December 19 update: After some heavy rains, I determined that facing the kayak out and down was optimal to ensure the insides remained dry when it rains. I also made sure to have a sponge and towels on board in the storage regardless, even for when I spill droplets onto myself while rowing. I also tested out the cradles on the luggage rack, which worked well, but instead of storing the cradle pieces under the kayak, it makes more sense to keep those in the car so they always remain dry and never need to be carried back and forth. Yet another lesson learned was to dismantle the cart and put it in the storage bin when not in use, since even leaving it out under the kayak subjected it to water gathering on it.

December 13: It feels great to have a safe, clean, dry place where I can keep my kayak when not in use that is out of the way and basically has zero footprint! On the side of the house where I do my garden preparation it was stored on rafters for a few days.

After installing the holders on the window frames, this is what it looks like:

I also bought a cart that easily dismantles and fits in the kayak storage when I’m on the water. What I love about this cart is that even without my car, I can strap my kayak on here and WALK down to the water where I live, get in the water, and then walk back when I’m done rowing! In addition to the roof racks shown here, I also have kayak cradles that manually screw on and off when the kayak is ready to be put in place. My inclination is to leave the luggage rack bars up since they are locked in place