: I will give this more thought before I make a final decission. I am not
: worried about the security so much because the way I would have it bolted
: would make the Kayak Kidnapers have to saw the rack off of the car. I
: would use counter sink bolt heads in the metal straps with the nut sunk
: inside the wood rack and sealed in with TOUGH CARVE so it was completely
: hidden and the counter sink head would also be cover over also so a screw
: driver could not be inserted into the head slot. But I do have a better
: understanding of this and I may just forget the whole thing and get the
: towers. For some dumb reason I thought I had to have everything. Thanks
: for my education.

: John

Nah, the kayak kidnappers wouldn't go through all that trouble. They would just undo whatever was was attaching the boats to the rack (cutting if necessary, nonchalently acting like it was *their* boat otherwise, and not thinking twice about sawing through the rack if need be) and leave the rest alone. The rack nappers wouldn't bother with your homemade setup -- they're after name brand rack parts that they can sell "used."

Don't lose sleep about it (you don't seem like the fellow who is going to--) but be realistic about what the theft threat is for you. ($300 worth of rack towers, bars, and accessories, sitting unlocked on an empty car in the mall parking lot.)

The only time I got scared for my boat was when I was in a full grocery store parking lot in Bend, OR. The only place to park was next to a white SUV -- then, as I was in the checkout line, through the window I caught a glimpse of a white SUV driving by with a wooden kayak on top.... as it turns out, it was a coincidence, and NOT my boat, but it got me thinking about how easy it would have been for a thief to park next to me & transfer my boat to the top of his vehicle and drive off, deflecting any questions from passersby about "why are you untying the boat" with some concocted story about a roundez-vous and shuttling to a put-in/take out. I'm not paranoid (nor do I lose sleep over it)-- but I *do* think about where I park when I'm travelling with a boat on top.

Julie Kanarr
Wilsall/Livingston