Portability of large/heavy kayaks

I own a Necky Tesla 17’ 10" fibreglass that weighs about 68 pounds. I have always loaded it from the front of the SUV - yes, the front. It eliminates having to lift the kayak up to the steep angle necessary to reach the roof from the back or side. It is also way more secure if there’s any wind.

Here’s the technique:

Buy some carpet runner (the cheap sort that is sold by the foot). Make certain it is long enough to go from the front cross bar on your rack all the way down to the front bumper, covering the windscreen and hood.

Set the stern of your kayak on the runner protected hood, grab the bow and slowly slide the kayak up the runner into the front saddles on the crossbar and then all the way into the rear saddles. Once the stern is between the front saddles, the kayak is locked in and unlikely to slip off the rack. Be careful not to bash the stern into the windscreen as you can damage the glass.

I’ve been loading my Necky this way solo since I bought her in 2002. While I’m a tall lady, I’m 63 now and it’s still the easiest way to load on my own. I drive a full size 1992 K5 Blazer so it’s a pretty tall vehicle.

@KayakerBee said:
I own a Necky Tesla 17’ 10" fibreglass that weighs about 68 pounds. I have always loaded it from the front of the SUV - yes, the front. It eliminates having to lift the kayak up to the steep angle necessary to reach the roof from the back or side. It is also way more secure if there’s any wind.

Here’s the technique:

Buy some carpet runner (the cheap sort that is sold by the foot). Make certain it is long enough to go from the front cross bar on your rack all the way down to the front bumper, covering the windscreen and hood.

Set the stern of your kayak on the runner protected hood, grab the bow and slowly slide the kayak up the runner into the front saddles on the crossbar and then all the way into the rear saddles. Once the stern is between the front saddles, the kayak is locked in and unlikely to slip off the rack. Be careful not to bash the stern into the windscreen as you can damage the glass.

I’ve been loading my Necky this way solo since I bought her in 2002. While I’m a tall lady, I’m 63 now and it’s still the easiest way to load on my own. I drive a full size 1992 K5 Blazer so it’s a pretty tall vehicle.

Looks like you’ve figured out what works best for you. I have the additional issue of transporting the kayak from my garage to the car, but I think a trolley would work for that, though I still have to carry it over some stairs. Tough spot. I guess it shouldn’t be too hard to carry a 25kg kayak on my shoulder for a shorter distance. I’ll definitely get some kind of a rug for lifting the kayak onto the roof.

Sincress – consider that you will be lifting this boat from garage to car to water and back again. In the 20 years I’ve been paddling I have learned that my next kayak will be as light as possible. Right now with a Current Designs Extreme and a Sealution II xs from Wilderness Systems (both great boats) I shoulder carry. They weigh in at 58 and 55 lbs respectively,
but always seem heavier on the way home. If its windy they try to fly.

 Once out of the garage or water they go on the roof of a 2010 Scion Xb using a roof rack, Mako saddles and Hully rollers.

For long boats like these, 18’10" and 14’6", a long flat roof is handy. I hope your car affords such a roof, Scions are no longer being made. If not, a pickup truck is an easy deal to arrange for carrying kayaks.

 Likely, like the rest of us on here, you will be enjoying paddling for many years to come, so try to predict how a 

heavy boat will feel 10 years down the road.

Best of luck

@selkie I agree with you. The inflatable I have was bought with such motivation, it’s only 11kg! As for the car, I drive a Subaru Legacy sedan, so no luck there haha. Hopefully I’ll still be able to lift a 25kg kayak when I’m 35 though :slight_smile:

lol…I’m sure you will be. I have 30 years on you so I’m trying to cheat gravity at every turn.

At age 78, I have little trouble loading my 19kg/42lb Viking Javlin & 29kg/63lb Viking Tempo Fisherman SOTs on to my GQ Nissan Patrol 4WD. It’s all about technique.
I place an old waterbed lambswool cover on the roof & an old sleeping bag over the bulbar & bonnet. Carefully slide the yaks up onto the roof racks & tie down securely. The bull bar is the key as it extends up slightly above the profile of the front of the bonnet. A few minor scratches from sand just gives the good old 4WD a bit of a well used look.

@OldAussiePaddler said:
At age 78, I have little trouble loading my 19kg/42lb Viking Javlin & 29kg/63lb Viking Tempo Fisherman SOTs on to my GQ Nissan Patrol 4WD. It’s all about technique.
I place an old waterbed lambswool cover on the roof & an old sleeping bag over the bulbar & bonnet. Carefully slide the yaks up onto the roof racks & tie down securely. The bull bar is the key as it extends up slightly above the profile of the front of the bonnet. A few minor scratches from sand just gives the good old 4WD a bit of a well used look.

