Roof Storage Needed / Ideas ?

[Petervs]

There are many inflatable and portable kayak designs out there, some are toy like but some are expedition quality. Check into it, you can just store them in a bay. Easy!

[0533]

There are many inflatable and portable kayak designs out there, some are toy like but some are expedition quality. Check into it, you can just store them in a bay. Easy!

The idea of an inflatable Kayak or small boat has been appealing to us over the years, but the reality says otherwise.

Kayaks like most hull designs preform best as a rigid lightweight, longer is better designs. We have found that even plastic kayaks do not perform as well as Polycarbonate or carbon too much give through the water (movement) do not track as well, harder to paddle require much more energy. A long distance outing really wears you out in these types of hull designs

We have owned many Kayaks over the years and have settled on 13.5' (longer is better but there are issues with the 17.5' sea kayaks that outweighs their consideration) rigid, Ploycarbonate, much faster much easier to paddle. The next step is the actual Paddle carbon is best light weight and moves more water with less effort. A really good paddle can cost $400 some plastic Kayaks can cost $400. Even a plastic Kayak is better with a carbon paddle

Sorry to bore you with details, but we love kayaking do a lot. For now at least. you will be careful before you bring this subject up again.

[dalej]

Jeff,

How about you tell her that you will only stay by lakes and rivers where there is a rental store near by! You can always say "Well they said they rented kayaks, sorry!" Then get on your Kawasaki and take off!

[LA-HODAG]

Jeff: I puzzled over this problem for a long time and finally gave up and got a good inflatable. I just leave it in the bay and its ready in a few minutes whenever I want to use it. The roof of my toad is reserved for bicycles, so my only options were like yours, roof of the bus or lashed to the rear of the bus. I decided that neither of those options are practical, after spending a bunch of time trying to design a loading device for rooftop storage.

Pam & Bruce are correct that the inflatable is by no means as good as a nice polycarbonate boat for serious kayaking, but for general puttering around, a good inflatable (I got mine at REI) is surprisingly rigid and durable. I'm not going to be winning any races in it, but it is fine. It all comes down to personal choices, I guess. Although I like having the boat with me, I am more passionate about cycling than kayaking so I won't give up the roof space on my jeep.

Let us know if you figure out how to do an efficient and safe roof mount.

[0533]

Bikes on the roof for us was more than my wife (me to) wanted to handle, bad enough putting kayaks up after a long day on the water. There will be compromises without a doubt unless one has a Stacker, but of course this can be a pain as well.

Some pics with full action shots of Boats and bikes in use. All images while in Nova Scotia, Lunenburg water scenes, New Brunswick biking, and Cape Bretton camping