First of all, as the owner of a 2000 diesel Golf and the former owner of a '79 Rabbit and '73 Baja Bug, I'm envious of your Westie!

I know this isn't an answer to your question, but I once saw a Vanagon Westfalia pulling a very lightweight motorcycle-type trailer with 2 kayaks on it. It had spoked motorcycle wheels mounted with coil-over shocks to a simple tubular frame. I think it could have hauled up to 4 kayaks. It was very slick since it allowed full use of the pop-top.

Is there any possibility of putting cradles way up front and way back? Put 2 cradles way up front over the non-pop-up part of the roof and 2 cradles way at the back. I've seen pickup-truck drivers do this with a very high cradle coming from their hitch reciever. Maybe someone else here will post a picture of this.

If you go the foam-block route, how about connecting the blocks together in pairs so they don't slide around as much? I've found that carrying 2 kayaks is more stable that just one. If they're tightened up to each other (with a piece of foam in between) they are steadier in cross-winds than one kayak alone. For added insurance, you might throw an extra strap or 2 just around the 2 kayak in their midsections. That way they help steady each other.

Dean

: Looking for a recommendation to carry 2 sea kayaks on a VW Westfalia. I have
: a Yakima rack with all needed accessories for my truck but of course the
: rack won't fit over the pop-top of the bus. The spacers Yakima sells won't
: add near enough clearance (I need somthing like 15"). I have been
: forwarned not to mount "Bronco Brackets" (what are mounted on
: canopies to hold a rack) to the fiberglass top. Not so much an issue of
: the top not handling the weight, as an issue of the top not being secured
: strong enough to the bus. I figure I will have to use the foam craddles
: sitting on the top w/ bow & stern lines, but the crown of the top is
: quite big and I'm worried about them sliding towards the sides. Any
: suggestions?

: David Marx