A back-friendly way of transporting a canoe/kayak?

A single Hullivator setup with crossbars and footpads comes in about the same as a trailer unless you can build your own or get a good deal used. And it doesn’t need lights or a license. If you are talking two sets of Hullivators, the price goes up some.

There IS a lift off of and into the Hullivator arms for a short bit. Can’t be denied. But it can be aided by having a somewhat tall boat trailer to start from, something a shaky back should have around anyway. Once the boat is cradled and the lift (up or down) initiated, the Hullivator carries up to 40 pounds of weight. The only tricky bit that I have found is to make sure the two cradles are not set further apart than is wise for your shoulders. Easiest solution for that is to not have someone taller than you install it. Do it yourself or find an equally short person.

My own issue with trailers is that they become a PITA to park traveling on a weekend along with a whole lot of other people going the same way. If you mostly go to less popular places not an issue, but if you plan to travel the lower half of the Maine Turnpike on a summer weekend and dash off the highway to find a charming local place for lunch, the trailer is going to complicate things. For myself, I went with the Hullivator on one side and glide pads/saddle on the other. That way I can bring two boats to Maine and have the single Hullivator for just me and a day paddle. The worst parking issue is remembering to back into a space so a careless RV driver can’t take off my stern.

I purchased a modular kayak!. Way lighter and easier to carry and transport (2 pieces for a single paddler, 3 for 2 papaddle, Got mine for a steal on Ebay $225, only used a few times). Now I’m looking into a modular paddle board :slight_smile:

I love my Hullavator, and when I purchased my 2014 Town & Country van, a boat vendor, who could sell Hullavators, absolutely assured me Thule made towers for it as he’d seen some on that type of van, even though I said their website said the opposite. Should have gone with my gut feeling. Low & behold, they did not, and I was very disappointed. I was fortunate the vendor allowed me to return them and was very gracious about doing so and apologized. So #1 would be to check Thule’s website to see it they have towers to fit your vehicle. You won’t be sorry, if they have some that fit your vehicle. It can give you many more years of paddling, should circumstances come about curtailing your ability to lift in certain ways to get a kayak onto your car/truck roof. Mine are still in the garage and in the meantime, hubby cut our kayak trailer down to two layers allowing 8 yaks to fit, though my lady friends and I have actually gotten 11 on it. Amazing how once you reach the vertical bar in the center, how many more with lots of straps, you can add. :slight_smile: Who says just because you get older, the fun has to stop? They may be pricey, but one also get to have fun for many more years.

! Yakima extension is partly deployed. It will extend a couple of feet