I have two 10’ kayaks that I want to transport using a 2014 toyota corolla.
They came with rooftop carrier kits that include ropes/foam blocks.
I’ve only tried transporting one kayak with the kits. The carrier kits seem unstable even with one.
Does anyone know any economical option to transport the kayaks with my corolla?
In my estimation there is no …
“economical” way to roof top a couple of kayaks.
You either spend some money for a good rack system or take your chances
Jack L
Hmmm
10-foot kayays are normally 30+ inches wide - there won’t be room enough to put them on the roof side by side without racks. At minimum, you’d get some racks that are extra wide for your car and use some kind of foam padding for the bars. Extra wide bars could cause someone getting in/out of the car to hit their head on the bar (ouch).
A better system would be to use the recommended width bars and turn the kayaks on their sides and get one of these “kayak stacker” things that goes on a rack. If there is room, you could also look at J-carriers. None of this stuff is particularly cheap, I am afraid.
Ebay is your friend…
as well as the classifieds here. If you determine the rack parts you want and are patient, you can score a decent rack system for a lot less than MSRP. You can find the list of parts on a “build my rack” feature on the manufactures website.
I’ve done it more than once. Fall and winter is when I find the best deals.
Happy hunting!
T
Craigslist
You should be able to buy a set of square Thule bars and feet for about $75 on Craigslist.
Agreed with what’s been said…
I use foam blocks on my Corolla for a single and there are limitations. There’s lots of factors that determine how stable the setup will be (shape of the roof, balance/position of the blocks/boat, wind, driving speed etc.), but because the blocks can move, I find it does require you to look up through the windshield to make sure the bow is always aligned.
I highly recommend multiple hull straps and bow & stern tie-downs if you feel the blocks are unstable. A bit more work for sure but worth the extra effort.
One overlooked BENEFIT for getting a rack is that when it rains, you no longer have water dripping into your lap from the straps that go into your car 
carrier blocks
Are just fine. Just make sure straps are cranked down enough, that kayak is gasping for air and you have at least a 3" dent on bottom of each tie down point. Take other kayak, turn up on side and tie to first kayak.Don’t forget to crank straps down, again to where kayaks are screaming bloody murder. Bow and stern straps recommended.
OK that is the worse advise yet right? To carry both safely, you need a good set of cross bars, and at least one pair of j-cradles, carrying one flat and the other on it’s side.
Thank you
Thank you for all the help!
I’m just going to get a list of items and hope they come up on craigslist/ebay so I can save some money.
Seems like the entire set-up will cost about $750 from Yakima.
What other companies are there?
use Thules more common
I have outfitted several cars with used Thule components over the years. People often sell them due to buying new cars that already have racks or don’t fit what they used with their old one.
If you get wide enough bars you can mount the boats deck down right on the racks and won’t need stackers or J-racks to side carry them. You would need the 65" bars (you will have to learn not to bump into them because they will overhang). I have never paid more than $200 for a Thule set of brackets and bars. Also got a like new stacker set on Ebay last year for under $40 including shipping.
I used foam blocks for the first 3 years I kayaked and it was a pain, even though I had narrower touring boats that could fit side by side. I was so much happier once I invested in a rack. it makes life so much easier plus it has the added benefit of making your vehicle able to haul ladders, lumber, carpets and other bothersome loads. Well worth the cost.
Inno
Check out Inno racks. Complete base rack, square bars like Thule, keys included. Autoanything.com currently has the complete base rack on sale for $225, shipping included. We have this setup on our Honda Fit. Works great. You could just go with the longer bars as suggested above or look around for kayak carriers.
shop for used components
– Last Updated: Jun-15-15 5:11 PM EST –
I can almost guarantee you'll find used bars on Ebay, at a good discount from new. Completely agree with everything Willowleaf posted just above.
That may require a lot of patience.
I ended up buying a new foot pack and bars, because it was taking too long to find used.
Also, many used rack sellers won’t ship the load bars - local pick up only.