Thanks, Wayne.

The sunday sermon will have to come from Julie Kanarr (frequenter of this site who's a minister...)

I'm thinking I don't really need bow and stern straps, but I will probably double-strap the kayak down when I go across the Mackinac Bridge. I had a lighter-weight strap start to rip after crossing the bridge on a windy day. I'm also thinking that although my new Outer Island kayak is a foot longer than my old Arctic Tern, it is a good deal narrower and lower, so I'm hoping the dynamic loads are reduced. Plus the Thule H2GO cradles hold the kayak more solidly than the ones on my old Saris system did.

I think a trailer would be a much better option for your motorcycle -- for the boat, not passengers;-) I've seen some nice, lightweight tubular steel models that hold a couple of kayaks. They have spoked motorcycle wheels mounted on coil-over shocks. Very slick. I've only seen one, and it was being pulled behind a VW Vanagon Westfalia camper-van so that they could pop up the roof without having to deal with kayaks on top.

Dean