One more minor point to consider: If this stuff is loose in the boat, the weight will shift if you tip the hull--which you will, getting it on or off the rack, or just toting down the trail. I hate when that happens.

: So, you build a boat, and it doesn't come with a safety and use manual. My
: old plastic Dagger had a bit in the manual about not storing stuff in the
: boat during transport, so I've always had a tub o' stuff in the trunk. It
: would cut transition time down to have paddle, pfd, etc. right in the boat
: to head to/from the water.

: I suspect part of the recommendation is about keeping weight from misshaping
: a plastic hull while sitting in the sun on top of the car. But there's
: probably some thought too about keeping mass down in the event of a
: kayak-cum-missle mishap on the road, or stuff flying out if a travel cover
: is not used or is lost to the wind.

: Where do we come down on the safety/convenience continuum for this issue?
: FWIW, I'm a good boy when it comes to solid racking, bow/stern lines, etc.