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Old 09-09-2010, 11:09 AM   #11
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Re: Aluminess Roof Racks - Design Feedback from Customers

I get on the diamond plate and pull it up with the wife pushing from the bottom. With it resting on the rear Yakima track (at the rear edge on the solar panel) and resting on bow kayak rollers I roll it the 4 feet or so over the panel while she guides it into the front Yakima attachment. The yak racks are elevated over the panel high enough to not touch the panels at all. Works pretty smoothly.

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Old 09-10-2010, 08:01 PM   #12
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Re: Aluminess Roof Racks - Design Feedback from Customers

Diamond plate is great, but its a PITA to clean or hose down the PH. Check twolost's rig, we got the idea for the roof rack from his rig.

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Originally Posted by sdwindansea
I'm probably hijacking this thread a bit, but how do you get your kayaks on/off the roof without the solar panel being in the way? We frequently travel with two kayaks (15 - 16') and I've avoided the solar panel because it seems like it would make the kayak loading a true PIA.
Goeff,

I know you have the Thule Slipstream, since I got the Idea from you! Loading a 14' tandem kayak was no problem. The Slipstream raises the kayak enough to clear the solar panel on the front of the rack. The only downside is that the panels are not to their maximum efficiency since the kayak is blocking about %40 of the panel.
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Old 09-11-2010, 05:45 AM   #13
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Re: Aluminess Roof Racks - Design Feedback from Customers

We sleep , sit and store everything from Longboards to camping gear . Please note that large expanse's of Expanded Aluminum will stretch the first time that you walk on it and will continue to do so for awhile .This is why we had Aluminess provide the Catwalk in the Diamond Plate and if it were me I would go with the larger diameter tubing , 25 lbs. is really insignificant . There are Photograph's of ours in our gallery that I took for a couple of other Forum Members .
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Old 09-11-2010, 01:09 PM   #14
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Re: Aluminess Roof Racks - Design Feedback from Customers

Quote:
Originally Posted by surfgeek33
Diamond plate is great, but its a PITA to clean or hose down the PH. Check twolost's rig, we got the idea for the roof rack from his rig.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sdwindansea
I'm probably hijacking this thread a bit, but how do you get your kayaks on/off the roof without the solar panel being in the way? We frequently travel with two kayaks (15 - 16') and I've avoided the solar panel because it seems like it would make the kayak loading a true PIA.
Goeff,

I know you have the Thule Slipstream, since I got the Idea from you! Loading a 14' tandem kayak was no problem. The Slipstream raises the kayak enough to clear the solar panel on the front of the rack. The only downside is that the panels are not to their maximum efficiency since the kayak is blocking about %40 of the panel.
Thanks Tomesd and Surfgeek, that is great to know. My only other question is how difficult is it to get to the bow tie downs with the solar panel? Or do you not even bother. Right now we have one slipstream and two kayaks. We just transfer the kayak from the slipstream to a standard kayak rack and then load up the other kayak. When we get a solar panel, we may have to get another slipstream, we'll just wait and see. I'm not too concerned about the kayaks blocking the solar panels since we have to take them down to raise the roof (manual) and we always do this when we arrive at our destination.
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Old 09-14-2010, 10:10 AM   #15
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Re: Aluminess Roof Racks - Design Feedback from Customers

Thank you for all your creative thoughts. I will post pictures once the rack system in installed.

Cheers!

-john.
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Old 09-17-2010, 05:38 PM   #16
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Re: Aluminess Roof Racks - Design Feedback from Customers

Here's a pic of how our solar panels are oriented, FYI...

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