How are you carrying your boats?

[XJINTX]

When canoeing with my wife it's hard for her to help me load ontop of jeep so I modified a jetski trailer. Now I can take canoe and two kayaks or there kayaks. Works great when boating with family or with friends.

 

[editedforsafety]

Thule Hull-a-port Pros for my two kayaks. I was mounting them on the factory roof rails of my XJ, but former boss gave me a pair of Yakima gutter mount bars that I'll be using next season. The Factory rack was kind of bouncy with two kayaks mounted up top, the yakima rails should give a little better peace of mind.

 

[louisiana]

The boat goes on top, only place I have left to put it.

 

[Ryan Rogers]

Yes, those are Yakima stackers with the anchor/arrowhead shape on the end. I have nothing but good things to say about them. There are a few steps to using the stackers properly. First, get the distance between the bars correct to support the boat in front of/behind the cockpit. This is the stiffest part of the hull. Then lay the boats on the rack against the stacker posts. Run a strap around the stacker post (under the arrowhead), around the hull of the boat, and finally around the roofrack crossbar (as close as possible to the boat) in a big loop. Try to thread at least one strap through a solid point on the hull. As you tighten the straps, you may notice that the stacker posts tend to rotate towards either end of the kayak. This is just the rack adjusting itself. The stackers will reach an equilibrium position where any movement will make everything tighter (local minimum of strap potential, if that makes any sense). This is what you're going for. The Yakima instructions are well illustrated:
http://www.discountramps.com/marineImages/yakima-kayak-stacker-instructions.pdf

WHATEVER YOU DO, NEVER USE BUNGEES!!! A simple cam-buckle strap is THE ONLY tool for the job. Stay away from ratchet straps, too.

Thanks for that link. When I bought my first kayak, the guy at the shop showed me how to strap it, and I've been doing it the same way ever since. Turns out, he didn't show me the way the instructions say to do it! ha.

When all else fails, read the instruc.......

To his credit, he did make me use cam straps instead of rachets. Not a bad guy...just didn't know how to use the stackers apparently.

 

[Ryan Rogers]

The boat goes on top, only place I have left to put it.

View attachment 195494

You and I ride the same bike!

 

[irish_11]

I built the rack for my canoes, but it fits my kayaks really well.

Day I brought the kayaks home:


After I added a set of Yakima rollers and saddles:

 

[m(a)ce]

small boat got strapped down directly to the Gobi rack

yaks get mounted in the Yakima Aero saddles or a Thule J cradle.

loading the Aero saddle solo is easy. Loading the J cradle on a lifted JK on 35s isn't.

both setups are completely stable on the highway or on unimproved roads. obviously J cradle gives you more room on the rack to lash down other gear.

 

[Silver dude]

Basic J racks Yakima hull a ports I believe. Been outstanding even at hard angles off road or kayaks getting pounded with tree branches never used the guy ropes no issues. Thinking about a trailer in the future. Mostly to make them easier to reach, improve fuel economy and lower the center of gravity on long trips.

 

[rkj__]

Pickup truck

Still lots of room in the bed for weekend trips. The Kayak actually can be used as a cargo management tool. I can pack my tent, mat, and all kinds of other stuff in the kayak, then roll the tonneau cover over it.

 

[NC_IslandRunner]

Wood bumpers keep it in place braided rope and figure 9 carbiners to the bumpers.

Will buy trailer when I get a larger canoe.

 

[docb14]

Back rack with a home made yak rack engineered from cyclone fence posts. Surprisingly, it works rather well!

 

[Chazz Layne]

Usually on the lid of the Mule, which is also where I store it. Both the Disco and the Foz can carry it on the roof when we need to, but the single pin+plug of hooking up the trailer (Max coupler) is quite a bit easier than heaving a canoe the 7 or 5 feet up onto the roof.

 

[HenryJ]

We also find the load height better on the trailer

 

[DiscoBlanco]

 

[HenryJ]

You're gonna need help getting that on the roof rack