Thule Slipstream
What about the Thule Slipstream? If I ever have to replace my Rav4 with its easy-loading side-opening rear door (see my post in the tandem cartopping thread), I’ll go with a Slipstream.
no problem
Especially composite boats. But plastic boats are fine, especially if you have any kind of leverage. If you have the strength to get it up there, sliding it is fine.
Whispbar saddles
I’ve been intrigued by an animated ad that ran on the top banner of paddling.net for “Whispbar saddles” made by Yakima. They appear to be saddles with an integrated roller that were also unique by folding flat when not in use… any early opinions on those?
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJwOr0G0tHo
Rackifficiating
– Last Updated: Nov-08-14 10:23 AM EST –
I was going to title this rackiffication but I like the spell checker version of Rackifficiating.
ABZ , thank you.
Rack solutions are often the most daunting problem for folks when the are at my Showroom looking to get into the sport or changing vehicles.
BB & Dc9mm you're right in that the wide saddles are less damaging vs the narrow versions. One reason I'm holding off on bringing in the new Hullaport Aero by Thule. I want to see how it performs in he field first with a more fragile hull. I think that Marco has been making them since the day after dirt was invented.
Celia - you can damage a kayak with a Hullavator. The mounts of the Hullavator cradle arms have a raised point on them so if the angled padded portions of the cradle arms are too wide then the hull rests on those 4 points under strap pressure. Less of a problem with wider kayaks.
PB - the Whispbars are way cool. I got to play with them at a trade show and was impressed. Especially the J cradle - transformer like. The v cradle with the integrated roller was quite slick.
Trill - take that Slipstream, sell off the cradles from it and substitute some Marcos. Works great!
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
hudsonriverpaddler.org
those look pretty slick
OK - didn’t know that
Having said so, I have paddled with three women people who have had Hullavators, each with quite varying glass boats in terms of strength of layup. Have never heard of that happening to them. So my ignorance is based on someone’s experience.
The Roller Loader is something we have used for years with no such issue. I suspect BB is talking about rollers that are a permanent part of the rack system, as in the alternative to saddles. Not the just-to-get-it-up Roller Loader that I had mentioned at the top of the thread.
I didn’t mention the built-in rollers because there are a couple of lovely sets of them in the basement. We tried them briefly after getting the glass boats, but found them to be a much bigger PITA to get secured well for a long trip than the stackers we had long used. So Jim went online and found another set of the older Yakima stackers.
K-Racks
– Last Updated: Nov-08-14 6:48 PM EST –
Just to throw in one more load assist option, I picked up a pair of K-Racks. Australian made, they're now carried in the states by Malone:
http://www.maloneautoracks.com/k-rack.php
They're portable glides that suction onto your trunk and rear window, enabling you to push the boat up onto the rack very easily. (If you have a wagon or SUV, you only need one.) They mount on and off in seconds. Very happy with them.
Now, those are interesting
Wonder how they would work using foam saddles for naked roofs.
Loading solo
I just use the harmony trailer when solo, Too much hasske to losd the kayak ontothe truck solo.
Hulavators
I replaced two Thule Hull-a-Port Pros (basically J-carriers) with Hullavators about 18 months ago. My wife and I are both in our mid-60’s and with a fairly high vehicle - a Hyundai Santa Fe - and a fairly short wife, lifting kayaks on to the J-carriers was never easy.
The Hullavators are expensive (if you search around though it’s not difficult to get substantial discounts) but they are super easy to use. The cradles are large and well padded and especially if you have some serious money into your kayaks, I think the Hullavators are well worth it. We constantly have people coming up to us as we load or unload and remarking how easy it looks, especially people of a similar age to us.
Marshall says, you can damage the hull if the cradles are set too wide but they are adjustable, slide along channels and lock in place with a large screw. Of course you can easily adjust them with the cradles in the “down” position. Even if the cradles are too wide the hulls would sit on a raised hard rubber bumper so I can’t see too much damage happening. Maybe Thule changed their design recently?
Pressure points
– Last Updated: Nov-11-14 10:37 AM EST –
If the 40+ lb kayak + compression from strap tension + levering of the kayak in response to road jostling (not to mention bumps/potholes) yes those four hard rubber points will create dents or worse. Been the case since the Hullavator first came out and started carrying them. I still think they're a good contraption but with some caveats. The manual doesn't emphasize which parts of the cradle arms need to be the load bearers. Btw. A slim wide stainless steel washer under the slider adjustment knob makes for a much better hold on the main arm housing. Not recommended for multiple width boats as it doesn't do the paint on the arm housing any favors.
I'll see what changes come about when I get the 2015 iterations in come March.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
hudsonriverpaddler.org
Thanks!
– Last Updated: Nov-11-14 7:52 AM EST –
Marshall, thanks for the info!
We've never had any damage but I'll be extra diligent in making sure the boats are properly supported. I'll also look into your suggestion of using a SS washer under the adjusting knob.
marshall
You are an asset to the forum.
Ditto
He’s also a good guy to do business with.
Height of Vehicle?
I had a Thule Slipstream for a 2003 Subaru Forester and a 2010 Golf and really liked it. The boat doesn’t rest on the roller bar after loading, though I do confess that I almost shot the boat through the saddles and off the front of the car the first time I used it! The Slipstream is super easy to take on and off the rack if you don’t want to leave it on all the time.
I now use a Hullavator, but my reasons may be too personal. I developed disc problems in my neck and have some very real weight lifting restrictions. Boats I can carry at my waist I can’t lift overhead. I also changed out my Golf for a 2014 Forester (long story), and it’s a LOT taller. I’m 5’8", so not short, but not super tall either. The loading angle with the new Forester/Slipstream combo felt a lot more awkward, especially with my Pyranha Fusion, though again YMMV.
Between the new car height and my lifting restrictions I decided to remove one element of stress/barrier from my kayaking experience, though I fully note that I am very lucky to be able to afford to do that.
Geometry
If you still had the Slipstream it’d actually be easier with a longer kayak for your angle of attack would be shallower as you’d have a longer X axis and hypotenuse (my scrabble word for the day) to the equation.
With the Fusion you’d be going upward probably at a 60 degree climb till it teetered over.
Good move on the Hullavator.
BTW - Slush, Rookie - Thank you.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
hudsonriverpaddler.org
Hullavator experience
I’ve had my Hullavator for 5 years and it’s the best thing that’s happened to keep this older and shorter paddler on the water. It, with tower locks are on my car all summer. In the winter, hubby will put the saddle and rollers on the car as needed. Living in a northern state, the car doesn’t get put in the garage plus it won’t fit with the HV on top.
Mine are on Yakima bars and fastened to my factory rack. I’ve never had any problem with them and if it wasn’t for the Hullavator, I most likely wouldn’t get to paddle as much.
Very simple to use. I was lucky and bought 2 sets for under $800. Hubby said to buy 2, just in case he or a friend went along. His set is still in the box.
Here’s hoping your friend will find something that works well for him.
I’ve never had any problems with deformation of any type. My boats are all poly.