Uhmmmmm...I guess my idea for lugging my 17 footer around is a little different. I use my winter and rain boots to form craddles at either end of the car roof. I then tie the 'yak down with heavy duty bungie cords which are looped around the kayak at either end and tied to the suspension springs. I use two bungie strings to tie the front end of the kayak to the towing loops under the engine and one to stablize the back end using a hole in the hitch. When I am done the boat is effectively a part of the car (no scratching because boots are rubber). I replace the bungies when they begin to lose their elasticity. It looks different but it has worked for hundreds of highway miles. I am going to add webbing using rain channel clips for added security. The yak is 50 lbs and I can load and unload it quickly from the roof of my Honda Accord. I'd like to get a proper rack some day but I'm busy saving to build another 'yak...guess when that one is done a rack will become a necessity.