I have a Northstar tandem weighing in at 94 pounds. I’m looking at a Honda Element to buy for my coffee roasting business and was wondering if anyone had experience with this vehicle with this size boat on top??
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I have a Nissan Quest, which is a mini van similar in size. On top goes a Loon 160 tandem, I think it’s 89 lbs, and a loon 138 at 78 lbs.
Use bow and stern lines and you’ll have no problems.
I use a ‘redneck rack’.
??Redneck Rack??
OK - -I give
What the Hec is a Redneck Rack??
Actually sounds like something I would do!!
No problem
I carry a 16’ tandem canoe on my Honda Civic. I spent some birthday money on a Thule rack, but I’ve done it before that with foam blocks. You’ll have no trouble on an Element. Good luck!
Rack
Check with whatever brand of rack you want to use - Yakima (at least) lists a maximum load rating.
A friend has a CRV and we’ve hauled two 17’ sea kayaks on it with Yakima bars for a 400 mile round trip, no problems. Weight of the two was probably a little more than 94 lbs - maybe 100-110.
No worries
My Yakima is rated at 165. I think they are being conservartive, too. I put three very heavy picnic tables (maybe 250 total) on and it didn’t break (though I did have to re-adjust it).
I frequently carry two royalex canoes totalling 15o lbs without any problems - again though, bow and stern lines are very supportive of the load in winds.
You should be fine
I have an Element and Yakima racks with Malone J-Stackers. I carry two kayaks for a total weigth of ~ 100 lbs. The Element is a great vehicle. It is made to accept the Yakima landing pads on factory flanges. A strong set up!
Pictures @ http://spaces.msn.com/11000
think 2x4
Why spend $$$ for something that I will use 2 or three months of the year? ! kayak gets the foam block treatment, two need the homemade rack.
I have used it on the highway at 70 with out any problem.
Bummer…
…that you only get 2-3 months out of the year of your kayaks. It’s only the first week of April, and I got out twice in late March - up here in the chilly northeast. I’m looking to get 7-8 months paddling this year. Plus the roof rack is great for hauling other things like large sheets of plywood and sheetrock on my sedan. I consider it an investment. Not a waste of money.
Rear passenger in Element
– Last Updated: Apr-06-06 9:39 PM EST –
One thing to check, walkinghead, is to sit in the rear seat of an Element. The view for the backseat passengers due to a very poorly placed wide roof support beam on each side, plus a dinky window, is truly atrocious. That is a big negative to the Element. If you have kids, they will hate it back there. Check that out.
http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/02images/02newyork/03element1.jpg
I’ve sat in the back…
I’ve sat in the back of an Element. Honestly, I did not mind the view, I felt like I could easily see out the front window, over the heads of the front seat passengers. What I didn’t like, is that you can’t open the back door without opening the front door first. Talk about a nightmare if you do have kids to drop off regularly.
The Element was right for us but
it may not be right for others. Like kayaks, vehicle designers have their own design trade-offs to consider. We have a Ford 150 4x4 SuperCrew, Toyota Previa and Cadillac Catera in addition to the Element. Each vehicle has a set of features that trump the others, but collectively we have all our needs covered! 
DVD - This is the Sea
Windows are so old fashioned. Just put in a DVD player an that “This is the Sea” video . . . or stripes, and pretend you are in an EM-50.
Thanks!
The Element sounds like a good choice for what I am looking for. I hear everyone on the back seat issue but we have no kids and I will use the Element primarily for a coffee delivery truck for my shop and my roastrie. I wanted something that I could use for fun things like the yak and when I go backpacking.