Hi David,

Hauling kayaks (or anything else, for that matter) requires a bit of
forethought and caution when deciding on racks and installation. It
would put a damper on your day to see your kayak in the rear view
mirror and probably not so good to whomever is driving behind you!
So, I suggest making a SOLID connection to multiple points between
kayak, rack and the van. There are several ways to do that with a
Westy. The most solid connection is a rack that will attach directly
to the metal rain gutter, but you can't pop the top without removing
the rack, although Gary Lee has designed one that solves this
problem. <http://www.telusplanet.net/public/gary2a/rack/roof/
roofrack.htm>. Another way is to permanently bolt artificial rain
gutters to the poptop which allows deployment of the poptop without
removing the rack or contents. Lifting the extra weight is an issue
worth thinking about. With a couple of kayaks, bikes, spare tire,
etc. on top it becomes a 2 person job to pop the top. One begins to
consider gas assist struts (search the archives for info on that).
Since I bought into a Yakima rack system years ago, I decided use
their gear and have been happy. I would suggest bolting on the 4 bolt
bracket instead of the 2 bolt Side-Loader bracket for a more secure
connection to the thin fiberglass. Getting the brackets mounted is a
bit tricky, so measure twice, drill once (preferably not thru the
canvas!). I mounted 3 sets of the brackets so that I can use 3
crossbars or change the position with 2 crossbars, but 2 will work
just fine. Oh, I made some backing plates out of aluminum bar stock
to make a stronger mount. The edges were rounded to keep the canvas
from snagging. Plastic or rubber nut caps may be necessary as well.
Mounted to the rack are Yakima MakoSaddles which work well with my
sea kayak, although I don't care for the straps that come with it.
Other mounts are available. Get a set of bow/stern racket hold-downs.
In addition to the 2 rack straps, I use these for a 4 point
connection to the van. Believe me, a set of rack straps alone is not
enough. If one fails, you are left with only one strap and it won't
take much to launch your boat prematurely!

Let me know if you have questions or want pics.

Happy paddling,

Keith