Answers seem to be all over the place on the interwebs, figured I'd get the opinions from some other Texans that have their yaks out in our heat. How long are they really okay to be exposed to the heat for transport? Currently transporting in a short bed pickup with a bed extender (black truck with black rubber bed mat, if that makes any difference). Some of what I read makes it sound like "toss em in the bed, they'll be fine". Others act like as long as you dont ratchet them down too tight or don't leave them sitting in the sun for several days, they'll be okay. And the other extreme makes it sound like if they're exposed to direct sunlight, they melt into a puddle of plastic (I might have over exaggerated that one just a bit. Lol). What's your first hand experience? How long do you transport your yak without worrying about it deforming?

Thanks

Lots of variables:

Thick, rotomolded kayaks like Hobies/OldTowns/etc should be fine.

Thin walled, cheap Walmart kayaks that cost $110 = trouble in prolonged +100 degrees and direct sunlight.

I think it depends a lot on what kayak you have, how the hull is being supported, and how you have it secured. I would say it is highly unlikely to see any "melting", but hull deformation from heat and tight straps/hard pressure points is the issue. The main area of concern for your setup is probably where the hull sits on the bed extender. Use a cam buckle strap right there and make sure you have the extender adjusted so that its not pulling down or pushing up on the back of the hull when strapped in.

I have a 12.5' Native Slayer and transport it in a short bed with a bed extender when going out by myself. I have carried it around for 3-4 days at a time with no issues. I believe newer native hulls are thicker than other brands but my experience is somewhat limited to Natives and a Hobie.
I just got my wife a Hobie Pro Angler. The hull doesn't seem to be as thick and feels like it flexes more. I avoid leaving it strapped down unless it is being transported. If it is just sitting, even just overnight, I loosen the straps.

303 Aerospace Protectant is good for preventing UV damage to the hull, seals, etc.

better safe than sorry... especially in the temps we have had lately... had hull of my first kayak warp from leaving on car top rack for weeks at a time.. between high summer time temps and high temp parking lot, it looked bad.. popped right back and good as new when it cooled back down.. Have seen it on other kayaks... those black saddles, or unpadded black metal crossbars will really heat up in the sun. Wouldnt be too worried unless you are storing it all day out in the sun.

i have a Mainstream Patriot
SIT IN not sink
thats stays in the sun for years
i do Armour All it before the summer

I often carried two kayaks in my pickup with a bed extender. I bought four 8' 1 X 6s and glued & stapled outdoor carpet to one edge. I made brackets out of 1" strap and built a pair of bunks that bolted (through a plate I welded to the rear spacer brackets) to the bed extender. The bunks were 18" apart and I cut 30 degree ramps on the rear of the bunks. The boats sat upright on the carpeted bunks and were well supported when strapped down to the bunks. The angled cuts at the rear of the bunks made loading easier, especially when they were mounted to my roof rack when towing the fifth wheel RV rather than on the bed extender. Something experience taught me was to cut some 1" deep slots at intervals on the bottoms of the bunks, for the straps. I found that on long trips (like New Caney to Rockport, or New Caney to the Florida Keys) the boats and straps sometimes slipped a bit. After incorporating the slots I never had an issue. I hauled my yaks (an OK Torque, OK Trident 13, and a Diablo Cayman) like that for years in all weathers and could strap them down as tight as I needed without hull deformation in summer heat. I found they are more prone to deformation from high temperatures when tightly strapped upside down than right side up. When I built the bunks (well over ten years ago) it wasn't necessary to take out a second mortgage to buy four 8' 1 X 6s. Now, you'll pay dearly for the lumber.

Sorry, I guess I did leave out some other important details, I'll try to fill in some of those holes.

It's 2 kayaks, both Wilderness Systems. One Ride 115x and one Tarpon 120. My current way of hauling them is in the truck bed with tailgate down and a bed extender to hold the overhang. Truck bed has a rubber bed mat in it, and I put a pool noodle cut in half over the bed extender. I do have some of the NRS cam straps that I use. I previously had been putting the ride, hull down on the bed/extender and then flipping the tarpon over (hull side up) and stacking on top of the ride (with a couple pool noodles cut to go side to side, in front of and behind the seating areas). I'm open to suggestions if you have a better idea. I then loop a cam strap around and connect it to itself to make a loop, and then drape that over the kayak and go under the cross bar on the bed extender and tighten down (one for each kayak). And same thing except the loop of the cam strap goes through the tie downs in the bed. The truck and bed mat are both black, which I know draws in heat. I'm not looking to leave the kayaks for days or weeks at a time, just making sure it would be okay to load and drive 30 mins to several hours to a lake, and to load and drive 30 mins to several hours home. Or if it'll be better to wait until it cools down to take them out. I'm definitely open to suggestions on the best way to haul them or support them in the bed. And if the honest truth is that I need to wait on it to cool down, I'm okay to hear the truth as well.

I'll be honest, I unintentionally took a couple of years off from kayaking, and had only been kayaking a couple years previous to that and only kayaked those years during the spring and fall when it wasn't so hot out. I'm looking to get back at it this year and am itching to get out sooner than later. But as I've read I keep coming across a range of opinions on kayaks in the heat, and figured other kayakers who are dealing with the same Texas heat are probably the best people to ask.

I would say you are fine to haul them to and from the lake like that. I haven't ever had my hands on either of those kayaks but I can't imagine heat causing issues within that time frame.

I have two wilderness (ride 135 and tarpon ...140?). I don't have any problems as long as I don't cinch them down too tight in the heat. If I'm going a long way, like to the gulf, I'll loosen them when I stop for gas and check them out. I transport them in the bed of my truck now but I did have a trailer with 2 x 4 slats. I think they will be ok but if you stop to eat you may want to loosen the straps just a bit. Just remember to retighten them when leaving. I like my ride and tarpon, but I've got my eye on the Stealth lineup. Those are fiberglass so the issues are not the same.