Steve Cramer wrote:
Melissa wrote:

The Yakima racks with "Stackers" should be able to fit two boats very
securely on your car with the 48' cross bars, but if you want, I see
no problem with getting the 58 inch bars (I use 58 inch bars on my
Subaru GL wagon, and I've carried two single and one tandem sea
kayaks on it without any problem). Most of the time, however, I just
carry one or two singles, both in the old TLC cradles (these work
better with my hard chine boats than the newer "Mako" cradles). I
tried the Mako cradles at one point, and returned them right away.

Now, I too have been told that we *shouldn't* use cross bars that
extend beyond the sides of the car, but I've been using my long bars
for many years now, and 1) they've been very useful in that
configuration, and 2) I haven't yet been arrested for it. :-)


58" bars are the minimum for serious boaters, I think.

Excuse me? So now, the "seriousness" of a kayaker is measured by the
length of the bars on their roof rack? What kind of ridiculous statement
is that?

One should purchase the bars that fit their car and carrying needs, not
some arbitrary length that you deem worthy. I easily fit 2, 16'-19' sea
kayaks and a paddle case (or two bikes) on 48" bars, which happens to be
the size that fits my car best. Extra bar length would be nothing more
than a hazard.

The issue isn't
so much getting arresting as clipping something, say a passing car or a
McDonalds's drivethrough window, with the end of the bar.

How about you or a pedestrian whacking their head on the protruding end?
I'll bet if you asked rack manufacturers, that would be their #1
concern, since McDonald's drivethrough windows can't sue them.

Rule of thumb:
bar ends--and anything mounted on the bars--should not extend past the
end of your mirrors.

That seems reasonable, though local laws may not allow it.

The old vertical bar Yakima stackers are the best, the new vertical bar
stackers are about as good. Avoid the inverted U's, they will not stay
upright. OP was going to haul rec boats. Fine, slap them on the bars
edgewise and head out. Just tie them down to each bar plus bow and stern.

I would never use stackers for carrying sea kayaks, nor would I use
J-cradles. Neither holds the boat as securely as standard cradles and
both put more stress on the rack, due to the leverage they create and
the increased sail area of boats sitting on their sides.