CanvasCampers - Forum: Kayaking

Lone Lock on Kayak J hooks....are they needed?

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 03:58:30 -0400

I have put the kayaks in my camper before. But I wanted to be able to transport them to the local lake when not camping and I just didn't like them in the camper. I guess I'll make some bow lines for my 3 hour drive next week.

thingette1 on Kayak J hooks....are they needed?

Sun, 11 Jun 2017 08:11:45 -0400

I bought J cradles from amazon, 2 sets for $99. I couldn't get two kayaks to stay on top of my SUV load bars and be comfortable going very far like that. They work great. I do have bow lines too, but they are really not necessary for short/local trips as I strap the kayaks to the cradles securely. I do use them when transporting long distances. The straps for the bow lines fold down under the hood and are not visible when not in use.

When in doubt, you can put them in your camper. They should fit. Hmm... might be interesting to watch you pack up ;D

Marc S. on Kayak J hooks....are they needed?

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 09:03:28 -0400

Flat on the bar is fine if you have room . J-cradles can buy you some bar space but also add wind resistance side to side. You should use bow and stern straps, I watched a $2300 kayak take off from a roof on 95 that wasn't tied bow and stern. Don't over tighten the bow line it just needs to keep the wind from lifting up. If you do use some kind of saddles or cradles be sure to strap around the load bar not just the door of the mount.

Lone Lock on Kayak J hooks....are they needed?

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 05:01:12 -0400

I just purchased 2 kayaks and I have a Thule roof rack system on the cab of my truck. Currently I only have the flat bars. No bike racks or kayak J hooks on there. I am debating about if I need the J hooks or not.

-Is it better for the kayak itself?
-Is it to put the kayaks on their side to fit more on a smaller roof?
-Are they supposed to make the kayak more secure?
-Are they supposed to make it easier?
-Do you need ropes going from the kayak to the bumper of your car? That looks like overkill to me.

*I am confident in my tie down abilities and have the proper straps. I used to go to flea markets with my dad and the roof of the van looked like the Beverly Hillbillies truck driving in with tables and oversized stuff strapped to the roof....never lost anything.
*The bars are super long so putting 2 kayaks side by side laying flat is not a problem.
*I have been watching people load their kayaks on the J hooks and frankly it looks like a major PIA. Right now I can just put the kayak on the edge and slide it on. I can load up in under 5 minutes....2 straps per kayak.

busdriverwc75 on Inflatable Kayak

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 11:19:48 -0400

Matt, we've had the Sea Eagle tandem for 6 yrs or so. For us, it was a great way to get back on the water (we used to canoe a lot in younger yrs) It is sturdy, very roomy, easy to transport & store. Our model has the skegs on the bottom, which help with the tracking so it's not like you're getting blown across the water in a kiddie inflatable pool toy. It handles waves well, but wind can take a little effort. For the first time, last summer, each of us took it out solo & were surprised at how easy it was to handle by ourselves.

For us, the biggest drawback was the time, not really for the set up, but for the packing away. Chris is very meticulous about deflating, drying, wiping, etc before folding it up. On longer trips, it wasn't much of an issue, but for short 2 night wknd trips, we found ourselves not bothering. So, we bought 2 solo hardside kayaks last year to get us on the water more again. We find that we can go on more quick, spur of the moment paddles now that we aren't concerned about drying the boat out before we leave. Also, the tandem is not really heavy, but it is long & requires two of us to carry it. With the 2 small ones now, we can each just grab one & go.

Elmira Fudd on Inflatable Kayak

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 05:39:09 -0400

If you have amazon prime you can get it quick

Lone Lock on Inflatable Kayak

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 05:16:50 -0400

I just realized I probably will not have time to order one from Amazon. I'll have to get one from a store this weekend if I buy one.

Busdriver!!! Steve!!!! Do you guys like your inflatable kayak? Or would you suggest trying to convince DW to get a traditional kayak?

Vagov on Inflatable Kayak

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 08:32:11 -0400

been looking at a sea eagle inflatable, looks pretty soild, myself

Elmira Fudd on Inflatable Kayak

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 05:58:47 -0400

Busdriver and guitarman both have inflatable. Maybe they can give you their opinions

Lone Lock on Inflatable Kayak

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 05:13:28 -0400

I would like to buy a kayak for my son and I to use on our next camping trip. DW has declined the purchase of a 2 person kayak....they are too expensive and she doesn't think I will use it enough to warrant the purchase :-[ She did say if it was $150 or less then OK but I haven't found anything, even used, for less than $500.

I see inflatable kayaks in my price range that I could get DW to approve. However, I have this fear in my mind that inflatable kayaks are toys and a PIA. What are your thoughts? I can rent a kayak for $50 for the day but 3 rentals would equal the purchase of this and I would have something I could have fun with my son a few more times in the future.

I found THIS on Amazon. What are your thoughts on it? Is it a toy? Will it be a PIA to paddle?

BTW, my son is 6 and probably would not contribute much to paddling if at all. Combined we would be about 325 pounds.

catseye on How do you haul your toys?

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 12:25:09 -0400

[img width=640 height=480]http://www.catseyeweb.com/kz900/in_bed1.jpg[/img]

Pathwacker on How do you haul your toys?

Thu, 19 Mar 2015 08:26:01 -0400

[img width=640 height=360]http://i756.photobucket.com/albums/xx205/PAthwacker/Facebook/Mobile%20Uploads/194296_3154370238294_1787270456_o.jpg[/img]

Here was only front bike hitch setup but it was the last trip with my k3500 srw long bed. It had a hitop cap with Thule rain gutter towers. The front hitch carried 3 bikes. On Labor Day weekend 2012 I was in suburban New Jersey returning from a trip. Approaching a green light in a valley light cruising at 30 mph in a 50 mph zone. As I came over the hill a car cut in front of me and braked hard to turn right at light. They had to check mirror to move from left lane to right my lane to turn lane(3). At same time of panic brake two cars moved at once to avoid stalled at green Yukon. It was wet and the trailer locked up I had less than 3 lengths to panic stop 12000lbs at 30 mph. It didn't stop.

Now have a racked up k2500 sub. My bikes are jammed in the camper. Canoe, kids bike or roof pod on the sub. I use an oak orchard mega canoe and kayak roller to solo the canoe onto the sub.

Wizfisher on How do you haul your toys?

Wed, 18 Mar 2015 17:37:50 -0400

We have a truck and the bikes go in the bed.
The kayaks go on top of the truck, on racks over the bed.
If I still had an SUV, I would use some type of rack over the tongue if possible as I have never been a fan of the racks on the back of the camper.

JoeCamper on How do you haul your toys?

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 18:17:15 -0400

and I thought I hauled a lot... :rofl:

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Ryanincc on How do you haul your toys?

Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:16:22 -0500

If your pup has a GVWR of 3500 lbs or less, you can get a "towable bike rack" on sale right now on Amazon.

qid=1418065900&sr=8-4&keywords=towable+bike+rack

It's basically a bike rack that you can put a tow ball on and tow directly from the bike rack. Just remember the bar is straight. For me, I need a 2 inch drop for my pup to be level.

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