Hi, I’m new to paddling and am in the process of buying my first yak (I’ve borrowed them up until this point).
What DIY or low-budget solutions are people using to transport their kayaks? My car is new, so there’s no aftermarket for it yet and I don’t want to spend $800 on an OEM roof rack. Who’s come up with a highway-safe solution that they’re happy with?
Thanks!
Thinking about something like this:
https://www.rackattack.com/water-sport-racks/kayak-racks/sportrack-jetty-deluxe-24/
Make, Model & Year of car?
You mentioned you have a new car so you might want to first check your owner’s manual to see if running straps inside the car will interfere with the deployment of curtain or side air bags.
What type of kayak are you purchasing?
Agreed a safe and suitable rack is a substantial investment good until next car. Critical to any secure rig is unitizing saddles to vehicle so the load stays still. While I like the rigid bar concept of the budget set-up, I suspect shaped pads and boat will be shifting around on roof, rubbing roof paint and possible worse.
Please consider dropping a few $$ on Yakima or Thule with lots of parts that can be had used on Craigslist and such even for new ride. A trailer is another option but again some cash.
Unfortunately, I’ve reached my budget limit on this project, so even if I do want to get something substantial, it’ll have to wait. Another few months and the aftermarket should catch up with my car anyway. But I need to drive 100 miles to go get my boat next week and need at least a stop-gap way to get her home safely.
I got a new Wilderness Systems Focus 155 on close out. Pretty pumped!
Natty, I think you said the most important words…“highway safe”.
Not only are you concerned with the safety of your boat and car but the safety of humans in your car or another vehicle if accident occurs because your kayak partially or totally leaves your car.
I am beginner to kayaking also and found it a whole lot easier to research and pick out a kayak then researching and picking out a roof rack, J cradles, stackers, saddles
etc, etc. Its real frustrating and yes it can get expensive.
If you know you are serious about kayaking I would bite the bullet and spend
big now. I debated back and forth and in the end decided to spend big and get a
top name system. Yes top name quality can break/fail but I feel better spending more and taking chances then spending less and taking chances.
@NattyBreaD said:
Thinking about something like this:https://www.rackattack.com/water-sport-racks/kayak-racks/sportrack-jetty-deluxe-24/
That will work without slipping strap through doors, window, etc Strap the foam blocks to the kayak set kayak on roof. Double bow and stern tie to corners of the car. They sometimes scratch the finish of the car. They sometimes get loose and the kayak wags back and forth. But they are cheap inexpensive.
A scotch, a camp fire, time on our hands I can tell you stories. But a good well secured rack will improve your carrying capacity and protect the new car as well as the kayak. I’m a Yakima fan. Thule racks are good I just got more Yakima that fits various configurations.
Thanks guys!
Take a paddling friend whom has a kayak roof rack on their vehicle to lunch about 100 miles away from home and coincidentally happen to pick up a kayak after lunch.
after your load up and drive 5-10 miles get out and check that everything is still in place. All truckers should do that with loads. At least till you have multiple trips under your belt and get a system. Many things on youtube showing how to do it. Good luck and enjoy your two new rides!
I’ve had great luck getting used rack components over the 15 years that I have been hauling kayaks on a range of vehicles. I have never paid full price. My preference is for Thule, partly because they are so common on the used market. Look on Thule’s site and they will tell you which part numbers are needed for the base “feet” for your car and the length of stock bars. Then look for them on your local Craigslist or on Ebay. When I bought my new Mazda CX5 2 years ago, it took me less than a week to find somebody selling the exact Thule set up I needed for it on local Craigslist for under $200 – half what I would have paid new, and when I picked it up, it was good as new, actually better because he had already wound the bars with perlon cord to reduce wind noise. People often sell rack parts on Ebay because they’ve bought new cars that don’t fit their old racks.
here was my solution:
http://paddlingandsailing.blogspot.com/2017/02/diy-cheap-roof-racks.html
But I have other options for other cars. My best is using some J cradles as stackers when I have a lot of boats/
http://paddlingandsailing.blogspot.com/2016/06/roof-rack-redo-best-kayak-roof-rack.html
I’ll add another plug for Craigslist, as I’ve gotten great deals on racks that way. You typically need to buy the proper clips for your vehicle, but that’s a relatively minor cost compared to the rest of the rack.
Go on the Yakima/Thule web site. Input your car, build your roof rack, write down the numbers of the clips, towers, and bars. Go on Craigslist and find what you need.
@Marshall said:
Take a paddling friend whom has a kayak roof rack on their vehicle to lunch about 100 miles away from home and coincidentally happen to pick up a kayak after lunch.
LOL!
I would look into thule roof racks, seems like a bunch of stuff on craigslist is junk people want way too much for. I have always liked the j style cradle, http://www.orsracksdirect.com/thule-834-hull-a-port-kayak-rack.html and if you buy a new car usually clips are cheap for the base systems. I had good luck before and seems a lot of kayaks I see are in j style racks. Malone has some great options also.
So I decided to wait until the aftermarket catches up with Mazda. Until then I’ll just use this. It helped me pick up my Wilderness Systems Focus 150 from Mountainman Outdoor Supply (they have some good deals on older, unused inventory if anybody’s in the market for a new kayak).
@NattyBreaD said:
Hi, I’m new to paddling and am in the process of buying my first yak (I’ve borrowed them up until this point).What DIY or low-budget solutions are people using to transport their kayaks? My car is new, so there’s no aftermarket for it yet and I don’t want to spend $800 on an OEM roof rack. Who’s come up with a highway-safe solution that they’re happy with?
Thanks!
If you want to play you got to pay !
Guy
So you mention a Mazda, but didn’t say which model. If it has cross bars, the rack you talk about should be just fine. If you just strap with 2 straps (one above each bar), it is possible the boat can start twisting to one side or another (so it won;t be in line with vehicle any more). A bow or stern strap would eliminate this. or finding some way to strap it such that the straps can;t move to either side of the car.
If you don;t have cross bars, putting the foam blocks right on the roof could work, but you risk scratching the car paint of there is any grit on the roof or the underside of the foam pads. I have scratches on my car from doing that - never again!