: I agree with that assessment, but whether there is an actual
: aerodynamic advantage to carrying boats upside-down is
: debatable, as I'm not aware of anyone who has actually done a
: controlled test. However, with SOFs, it can make a difference in
: preventing damage to the boat during transport, since
: upside-down carry in cradles puts the majority of the stress on
: the gunwales, which are the strongest components of the frame,
: rather than on the chines and ribs, which are not as strong and
: are more flexible.

: I can't see any point in J-cradles unless it's just really
: difficult to load the boat(s) on your vehicle without them. To
: wit:

: - They are more flexible than saddles and allow the boat(s) to move
: around more.
: - Standing boats on their side increases their "sail
: area", which combined with their increased height,
: increases the affects of cross winds on the vehicle.
: - This also ads considerably to the stresses on the rack and cross
: bars.

: Overall, IMO, J-cradles are a lousy idea unless you have no viable
: alternative.

: Ain't that the truth!

Nice thing about J-cradles is they take up much less room on the crossbars so you can put more boats on the rack at one time. I can carry 4 boats on the trailer with them but only 3 with standard cradles. I do agree though that the standard cradles offer much more support to the boat and is my choice for long trips when they'll spend long hours on the road.

Bill H.