Hey Bill,

That's not the way I wanted to try out butt blocks, but I'll take what I can get *grin*.

I don't want to talk about the straps, either, but I ought to. The ratcheting straps aren't good... they allow way too much force to be applied to the frame of the kayak, and overzealous tightening can break that keelson or something else just as easy. Knowing that, I went really easy on the ratchets. I still feel better having replaced them with the clamping straps. If I had only known that the NRS straps double back, I would've bought longer. All the straps I've ever dealt with have hooks on each end, after the free end of the strap is run through the clamp. The NRS straps have no hooks... and if I had paid more attention to the product images, I might have realized that and ordered longer. Ah, well. Lessons learned.

I'll definitely be putting the cockpit centered on the roof racks in the future. I should have realized somebody might have been trying to tell me something when the coaming is 30" long, and the roof rack bars are 30" apart. Coincidence? Yeah, sure. But that coaming sits on two frames, which will take the brunt of the load when they're sitting directly above the bars... *sigh*. Hindsight is 20/20, ain't it?

: Hi Noel,

: Good chance to try butt blocks, one on either side of the scarf,
: epoxied to the keel, will fix that problem.

: I'm not talking about those straps, for now :)

: Btw, when you load the boat on the roof, put the cockpit above the
: racks, they always overhang the ends of the car.

: Bill H.