I'm in the process of building a Chesepeake 18 and decided to get a handle on what it would cost to transport it to the local put-in. I stopped by the local sports shop and asked about fitting my 88 Tercel with a kayak carrier. I had to stop the sales person after he reached $300 because: a)he wasn't done, b)he was foaming at the mouth, and c)I had a large cramp in my wallet.

So...what can I do? Are there any designs or ideas out there? I checked the archive and only found one truck rack idea mentioned. I don't think it will work because of my small roof (4'long by 3' wide). The car is 13' long over all so there is going to be a little overhang.

I saw an idea in a recent woodworking magazine where a guy transported all his long lumber by putting a deflated tire on the roof, strapping the wood on top, and inflating the tire to provide protection. Sounds like it would work with a kayak (cheep too) but not very good looking. Asthetics aren't every thing but I like the car and am very happy with the kayak. All brainstorming is greatly appreciated.

John