Securing a Kayak? A bike?

[Chugach001]

I'm working several days per week in the big city of Los Burlington and want to bring my kayak up for evening paddles. Any suggestions on how I secure it to my car so it doesn't get stolen?

Also, I plan to wrap my bike to my rack with a cable and lock - any more elegant methods out there?

Thanks,

 

[Jay H]

I've seen cable locks that are made for kayaks:

http://kayak.nrsweb.com/boating/Kayak Lock

You could google kayak locks thuogh, the above is just NRS. I've seen them at paddlesport shows too as well...

Jay

 

[Little Rickie]

I've seen cable locks that are made for kayaks:

http://kayak.nrsweb.com/boating/Kayak Lock

You could google kayak locks thuogh, the above is just NRS. I've seen them at paddlesport shows too as well...

Jay

What's to keep them from taking the car rack off?

 

[Jay H]

What's to keep them from taking the car rack off?

You can buy locks for most thule/yakima racks that slow thieves down. The locks are probably easily defeated by a screwdriver but then again, they could just steal the car too.

Jay

 

[Chugach001]

The straps look good but my boat doesn't have a "handle" to run the cable under. I was thinking about drilling and putting in a swaged wire and that's when I thought I should ask for advice. The holes are going to create small leaks and I'd like to do it right the first time.

This is pretty clever but you need two and more expensive than I had in mind.
http://www.kayaklock.com/

This one probably does it for me - and Rack Warehouse has it in stock.
http://www.orsracksdirect.com/lasso-security-cables-canoe-lock-kayak-lock.html


Thanks!

 

[Jay H]

Actually, the kayak cables I've seen don't really need a loop or anything cause they're supposed to encase the whole kayak or enough of it. Kind of like a pacsafe that exists for backpacks. So you loop the cables through the kayak and around the crossbars so in theory, they can't remove the kayak without the crossbars...

Kind of leery drilling holes in the kayak just for security, maybe work a deal to park at the police station.

Jay

 

[DougPaul]

Kind of leery drilling holes in the kayak just for security, maybe work a deal to park at the police station.

Perhaps you can thread a cable under the seat or around some internal structure.

Doug

 

[bikehikeskifish]

On the bike... I tend to put my bike in the trunk where it is out of sight. That is the best deterrent. If you don't have an appropriate trunk, then you can use a cable lock looped around the cross bars (make sure you get both wheels and one of the triangles of the frame.) Some Thule/Yakima racks have the fork holder lock built in to, but that's only as secure as it is tight.

Tim

 

[zman]

I second DougPaul's suggestion. This does assume your boat's construction allows you to pass a cable through internal parts of its structure.

I have two 17' sea kayaks. I use a 15" covered steel cable

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-7...8IQ4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1306952347&sr=8-2

with loops on both sides, string the cable under the seats (which are riveted to the boat frame and then underneath the factory installed roof top rack. I then lock both loops together with a heavy duty padlock.


Very secure

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Just a friendly reminder that there isn't any need to vastly exceed the strength of whatever you're securing and the thing you are securing it too. If the roof rack can be cut with a hack saw, or pried off your roof easily, then the heaviest cable and lock don't matter. The cable can always be cut off a bicycle and/or wheels at some remote location and time. Or you can look at it like this - what is the weakest link in the system and can I live with the security of that?

The U-locks for bicycles came with a "no cut" guarantee. Really nice of them since they are easily opened with a jack - not cut, but popped open under force. Same with "The Club" - the steering wheel was easy enough to cut that the club itself wouldn't ever get cut.

Tim
ps I have had a locked Yakima roof rack forcibly removed from my car roof.

 

[Jay H]

Perhaps you can thread a cable under the seat or around some internal structure.

Doug

Most seatbacks on a touring/sea kayak are removable. Some rec kayaks have a more integrated seat that may be nut/bolted to the coaming but generally removable because folks sometimes move the seat fore/aft. Not exactly removing the weakest link but just a thin layer of security that not sure is worth the hassle of bringing a ladder so one can loop a cable through it...

Jay

 

[DougPaul]

Most seatbacks on a touring/sea kayak are removable. Some rec kayaks have a more integrated seat that may be nut/bolted to the coaming but generally removable because folks sometimes move the seat fore/aft. Not exactly removing the weakest link but just a thin layer of security that not sure is worth the hassle of bringing a ladder so one can loop a cable through it...

Sure, it is not perfect, but it is better than nothing.

And you can probably install a cable before lifting the boat on top of the car.

Doug

 

[daxs]

I've used the python? lock. it wraps around the kayaks and then the roof rack. It tightens up around the boats. Yes, you could probably cut the lock or the rack but it will certainly slow someone down.

 

[TCD]

Electricity... (I just noticed this thread... )

And a game camera that takes video...might get something entertaining for youtube.

 

[Chugach001]

....

ps I have had a locked Yakima roof rack forcibly removed from my car roof.

....

Wow!!!

 

[Jay H]

Sure, it is not perfect, but it is better than nothing.

And you can probably install a cable before lifting the boat on top of the car.

Doug

Not worth the hassle.... I mean to slip the cable through the seatback or seat and then lift the thing on the car with the cable flapping around...

IMO, absolutely not worth the hassle, risk... and this is assuming you do not use a cockpit cover on your kayak. If I'm leaving my kayak on my car for an extended period of time, I put my cover on it if it rains.

Jay

 

[DougPaul]

I mean to slip the cable through the seatback or seat and then lift the thing on the car with the cable flapping around...

You might be able to wedge the cable in a way that it doesn't flap around. Or tape it in place, etc. If you want to use my suggestion, it shouldn't be hard to find a way to secure the cable.

<annoyed>
Enough of this crap... It was only a suggestion, not an order. If you want to use the suggestion, great. If you don't want to use it, also great.
</annoyed>

FWIW, I have carried my share of boats on top of my car and have never lost any...

Doug