hull a port problems???

[JSeamans]

Any other hull a port owners have a problems with the rubber o-rings popping up past the bolt heads? I'm not over-tightening, just getting them tight enough to hold the j-braces to the cross-bar (all-Thule rig) without sliding but they persist on running up and over the bolts.

JS

[Brianf27]

I have the 'older' model purchased ~ 2 years ago with the plastic clips on bottom. Had two snap on me. One was my fault, had 100lbs. of water in the yak in the wind. The other time just wind, on 95 in traffic of course. They just don't seem sturdy or tight enough. I wish I got that hard plastic one that's made in Maine. I don't think I've had the problem you descibed, I just saw a good opportunity to whine.:(

[JSeamans]

The Thule rep said the designer claims we're tightening them to much. I told her I disagree with him - in order to get the things to stay put you HAVE to tighten them that much.

[JSeamans]

Since my original post Thule has sent me two sets of O rings. The second full set just did the same thing on the way back from the Cape, riding up and over the mounting bolts so the kayak did a slow slide on the rack.

Does anyone else on R-T have this set-up for their kayak? If so have you had the O ring problem?

[Jacob K.]

i have the hull a port. i just got it and have used it 4 times. i noticed that the o rings would pop off it i tightened the screw a lot, so once they started to pop i backed off a half a turn. no problems yet. in fact, i do really like the system. it is MUCH easier and more stable than those foam blocks i was using.

[JSeamans]

It's a definite flaw - in order for the hull a port to stay firmly on the rack crossbars they have to be tightened to the point that the rings pop up and off. Which is no fun when the kayak moves sideways at 65 mph.

I was told that the rack can be used without the O rings. I'll look into that.

[Opie]

I had the same problem, got rid of the rings, no more problem.

[RJ]

"O" Rings, I don't tink I got no stinkin "O" Rings!

I've round tripped The Indian River in Florida twice in the past year with two hull-a-port systems and never noticed a problem.

First trip with the racks on top of a big Ford Excursion and last April with the J-racks (Hull-a-port) attached to the new Thule pick up truck bed adjustable racks. We checked to tiedowns at each fuel stop and vever had to tighten the straps or the racks in the 4800 miles we ran on I-95.

P'haps I don't know where to look? Now that I'm a senior, I might be missing something obvious? Are the O-rings on the nuts and bolts attaching the J- racks to the rack square tube or the oval one on the new Pick up truck rack. The J-Racks are three years old.

My only concern witht he racks is the foam cushions as a little loose so I have to watch them when the racks are empty. A simple rope knot on the tube stops the foam from walking off them.

S'lante :-%

[JSeamans]

RJ - the bolts on mine have rubber O rings on the top where they slip into the frame, so the rings sit between the bolt head and the hole on top of the frame, four per j-bar.

JS

[RJ]

Thanks JS,

I had to go to a stove bolt style of connection because the new Pick up Bed racks were too thick for the standard length bolts that came with the Hull-a-Ports. So the white "o" rings were never a problem.

I found a marine discount and used materials shop in Daytona, FL that has a great selection of stainless steel nuts, bolts, etc. at the cheapest prices I've ever seen.

I also picked up a SA System 2 12/13 Wt. reel in the box for under $50 bucks.

"Oh Tuna, where for art thou!" --127-3-

See ya,

[JSeamans]

Interesting - I saw a young lady with a hull-a-port rig in Maine this weekend and asked if she'd had any problems. She said she'd only used it once but I took a look and sure enough, the o-rings were just about ready to pop off.

[NilsC]

I'm using the Hull-a-port on Yakima bar and I use no o-rings. The hull-a-port will lay down sideways if I drive without the kayak on the roof. As soon as I put a kayak in the saddle and tie the yak down it's stable.
I drive with 1 or 2 kayaks on the roof all week and I drive between Hartford CT and Westerly RI 3 to 4 times a week. I have no problem with it and the car is a little Breeze, with a t160 and a t140 on the roof it looks like a sailboat going down the road. On a windy day it pushes the car and I have to go slower.

Nils