Is a J-Craddle required for transporting Surf Ski?

Do you think j-craddles are needed when transporting your surf ski?

Can you get away with just a normal roof rack system with the two roof cross bars? I'm coming from a sea kayaking background and have never used a craddle system and have had no problem. Obviously surf skis are longer and lighter.

Cheers

I have a Nissan with standard roof racks. I find that a ski sits comfortably if I drive slowly (which is normally the case in the city) and the wind isn't blowing.

As soon as there's any wind - or if I'm driving long distance, I have a T-bar that slots onto my tow hook. The distance between the front roof rack and the T-bar is about 3m, which provides a much more stable platform on which to strap the ski.

The simple, but i'm sure controversial, answer to J racks is NO. Thick pool noodles or foam blocks will work. And yes, generally, a two cross bar rack system will work. The distance between the racks is a bigger issue. The wider the better. Customizing your racks for surfskis can limit their usefulness for other tasks.
Good luck.

My nissan has only 30" between bars which I have never tried alone. Before I made my own 8' long bar, I transported my first ski home on a 12' ladder strappedto the rack and 2 bow lines.

Like Rob says, in low wind/low speed transport, almost any roof rack will work. If you're at highway speed or in strong winds, I highly suspect you will want some sort of system with 2-3m between saddles.

I made my own rack from 65mm square aluminum tubing and 3/8 x 6" x 24" aluminum flat plate. I carry my ski upside down and backwards (thus avoiding the need for U shaped cradles and also much less windage, as the backwards nose acts like a wind vane)