Need help

Thinking about buying a ten foot, sit on top, kayak from Academy. I have a small Mazda SUV that does not have the roof hardware that is on most SUVs. My buddy says foam supports are available for sit in kayaks, but he does not think they can be used on a sit on top since it does not have ridges on the sides to place the foam. Do any of you guys know how I could carry a sit on top kayak on my vehicle?

Never mind, I went to Academy and saw two different types. Problem solved.

I'm in the same situation as you, small Nissan crossover with no roof hardware.

I was just going to put some foam "sleeping pads"(the ones made out of the noodle material) on the top of my car and throw the kayak up there.

Would this be a poor decision on my part?

You need to try to evenly distribute the weight across the roof to prevent deforming. It's best to get the weight towards the sides over the pillars too.