Kayak carriers?

[Kato's XC]

Any suggestions for a carrier to hold two kayaks?

[Art]

Hey Kato's XC, http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

If you're referring to the ocean going variety, I've had great success with Thule's H2GO saddles. Simple and effective, I use them to haul twin 17 ft. glass Looksha's and they mate perfectly with the O.E.M. load bars.

http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/images/products/wtrsport/876.jpg

In time, I might opt to replace two of the conventional saddles with Thule's Rollercoaster for easier loading.

http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/images/products/wtrsport/877.jpg

[budrichard]

For whitewater kayaks, Yakima makes a vertical stacking system. For sea kayaks, you would need two HullyRoller systems from Yakima. The HullyRollers are the best for single handed loading of a sea kayak. As an alternative they do have cradle systems which will fit either. -Dick http://www.yakima.com

[Art]

Budrichard raises a valid point. If you own either poly WW/ocean kayaks and are concerned about oilcanning, Yakima's Kayak Stackers (http://www.yakima.com/products/dynamic/8004024_3.html) or Thule's Hull-a-ports (http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=10&sku=835) are logical transport alternatives.

Both manufacturers also have their own versions of clamp-on boat aids for those who prefer loading from the side. http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Thule's Outrigger Lift Assist
http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/images/products/wtrsport/547.jpg

[budrichard]

What I do is remove one of my rubber mats and put in on the rear of the vehicle to the side I will load the sea kayak. I position the nose of the kayak to the side and about 2 feet in front of the rear of the vehicle. Lift the nose, pivot onto the roof and slide until the HullyRollers pick up the kayak and push all the way onto the vehicle. Reverse the procedure to remove. Works great and never a scratch, so far. -Dick

[Low Tide]

Bump... anybody with issues with J type racks holding sea kayaks?


Now- Yak Hullyrollers or Thule Rollercoaster? Pros and Cons...

[Cross Current]

I have run into two types of complications loading kayaks on the XC70 and have the scratches to show for it.

First is scraping the back roof corner paint during loading and unloading the yaks. As mentioned in the prior post, pads can be a solution but if they get pulled off during unloading it leads to a nice scrape. Also need to be sure the pads are free of dirt or sand or the finish will suffer. I now use the "Roller Loader" http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RollerLoader&Category_Code=kc
It attaches with straps and suction cups to the top of the hatch window. Its two wheels and frame protect the back roof corner and allow you to easily roll the yak up onto or off of the vehicle.

The second complication is that unlike most SUVs where you can access the storage area by opening the hatch glass, the XC70 requires the hatch door to be used and when raised the top corner paint rubs against the kayaks resting on the racks above. Once I've loaded my kayaks the XC70 I have difficult access to the back storage. I use a pad to limit the scratching but a better work around is needed.

[Art]

A paddling buddy of mine uses a set of Thule Hull-A-Ports (http://www.thuleracks.com/thule/product.asp?dept_id=10&sku=835XT) to haul both of his 17 ' poly Necky Looksha IV’s. He particularly appreciates the fact that they allow him room to car top both sea yaks on his compact Toyota Matrix. :eek: Another nice thing with the J-Type cradles is if, in fact, you do have poly boats, oil canning won’t be much of a concern since the weight of the boat will be distributed along the shear seam and not the bottom of the hull. I also believe that Thule has upgraded the plastic clamps/brackets on the Hull-A-Port a couple of years ago with metal ones.

I’ve been pondering a different set up for the XC now that I’m close to completing a Pygmy Arctic Tern stitch and glue kayak. Need some soft pads such as the felt lined cradles on the Rollercoasters. Although I haven’t used them myself, the Rollercoasters look fairly innocuous compared to the Yakima Hullyrollers. I just don’t think that I would feel comfortable strapping down a boat with its weight bearing down on four little wheels. Call me old fashioned, but I much prefer using conventional saddles that have fewer moving parts. I’ve had my Thule H2GO saddles for over seven years and they’ve never let me down yet. As an alternative, I might try and retrofit some neoprene over the existing rubber pads.

www.paddling.net (http://paddling.net/message/showTopics.html?fid=advice) is a good place to go for advice. Pretty helpful group of folks over there. :)

As Crosscurrent mentioned in his post, it’s impossible to open the rear hatch without hitting the boats...already have a couple of minor abrasions on the glass as proof of that. I now strap a couple of bungees shielded in neoprene around the affected portion of the kayak stern.

[Big]

Bump... anybody with issues with J type racks holding sea kayaks?

Now- Yak Hullyrollers or Thule Rollercoaster? Pros and Cons... The J-type rack such as the Thule Hull-A-Port works Ok with long boats. The disadvantages are that the rack is tall which prevents driving into the garage (without boats on), and attaching straps is awkward because the boats are up so high. Advantages are that you can carry 2 boats in less width, and the boat cockpits are less likely to fill with rain (without a cockpit cover). The arms are padded and cradle the hull, so maybe they are easier on the boat than rollers.

[birddog]

Thule has come up with a great idea in the Hullavator they market. Being new to kayaking and not having an "old hand" at loading and unloading I opted to make this $400 purchase in the hopes of never marring the XC. I found that I didn't like the system and returned it after testing it for about three weeks. Thule customer service reps say they are reworking the system to iron out customers concerns. After it is restyled i would probably purchase one again. Presently the things I didn't like about it were:

1. The rails need to be set no further than say, elbows lenth apart. It is necessary to release trigger grips to unlock the rack from the full up or full down positions before elevating or lowering the kayak. If the rails are spaced too far apart it is difficult to support the weight of the load and pull the triggers.

