Securing kayaks to a roof rack

OK ... so here's my whole thought process.

Snug, but not tight crossstraps.
Using no foam, the hard on hard (as FG says), can slide a little.  That's ok.
Bowline to make me feel better about the sliding.  Again, snug but not tight.

-Allen

I like the pipe insulation because it helps keep my boats where I put them on the rack until tightened down. Not so much a problem in a flat paved lot, but if you add a slope of any kind...... Plus if there is any frost or dew on my cross bars they are slicker than owl sh*t making it easy for my boat to slide of the roof while I'm loading. I only put the insulation in 4 spots (for 2 boats) where the edges of the boat contact the rack. Cam lock straps are the way to go though. Looped around the bars not the insulation and snugged down tight.

My rack is a similar thule, I go upside down, 2 pull/cam type straps and pull down tight. They arent as strong as a ratchet and thats the point to me .... no excess tension.  Go with that pattern that takes the straps under the bars on both sides on both straps. Then i run a simple loop over the nose to a rope and back from the bow to the front bar to prevent fwd surge, then a funny rope ratchet wheel thing to pull the rear tight to prevent it from going backwards.
I think its over kill, but once you set the straps up its quick to do.

currently i made a home made wheel cart, cost me only a pool noodle, the frame is made of sched. 40 aluminum, I hope to get whats called a "set and glide" from thule. The idea will be to run the bow up to the rear rack, run a safety line from the front rack and clip it on the yak so it cant go back, then simply lift the rear and push it fwd.