How do you secure Kayaks to your boat?

[arcticspud]

We have a '99 310 sundancer and the current way we are securing two kayaks to the bow when we go on extended cruises is with bungee cords to the rail.

I have done a search and have not found much. Anyone have a better way?

Thanks,

Patrick

 

[Sundancer]

We take a 17 footer and just throw it across the back gunwhale. First thing we do is put it back in the water to tow behind us when we arrive to allow us to dock. I keep it alongside when putting it back on the trailer. Once the boat is on the trailer, I lift it so that it's right at the trailer winch, sitting at the trailer frame under the bow of the boat. I just tie it on there for road travel. I've been looking at some smaller ones to put up on the bow.

 

[Alibuma]

We're going to try and tow ours this summer. I was thinking of connecting each one to each transom ring and then tie the back ends together. I've been trying to think of a better way also. When you tie yours to the rail, are they hanging below the deck on the outside of the boat? Or do you have them on the deck, bungeed to the rail?

 

[Spot]

I blow mine up. However, we are looking at hard ones and had wondered how the best would be to secure them. Great thread.

 

[Crew Of Two]

Careful guys...these kinds of questions might make people think you are blowboaters! :grin:

 

[arcticspud]

Ours are extruded one piece units that we secure to the inside of the rail, on the deck with bungee cords. There has to be a better way though. I have seen trawlers with a U shaped support on the outside of the rail. That might work?

 

[Sundancer]

Ours are extruded one piece units that we secure to the inside of the rail, on the deck with bungee cords. There has to be a better way though. I have seen trawlers with a U shaped support on the outside of the rail. That might work?
View attachment 9342

Arctic Spud, how big is your kayak? Is that about 12 feet or so? I'm trying to figure out what will fit on the bow of our boat and it would be nice if I didn't have to remove them for trailering since we do that every weekend too!

 

[arcticspud]

Ours are 10'

 

[planecrazypilot]

These grey foam blocks from REI are the best! I just set them up on the bow and then place the kayak in the upright position and then secure with a strap to my center grab rails and then to the cleat. You really don't need much to keep them down an secure. I wish I had a pic, but imagine a 350DA with one on each side, just outside of the center grab rails in the upright position with the kayaks lined up with the boat. they ride really nicely!! and this is a cheap solution. I would also buy the smaller straps that you just pull tight and not the ratchet type or bungie's .. those things are just waiting to put an eye out!! Oh and the kayaks are 12feet.

http://www.rei.com/product/672423

 

[rcknecht]

we attach them to the rail wil tie down straps....

 

[arcticspud]

Interesting idea that I will have to take a look at. I don't have the center grab rails so that probably complicates the foam pads idea.

 

[arcticspud]

That's funny and much appreciated.

 

[Danny Troy]

Mine is on the extended swim platform. I really could not use the kayak on a boat this small (220DA)... but with the platform it's no problem.

 

[northern]

We had a 28 footer non SeaRay and carried two 18 foot sea kayaks on it. Used roof rack V holders and went from the back of the boat up at 45 degree angle to upper helm. We now have a 380 Aft Cabin SeaRay and put them on the front. We use hard rubber roller block off a boat trailer for the aft end and roof rack V bracket on the front. If you want pictures I can post.

 

[arcticspud]

please post the pics. thanks

 

[Kathyrau]

What about kayaks hanging on outside of bow rail?

We'd like to secure our two kayaks to the outside of our bow rail -- when they are sitting on the bow on the inside they block our view. Our two on the swim step also get in the way for many reasons.

We've seen larger cruisers and trawlers with the kayaks hanging on the outside of the bow rail, resting inside U shaped stainless brackets and tied down with a bungee - looks easy and they are out of the way.

Since I can't find anyone on the forum who has considered this, I am wondering if I am missing any issues with this installation.

Thanks for your thoughts
Kathy

 

[Gofirstclass]

Kathy, Is this what you're talking about??? If so they're available through REI (as are many other designs). I think these could easily be fastened to the bow rail or the stanchions using stainless steel "U-bolts". Then all it would take would be some bungee straps to hold the kayaks into the racks.

 

[Kathyrau]

Thanks Gofirstclass - that is the style we had in mind and have seen. One of our issues is that they would need to lie flat against the bow rail when not in use - this weekend we are at a marina where the fingers were so narrow you'd really hurt someone if they ran into these!

I guess I am most wondering if that these two "saddlesbags" hanging on the side of the boat would affect boat handling and/or gas mileage.

 

[Groucho]

Thanks Gofirstclass - that is the style we had in mind and have seen. One of our issues is that they would need to lie flat against the bow rail when not in use - this weekend we are at a marina where the fingers were so narrow you'd really hurt someone if they ran into these!

I guess I am most wondering if that these two "saddlesbags" hanging on the side of the boat would affect boat handling and/or gas mileage.

No effect on mileage or handling as long as they are out of the water, unless you are going really fast....
Lots of other factors hurting mileage.

 

[Gofirstclass]

Kathy, if you mounted them to the vertical bow rail stanchions with U-bolts, you could rotate them around to where they would be flat against the bow rails. The only thing sticking out then would be the square mounting brackets and the U-bolts.

If you left the U-bolts just a little loose, and put a tight zip tie around the stanchion below where the U-bolt went around it, that would keep the racks from sliding down (the U-bolt couldn't slip over the zip tie). You'd be able to rotate them "in" for storage or "out" for using without any hassle.

If you did this you'd want to wrap the ends of the U-bolts in electrical tape so if someone ran into one of them they wouldn't get cut.