2. The arms operate independently of one another. That means if you are much stonger in one arm than the other, the whole boat will shift to one side making a very unsmoothe lift or descent.

3. The kayak cannnot be loaded upside down in the event of rain. If you try to load it this way, when you lower the kayak the bow will surely hit the front fender of the car.

4. I didn't like how much the whole system mounts almost over the side of the car. If you have any passengers they really need to be careful when exiting or entering the XC.

5. There was a design flaw concerning locking the system. Thule's lock system is too short to actually lock the load up. They are aware of this and are sending people who purchased the hullavator sets of cable locks to use until they have resolved the problem.

Like I said, it is a great idea for people like myself who mostly paddle solo and haven't any help to load the kayaks. I hope Thule can work these things out, because I've always thought their products were great.

So now I purchased Thule's Rollers and upright cradles. I also bought the outrigger attatchment that slides in and out of the load bar. This has been the most successful combination for me as a solo paddler. :) The Rollercoaster is still not far enough to the rear of the roof to prevent the bottom of the kayak from scraping the tailgate. Maybe that has alot to do with the lenght of the boat being loaded.? :(

[Low Tide]

The Rollercoaster is still not far enough to the rear of the roof to prevent the bottom of the kayak from scraping the tailgate. Maybe that has alot to do with the lenght of the boat being loaded.? :(

That is what I was afraid of.... any way to position it so that the rollcoaster works?

Thanks for the comments. Good observations.

After further investigation, the Yak rollers look like they would not be practical given so many moving parts and awkward angles that could present themselves in many situations.

What I was really looking for was a solo mount system that addresses the unique shape of the XC. Sure, there are plenty of options out there....

The J saddles sound easy, but realistically you need two people to get these to work- and even then, getting the straps on requires a climb aboard the car. I need the capability to carry 2 boats and preferably 2 bikes. That's nearly impossible on the XC. It is impossible with the wings, and I have yet to figure out how it might work on the square bars (54"). Using a roller system for one boat (for ease of solo mount) and the J's for the second (saves space and possible because of a second person)... that's the track I was on....

AND... basically, I wanted something that was versatile enough for both a pair of WS Tarpons and longer Duralite SINKs. Now in warm water pretty much year around, poly SOT's make a whole lot more sense...for regular use and it sure feels nice to be in the elements when it's hot.

Maybe that will spark some thoughts. LT

[birddog]

That is what I was afraid of.... any way to position it so that the rollcoaster works?

LT

LT,

I couldn't get it back far enough for my kayak to not rub on the top of the tailgate because the roof rails are set front pretty far on the XC. I had been putting a chamoise or piece of a yoga mat there, but they gave too much grip. This problem could be relevant to me because of the lenghth of my boat, it is only 13'.
Easter Mountain Sports had no problem taking the Hullivator back when I wasn't happy with that and said they would do the same if I was unhappy with this set up. I decided to keep it this way because of how difficult it looks to strap the kayaks onto the "J" carriers when you are a short person.

Let me stress that the outrigger extension is extremely handy for both loading and unloading. ;)

[Big]

I need the capability to carry 2 boats and preferably 2 bikes. That's nearly impossible on the XC. Carrying that many things is neither easy nor graceful on the roof of any car. Sure, it can be done with really wide crossbars, but getting to the center items is another matter. With the XC your best bet may be a hitch rack or trailer. As mentioned already, the bar extension is a big help when side-loading boats, especially with one person.

The 2 times I have taken both bikes and boats with our XC90, I put the bikes inside one time and in a travel trailer the other time. I generally use one J-type rack and one conventional rack for kayaks (we also have a canoe). With either rack there is the potential for hitting the top of the car when loading or unloading but that goes with the task. There is a company that makes a roller-assist gadget for SUVs to clear the rear hatch but our kayaks are not long enough (13.5' & 15').

Sounds like we need to have a Volvo paddle event somewhere!

[Low Tide]

Thanks Big and Birdie... more useful info.

I'll look into the extension- but I'm afraid that it may not work with my second set of bars... square, but the Rapid Railing system that quickgrips the rail of the XC. Anybody using those? Nice integrated foot design... but....

I was really hoping that the rollercoaster worked- but my primary workout boat here in Ventura is now short...a WS Tarpon 120 and that is the one I want to XC-top solo.

Damn. I know that I probably cannot lift that boat into the J-saddles alone, especially with the slightest breeze. Not sure if the extension is usable....

So- it sounds like there are no grand solutions yet.... same old components that sort of work with Thule still being the prefered Kayak mount (as always). I'm sorry, but this is one area that the Yak stuff just doesn't match up as equal (not that Thule is perfect).

Great Idea Big.... I'm up for a West Coast XC paddle date!

[Cross Current]

The main advantages I've found using the "Roller Loader" compared to the competing roller systems from Thule and Yakima are that 1. because its postioned in the rear of the vehicle it protects the vehicle from the yaks during loading and unloading. No scatches on the XC70. 2. Its quickly removed after use and stored away so you don't have it attached to the vehicle all the time and 3. it allows you to choose the type of saddle best suited to support the boat.

And the low height of the XC70 is so nice for strapping on kayaks compared to my previous vehicle, a Ford Explorer.

[Low Tide]

Thanks again.... I went with the ROllercoaster to match my Set-2-Go. On the other side, I traded in my Yak J-saddles for the Thule Hull-a-Port. I'll post my impressions after a few weeks of use.

[birddog]

LT-
........wondering if you got the rollercoaster to work for you without rubbing on the tailgate? I still haven't even after upgrading to a longer boat. :mad: