Kayak Setup

I just sold my Thule J style kayak rack because it sucked. Any suggestions on a new one? I was looking at the thule slipstream.

 

what kind of kayaks, whitewater??

 

Ocean/Flatwater 16.5 feet

 

xt422's are nice..........

 

I have Thule bars on a Raider cap I am looking for something to go on the bars to hold my two sea kayaks down.

 

Are you talking about something to tie them down to the crossbars? If so, I use the straps that came off the J shaped racks I have that go on my car's factory racks. The blue ones with the yellow thule on them. I bought windsurfer pads for the bars. If you're talking about something to tie front or back of kayak to keep it from moving front or back then well, I dunno, I don't use those. I tie the boat off to the rack where it cannot go forward or backward. Guess you could use those blue ones off the J racks for that too tho.

 

I had those straps with my last J style carrier. I am more interested in the saddles that the boat sits in. In the J cradle the boat catches alot of wind on the highway. Just didn't feel safe with it. How well do the windsurfer pads work as far as side to side movement? If you pull straps tight does your boat oilcan?

 

I have a thule glide and set for my 14.5 footer. works well, but lots of wind noise.

 

I was thinking something like that. Try a Thule farring for noise. They also look cool. I have a cap and I am vertically challenged so I was thinking of the roll model wich is ther glide and set with an extra roller on the back to assist.

 

I use some Dakine Surf pads found in the link below. I have a 10.5 ft dagger and it works great! I also own the Yakima Hully Rollers, and it works good too, but my boat is too short to actually utilize its full potential. Also, it held my boat up higher off the rack that I would have liked. It holds the boat very well though.

http://www.discountramps.com/mako-saddles-hullyrollers.htm
http://www.dakine.com/surf/accessories/racksaccessories/rack-pad-long/

If I were you I'd look into these:
http://www.thule.com/en/US/Products/Watersports/WatersportCarriers/897XT%20Hullavator.aspx
http://www.thule.com/en/US/Products/Watersports/WatersportCarriers/883 Glide and Set NA.aspx


Here's my current setup.


Here are some pics with the Hully Rollers.


Pics are crappy sorry.

 

Thats what I used for years with my thule xsporter. Works great.

Old Taco:

 

Call me cheap or call me a genius, but it works. Cut an old yoga step block in half then chiseled away till it fit just right.

 

I used them on my car and only to go 5 min down the road. I didn't like the J racks on frwy either. The pads are fine and the way the straps are strapped doesn't allow for any side to side movement or any forward/rearward movement but I do use a strap on each side on a cleat on the boat tied around the rack to make sure it goes nowhere forward or backward. The straps do not crush the boat.

 

I have never transported my kayaks upside down before maybe thats a good option with some surf pads

 

If you have space in the bed you can use a Harbor Freight bed extender:

I have a friend who uses is for his 15ft flatwater. He is older and wanted a quick and easier option than throwing it on the roof. I also used the naked pads on the roof like gr8white but I am also cheap.

 

What he said.

 

I bought a set of the Thule Glide and Set saddles. I haven't used them yet though...still saving to buy the kayak Hopefully I will be able to use them next month. I was looking at the Yakima Hully rollers with Mako Saddles but I found a deal on ebay I couldn't pass up for some used Thule saddles ($60). I will be paddling a 12ft yak once I buy it next month.

IMO the J's are good for cars where you don't have to lift it high, for something tall like a truck and loading larger kayaks (10ft+) loading from the back is a must.

 

I used to throw it on my bike rack on top of my truck but i have a yak trailer now i tow behind with a cooler rack and toolbox etc...

 

My boats have a fold up seat back so if I had them upright on the racks those would be catching air unless I faced them backwards but that would be less aerodynamic and faced down just seems easier for the wind to blow over them and they lay flat on the rack pads without having to get cradles. They are 60lbs each and lifting them up on racks is a bit of a workout after you've been paddling but it's no biggy. I load/unload them by myself all the time, used to it plus those nice roller yak racks would suck at hauling surfboards or long ladders and such. The xt422s multitask which is why I went with them.

Here's a pic of the seat back........

 

The aerodynamics thing makes alot of sense. I am in the process of making a lift assist device with suction cups (so I can remove it) and a eight inch keel roller from a boat trailer. Should work great, my yaks go up on my topper so I need all the help I can get. I suppose once up there a guy could flip them upside down.