the
weight of a boat tends to bow them downward it'll help to stiffen
them up by stuffing a piece of foam between the rack crossbar and the
roof (those foam gunwale blocks that are sometimes used carrying canoes
on car roofs may work, or just a chunk of minicel carved to shape).

I'd rather take a 2x4 or 2x6 pair and make crossbars that sit right on the
roof.
Stand the wood on edge and cut the underside to match the profile of the
roof.
Cover with carpet or closed-cell foam to protect. Use U-bolts to attach
the
two-bys to the existing crossbars close to where they attach to the
fore-and-aft
rails. Downward load will be carried by the wood, uplift will transfer
without bending
the crossbar.

The top and sides of the two-bys can be drilled/modified/whatever to take
all sorts
of saddles, stops, tiedowns and anything your little heart desires.

Mike