Oops … I forgot to mention that I use a strap on rubber tyred trolley to transport them to the water. I can actually strap them one on top of each other if I wish. The trolley height makes it easy to fit & transport the electric motor on the fisherman on the rare occasion that I choose to use it.

Oops … I forgot to mention that I use a strap on rubber tyred trolley to transport them to the water. I can actually strap them one on top of each other if I wish. The trolley height makes it easy to fit & transport the electric motor on the fisherman on the rare occasion that I choose to use it.

I need to figure out how to make a good cart. It would have to have tires fat enough to go over soft uneven ground and yet breakdown to load in or on the boat. Preferably in since on could helpntonget me blown around a bit more on the water so step one is figure what’ll size tire would fit through the hatch.

@SharpsRifle said:

Oops … I forgot to mention that I use a strap on rubber tyred trolley to transport them to the water. I can actually strap them one on top of each other if I wish. The trolley height makes it easy to fit & transport the electric motor on the fisherman on the rare occasion that I choose to use it.

I need to figure out how to make a good cart. It would have to have tires fat enough to go over soft uneven ground and yet breakdown to load in or on the boat. Preferably in since on could helpntonget me blown around a bit more on the water so step one is figure what’ll size tire would fit through the hatch.

Ill be making a DIY cart soon… I can post the results and process if you’d wish. Probably will be a combination of wood frame and large wheels

@Sincress said:

Ill be making a DIY cart soon… I can post the results and process if you’d wish. Probably will be a combination of wood frame and large wheels

Please do! Learning from what works, and what didn’t work for you would be a big help.
The easier it is to get to the water, the more I will paddle so I need a cart. It will open up other options where I don’t want to pack the boat now.



I made a kayak caddy from a lawn spreader that someone left for the trash truck…but car topping was not as easy. I had to make a ramp, with thin carpet, that hooked under my rear roof rack cross bar. I did that after buying & selling a Hullivator, that I did not like. Once I purchased a RAV4 with rear spoiler, I had to redo everything.

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@tlb said:



I made a kayak caddy from a lawn spreader that someone left for the trash truck…but car topping was not as easy. I had to make a ramp, with thin carpet, that hooked under my rear roof rack cross bar. I did that after buying & selling a Hullivator, that I did not like. Once I purchased a RAV4 with rear spoiler, I had to redo everything.

I really like this idea. Simple, cheap and light.
It isn’t what I ultimately want because the tires aren’t exactly all terrain and it isn’t going to store inside the kayak, but this is simple and cheap and will work a lot of the time!

@SharpsRifle said:
It isn’t what I ultimately want because the tires aren’t exactly all terrain and it isn’t going to store inside the kayak, but this is simple and cheap and will work a lot of the time!

Well… challenge accepted. Not sure I’ll be able to make it disassemble and stash under a hatch but I’ll try.

@Sincress said:

@SharpsRifle said:
It isn’t what I ultimately want because the tires aren’t exactly all terrain and it isn’t going to store inside the kayak, but this is simple and cheap and will work a lot of the time!

Well… challenge accepted. Not sure I’ll be able to make it disassemble and stash under a hatch but I’ll try.

I’ve been thinking about some ideas. Step one is probably to go to harbor freight and see if I can’t find wheels that I want, sized to fit in the hatch.
There’s a whole winter in front of me to find time for this!

I have a Wenonah Voyager Solo Kevlar (35 pounds) that I can carry and lift onto the roof racks of my truck solo. No problem.

I would like to do the same with my 18 foot Heritage Rowing Skiff (90 pounds). Too heavy for me to lift onto
the roof racks by myself. It takes two people to load or unload the rowing skiff.

Does anyone have a kayak dolly design that would work for loading this 90 pound rowing skiff solo?

Kayak trailers. Just drop it right on the trailer. Added advantage is you just leave the kayaks(2) on it at home. Main reason was I salt water kayak and I rusted one car very badly after 10+ years of use(vw wagon diesel). I have the malone trailer. It easily takes 2 kayaks. Probably could fit a third if you purchase another set of J-bars.

I car topped an Old Town Loon 138 for years. Not a light weight. The trick is finding the balance point to pick it up so it isn’t dipping down on either end. Once you do it a few times you will get the hang of it.

whiteside