: I read the post describing a 'wooden pipe' to allow a loop of rope. It
: comments about the ability to run a bike lock throught the same hole.

: What do you guys do as a security measure for kayaks, for example while on a
: car top. Are there any building suggestions to improve security.

: - Chris

As my father once told me, locking something up only keeps honest people from stealing it. In kayaking terms, if someone wants to steal your kayak, there really is no way to stop them - any locking technique I've ever seen can be defeated by a hacksaw or boltcutters. But locking it serves two purposes: 1. It keeps an otherwise honest person from being tempted to take it. 2. It makes the other guy's kayak more convenient for a thief to steal - and hopefully thieves are lazy.

The most common method I know of for securing a kayak to a vehicle is using a 15 foot cable (vinyl coated, like those used to secure bicycles), make a loop and slide it over the stern. Run the end of the cable under the racks, and secure to a u-bolt in the bow. Keep in mind that most people have fiberglass or plastic boats that have those protruding u-bolts. Most wooden bolts don't have them. My boats have them in both the bow and stern. I know others chose to mount the u-bolt inside the cockpit, behind the seat to avoid having a stainless steal "blemish" on the deck. They use a shorter cable, and run it from the u-bolt, around the rack bar, and back to the u-bolt. But like I said, one good pair of boltcutters will make quick work of the cable.

On a sea kayak, installation of the u-bolts at the ends of the boat require advanced planning. Unless your arms are much longer than mine, you will not be able to install them after the deck is attached to the hull. They must be installed earlier, and should be considered permanent. Use lock washers or lock nuts to be sure they won't loosen up. They are sort of a nuisance when varnishing, but not that hard to woek around.

The u-bolts are also quite handy for attaching bow and stern lines and carrying handles. It also avoids the large, heavy endpours required for running a rope through the hull of the boat.

Hope this helps,

Ken