Hey Rackees and Rackets,

I have the Yakima system on my bus. I mounted it to the top by
drilling.  I consider it a permanent fixture.  I have carried a canoe,
windsurfer and two bike simultaneously with no ill effects.
You can see a pic of the mount here:
http://KokopellisGarden.com/vw/modrack.html
It'll be loaded up again this weekend on the way to Burningman.

While you are out cruising around today look at all of the pickup truck
camper shells with racks mounted to those.  Most have the false rain
gutter <drilled> and mounted on the side of the fiberglass shell the
same way you would mount it to the westy top.  Most camper shells are
thinner than the westy top.  If you've ever driven from Salt Lake to
Moab, you know these folks can fly along at 90mph with bikes on top, no
problem.

Let's pose this question to the list, Has anyone ever had a roof rack
disaster with any type of fiberglass shell with a mount into the
fiberglass, VW or otherwise?
(besides driving into carport/garages with bikes on top)

Let's hear how they failed, wind, overloading, etc.  I take the canoe
off when popping the top.   I always have a bow and stern rope.  Been
that way for 23 years.

Yall have fun and B safe this weekend.
If you go to BurningMan look for the light blue westy from Utah with
awning and flags a flying and the old list sticker.  Not sure where I'll
be camping yet but probably in the outskirts of town.

(CONTINUATION OF PERSONAL DISASTER STORY, NON-VW)
I had a complete rack, canoe and mountain bike lift off the top of my
Honda once and slide over the drivers window.  The bow and stern rope of
the canoe kept the entire system together long enough to stop. The bike
took the brunt of the beating as it dragged along the road.  One pedal
was narrower and the handle bars had a 90 degree angle.  I still ride
the bike and the canoe.  By the way it lifted off the car from the wind
front of a raging Semi truck passed me going the opposite direction on a
2 lane road just north of Moab, UT.  It was an interesting deal.

Ken Wyatt
82 westy
SLC, UT