Some spoilers have stop, backup, and running lights integrated into them, even cameras or proximity sensors. Not so easy or advisable to remove.
@rstevens, that is exactly the case with the Niro. It is a stupid design flourish but cannot be removed.
I wonder if you could use one of the suction cup devices pressing up under the spoiler, to provide extra support for the spoiler. Then go with the rubber mat or rubber-backed bathroom rug on top of the spoiler. The suction cup device would just serve as a brace to prop up the spoiler.
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Hmm, interesting idea. But I’m not sure what’s under there
Have you measured how far the spoiler is off the glass, to estimate how tall a roller assist needs to be for the kayak over the spoiler?
I’m laid up in bed after hosting family for Christmas dinner, at which someone must have been sick, so I have time on my hands and I sketched the concept in the Mazda3 picture above … (suction cup rollers in blue, stinger in blue, sea wings in purple)
If I didn’t have the stinger on my Sea wings, it would not clear the spoiler.
You asked if the stinger can be added after the fact … yes, I see them online as a kit to add to sea wings. BA’s roller above performs the same function and isn’t tied to any kayak saddle brand.
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Sorry you’re laid up - I hope it isn’t too long term.
Nice sketches; this is in fact exactly the kinds of measurements I’ve been trying to figure out. Turns out it’s extremely complicated to figure out on paper (at least given my level of geometry/trig skills). So many variables: distance of spoiler from glass, length of roller shaft, angle of roller to glass, height of saddle, distance of saddle from spoiler, possible distance of kayak from ground to contact point on roller (depending on length of kayak)… I think I’m going to need to rely on trial and error. Your diagram helped me visualize though that simply putting a second roller on top of the car (in lieu of the stinger, if the latter isn’t compatible with my saddle) might solve the problem.
Happy and healthy holidays!
I would start with a measurement from the glass to the top edge of the spoiler. Measure perpendicular to the glass because that’s how most rollers are built.
Next level: Lay a board across your spoiler and your cradle and measure perpendicular to the glass to see what size roller might suit. (Your boat has rocker, so the board is not a perfect proxy, but the board will be much easier to handle while you get measurements and it will get you in the ballpark.)
Also measure with the board laid across the spoiler and the rear edge of the vehicle to estimate what size roller is required to avoid the vehicle’s rear end.
You could play around with small cardboard boxes to pretend you have a stinger or BA’s cool roller thing, in order to get an estimate of whether they would work or how high they might need to be. The Stinger sits 22" behind the rack, while BA’s roller fits into the joint between the hatch and the roof.
Here’s another concept I like that I’ve seen a few times in the “Boats on Cars” thread.
I think it was actually designed for very long kayaks on cars with roof rack mounts that are very close together (such as on my Volvo V70).
However, the cradles are not actually on the roof racks, they are on a beam that is attached to the roof rack, and by biasing it to the rear, you can get the boat on the saddle with a more favorable angle of approach. You might still need a roller assist, but possibly not two.
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If all else fails, you could always bite the financial bullet and get a Thule Hullavator. Quite a few of our Club members have bought them recently as cars have gotten bigger and they’ve gotten older.
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Here is a hullavator at a good price. I get it myself, if it were closer.
THULE HULLAVATOR & REGULAR KAYAK ROOF RACK - boat parts - by owner - marine sale - craigslist
Thanks for passing this on, RA. Unfortunately nowhere near local for me either, and too many negative reviews about the product - I’m passing on the Hullavator option.
If you’re still considering one, I suggest you look at the reviews on Amazon (NOT saying you should buy it from Amazon). With 264 reviewers, 1 in 4 gave a rating of 3 or lower.
I have two sets already… I think they are great! If this was closer, I would be interested so that I could have a set for my other car.
Although there were issues with the early Hullivators, I have not heard any complaints from the people that I know have them now. Keep in mind that people are much more likely to post a bad review than a good one. Correct installation is critical.
“…people are much more likely to post a bad review than a good one”.
That is so true. I see so many negative reviews for products which in many cases are so simple in operation that nothing can even go wrong, yet dummies out there screw up their use in ways that are practically unimaginable, and they put the blame on the product. Often I’ve seen bad reviews describing a malfunction, and knowing the product, I can immediately picture the stupid mistake that the user made, or the kind of abuse that they must have subjected it to in order for a specific part to break. Something that’s a little more complex, like a Hullivator, is bound to be operated in a nonsense manner by some of the dummies out there (like encouraging different rates of motion in the two halves and then wondering why things get bound up), who then go and post a bad review.
I don’t want to get into a long debate on this – it would belong under a different topic – but as a lifelong R&E professional, I can assure you that it is a common oversimplification, leading to misunderstanding, that people are more likely to post bad reviews. It is also true that people are more likely to post very positive reviews (compared with middling reviews); in fact, if you look at the distributions of reviews on Amazon (e.g.), far more of them are strongly skewed to the positive. There are also MANY other sources of bias to deal with when interpreting survey results. The most direct, non-technical approach to resolving this problem is to read through the reviews and decide whether they resonate.
In addition to the people who are pissed off and motivated to post a bad review, you have to watch reviews of smaller questionable companies with fewer overall reviews that have a lot of 5 star reviews of similar length and wording. Many of the positive reviews may be fake.
If your email spam box is littered with the Elon Musk power saver offerings, check out the reviews. Many 5 star. Then check out independant reviews. There are Youtube videos where people have taken these devices apart and they consist of little more than a common capacitor, a few cheap resistors, and an LED light. The housing is undoubtedly more expensive than the internal components and the explanation as to how this device is supposed to work is meaningless technobabble. Elon Musk, regardless of what you may think of him, has nothing to do with these devices. I’m surprised that he has not spoken out about them (or maybe not).
Regarding kayaks, there are many glowing reviews about a boat and it turns out that it is their first and only boat that they have only been out in it a few times. It may or may not be a great boat, but they have nothing to honestly compare it to and might just want to feel good about the money that they have spent.
Exactly
Not sure if you have found something yet, but another option is to use a kayak cart, upside down on the glass and supported by a strap from your rack. Roll the kayak up the wheels. Plus you will have a kayak cart when you need one. In case it is not obvious, use the kind with the support pads and not the kind with the posts for SOTs!
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Many kayak carts have their wheels too far apart to roll a kayak up on them when inverted.
Hi everyone,
Well, I’m still at it. I have tried two rollers – Dolibest (hard rubber roller) and Bonsing (compressible foam roller). Suction cups on both stick adequately (not great in cold weather but well enough), but neither roller does anything to keep the bow from falling off. With a long boat and a tall, vertical rear window, there is no stability when the bow is on the roller and I move to the stern to push it up.
With an 18 foot boat, and a V hull that tips sideways on the roller, the slightest lateral variation as I push it up sends it off balance; I have dropped my boat on the asphalt twice now and hoping it still floats.
If anyone has some suggestions about how to prevent it from getting away from me as I push it up it would be greatly appreciated. I’m probably going to try a BoatLoader extension now, but sliding from the rear would suit my driveway layout better if it worked.