I'm planning to haul a 12' kayak to a local EOC event next month. There's no rack on the Element, so I'll need to haul it on foam blocks. Staying in a hotel overnight and it seems a little optimistic to just leave the boat lashed to the car in the parking lot overnight. Can't think of any way to lock it in place, but don't look forward to hauling it in and out of the hotel (and up 2-3 flights of stairs). I don't want to get a rack for the Element...I usually transport the kayak on a Thule rack on my truck.

Suggestions? Ideas? Comments?

1570

i use the kayak lasso on my 17' beast.

http://www.lassosecuritycables.com/support/

it's pricey at about $50, but its better than leaving the boat unlocked.

How about a nylon strap over the kayak and buckled inside the car? Would deter a casual thief.

Whats wrong with you ??

Just put it inside the E overnight !!:D

The straps may work, But aneyone with a pocket knife will have no trouble at all !

Why dont you leave it with someone in a camp site overnight?

Whats wrong with you ??

Just put it inside the E overnight !!:D

The straps may work, But aneyone with a pocket knife will have no trouble at all !

Why dont you leave it with someone in a camp site overnight?

You can leave it with me........is there a way to attach it to my E or a near by tree.......no prob, I'll sit for the yak!

Seriously, I'm not leaving the campground at all. And there's enough of us around there.....

now what color did you want me to paint it?:grin:

jurn

Hey Treetop:

Do you think the Lasso provides protection from bolt cutters or just "standard household tools" as listed on the website? Are you happy with this product? Are there other security devices to compare it to? Thanks for the link!:)

jurneez wrote:

You can leave it with me........is there a way to attach it to my E or a near by tree.......no prob, I'll sit for the yak! Seriously, I'm not leaving the campground at all. And there's enough of us around there

Thanks Jurn and Vinne for offering to yaksit!:D
(Maybe you two can make a little extra cash providing security at Quinebaug!)

How about a nylon strap over the kayak and buckled inside the car? Would deter a casual thief.
That's actually how I plan to transport it (along with bow/ stern lines). Figure that will be good enough for short stops, but not for overnight. I don't think the steel cable locks are long enough to wrap over the kayak and fit through the front windows. Plan to look for a battery powered motion sensor/alarm that I could clip or just set inside the kayak. Somebody must make something like that.

The best idea may be to leave it with Jurneez and tie Vinnie the Dog to it. However, I have this mental image of Vinnie bounding through the campground at 2 a.m. with a 12' yellow kayak bouncing behind him.

1572

Not sure what you could do w/ out a rack. I use a bike cable lock but along with my rack and through part of my kayak. I guess you could run the cable around a shut door (w/ cracked window) but if someone wants your kayak bad enough...

Okay, I’ve given this some thought and have some ideas. (I’m not a kayaker, but while staying on an island in northern Maine my sister in law was kind enough to bring me a kayak so I could escape from the craziness that was my wife’s family. The kayak is THE perfect personal transportation on the water and I loved my limited exposure)
Idea # 1 Talk to the hotel janitor. Janitors can hide anything anytime and are the most honest people working at the hotel.
#2 Chain it to a light pole in the parking lot. It works for bikes, why not kayaks?
#3 wrap that sucker in a tarp and put a sign on it “Nuclear Hazard” or “Bird Flu Test Object” or whatever your creative mind might come up with.
#4 McMaster-Carr has that yellow tape you can put around unsafe areas. I don’t know if they have “Crime Scene Investigation” or Contagious Infection” but they probably do have “Danger: Blasting Area.” Just post thast around your E for the night.
#5 Nebraska Bob has those cool bloody body parts he hangs from his E at Halloween. Maybe hanging an arm and a leg from the kayak would dissuade a thief. Or a fake bloody manikin?
#6 You could go down to the local Police Department or Fire Station and leave it those guys. How can you go wrong with that alternative?
Hope this helps!:)

Irv, good grief. That's a little overkill there, buddy!

I use a 6' piece of braided cable I got from HD with a loop on each end. I loop it through the ****pit brace inside the ****pit and then put both loops through the doors, attach 'em together with a cheezy cheap lock and close the doors and lock 'em. Anyone who is going to try hard enough to break either my Element or my kayak is going to do a proper job and cover my damn deductable. But for the most part, you don't need to worry about it too much. I find thieves aren't really all that much into excersize. Now, a whitewater kayak is a different story. Those white water bastards just plain don't have any friggin' souls.

Hey Ball deagle? You have a bicycle cable lock, right? Same thing.

Irv, good grief. That's a little overkill there, buddy!

I use a 6' piece of braided cable I got from HD with a loop on each end. I loop it through the ****pit brace inside the ****pit and then put both loops through the doors, attach 'em together with a cheezy cheap lock and close the doors and lock 'em. Anyone who is going to try hard enough to break either my Element or my kayak is going to do a proper job and cover my damn deductable. But for the most part, you don't need to worry about it too much. I find thieves aren't really all that much into excersize. Now, a whitewater kayak is a different story. Those white water bastards just plain don't have any friggin' souls.

Hey Ball deagle? You have a bicycle cable lock, right? Same thing.

Duh. Never even thought about a do-it-yourself cable. Yeah, that will work. No internal bracing, but there's a U-bolt behind the ****pit that I can feed the cable through. Kayak's not really that valuable, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A stitch in time also saves nine...and let's not forget about that rolling stone/moss thing.

Also considering using one of these... http://www.specialtyalarms.com/site/1313932/product/20-8102

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

1573

I'm planning to haul a 12' kayak to a local EOC event next month. There's no rack on the Element, so I'll need to haul it on foam blocks. Staying in a hotel overnight and it seems a little optimistic to just leave the boat lashed to the car in the parking lot overnight. Can't think of any way to lock it in place, but don't look forward to hauling it in and out of the hotel (and up 2-3 flights of stairs). I don't want to get a rack for the Element...I usually transport the kayak on a Thule rack on my truck.

Suggestions? Ideas? Comments?

1570
Befriend a local..........:twisted:

That's actually how I plan to transport it (along with bow/ stern lines). Figure that will be good enough for short stops, but not for overnight. I don't think the steel cable locks are long enough to wrap over the kayak and fit through the front windows. Plan to look for a battery powered motion sensor/alarm that I could clip or just set inside the kayak. Somebody must make something like that.

The best idea may be to leave it with Jurneez and tie Vinnie the Dog to it. However, I have this mental image of Vinnie bounding through the campground at 2 a.m. with a 12' yellow kayak bouncing behind him.

1572

no no no, the image is 2:ooa.m. we wake and find vinnie out in the 5 mile kayak trail having a great time.:grin:
he hates the water but loves kayaks.

Wait a minute here folks!!!! This is the New England EOC! We are awake at 2am and getting evacuated from the campsite aka Tentback Mountain:D

I'm wanting to buy a kayak and I am trying to figure what I need to do to haul it. I don't have a roof rack and I figure I'll need to get that installed first. Does anyone know if it is difficult to put one on yourself.

You'll find many answers to that question in the Racks & Hitches section.

I'm wanting to buy a kayak and I am trying to figure what I need to do to haul it. I don't have a roof rack and I figure I'll need to get that installed first. Does anyone know if it is difficult to put one on yourself.


Just get one ! Throw it in the E and drive up to the meet. We'll put it on for you !!