Simple roof rack kayak roller? Or slide on nylon over foam rack pad?

[mitchgrunes]

I've been using pool noodles with 1" center holes around the bars to cushion kayaks. But they degrade in the sun and weather, and fall apart in less than a year. I could use pipe insulation foam - but it is black, so I bet it does the same, plus they have slits down the length, so they might come off in the wind. (Maybe I could wrap duct tape around the entire noodle or foam, to keep out sunlight and close the gap. Not sure that would work.)

I saw an online picture where someone had put 2" diameter PVC pipe around a 1" round roof rack bar, so they could push their kayak on top from the back. (I have 1" diameter Yakima round bars.) That sounds like a great labor saving way to load kayaks.

If I did that, would it blow around and rattle in the wind when I drive?

(Unless I found something (cloth?) to wedge into the gap when they weren't being used to roll the kayak... (Not sure that can work reliably, and stay in place.)

Yakima used to make "Hully Roller" rollers, but people complained that the black rubber degraded in the sun, and left black marks under their kayaks. Also, there are complaints on the web that they didn't anchor the kayak very well, and they stuck up high enough to damage lightly built kayaks - which could affect me, because I carry my boats upside down (the top deck is approximately flat), so water doesn't pool inside.

Yakima and others sell kayak saddles - but my experience is that they all scratch the kayaks a lot, because the foam doesn't cover everywhere the boat touches.

There are some online plans to instead use suction cups to anchor a temporary roller, that you take off when done, but I'm not sure suction cups would work well enough. The devices are about $50-$60, but it might be worth it.

As an alternative, I might put "rack pads" with a nylon cover around the bars. Maybe nylon is slick enough for the boat to slide?? Anyone tried that? Would "weather resistant" nylon also degrade in the sun if left on the racks continuously? Most of them are black.

Or if I did wrap duct tape around pool noodles or pipe insulation, how long would it last in the sun and rain? (Maybe it is slick enough to slide boats too.)

 

[messabout]

Carpet remnants work nicely, they pad the boat, boat slides easily, it is cheap, and easily available. Will last for a long time even in my wicked Florida sun.

 

[mitchgrunes]

How do you secure the carpet to the rack?

Lots of duct tape? Some type of glue?

Any particular type of carpet?

 

[messabout]

Tie it with some string in several places. let it wrap around the carrier bars. You could use carpet tape if you like. That will leaver a sticky place when you remove or replace the carpet. A bit of mineral spirits on a rag will take the sticky mess off. Almost any type of carpet will work but indoor- outdoor type is mildly abrasive. I would opt for something else.

 

[mitchgrunes]

Thanks!

 

[Squidly-Diddly]

How do you secure the carpet to the rack?

Lots of duct tape? Some type of glue?

Any particular type of carpet?

I've had great success with standard indoor carpet with the course weave while cord backing and Construction Adhesive on bare aluminum. I mention BA because I suspect your rack's coating will be "non-stick" of some sort and your weak point. My project is several decades old and showing no signs of failure (DIY door dolly). Use "the good stuff" because many CA's are now watered down to comply with VOC regs and are IMO glorified yogurt. BTW, if you ever need to affix paper to hard surface such as concrete or steel etc, just use Condensed Milk in spray bottle on surface then again over the paper to soak through. Something about it when it dries and gets some sunlight turns it into almost epoxy and will be seemingly waterproof and need a sand blaster to remove. You will end up painting over it to get rid of it.
I've had success with DIY projects using soldering iron to poke holes in various plastic/rubber/vinyl to run paracord through. Melting VS cutting holes helps prevent sharp "V" areas where stress will concentrate and start tears.

 

[mitchgrunes]

Use "the good stuff" because many CA's are now watered down to comply with VOC regs and are IMO glorified yogurt. BTW, if you ever need to affix paper to hard surface such as concrete or steel etc, just use Condensed Milk in spray bottle on surface then again over the paper to soak through. Something about it when it dries and gets some sunlight turns it into almost epoxy and will be seemingly waterproof and need a sand blaster to remove.

Can indoor carpet stand up to alternating rain, ice sleet, snow and hot sunlight? (I don't care if the color fades.)

By "the good stuff", do you have particular glues in mind?

Do I understand from your comments that casein glues - i.e., your "glorified yogart" - would not be good for binding carpet layers together, even if you think they can be good for bonding paper to concrete or steel? I have seen warnings that casein glues weaken and become biodegradable when wet for long time periods.