Transporting A Kayak

I am looking to buy my first kayak and intend to transport it on top of my SUV. At this time, I only have the front to back rails, but not cross bars.



What suggestions might you have as to brand of rails and kayak attachment to buy, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of carrying the kayak flat on it s hull or on its side using one of the “J” type attachments on the roof racks? Thanks

any of the major brands
Any of the major brands should work fine. Thule and Yakima are the two biggest, but there are a few smaller ones out there also.



The kayak attachment varies based on what type of boat you have, whether you plan to carry multiple boats, and how much head room you have in places you drive (like garage doors). Any feel for these that you could let us know?

If you are just carrying one yak, use…
saddles.



jack L

What vehicle

– Last Updated: May-24-13 7:26 PM EST –

I have a 4Runner & use Yakima grab reels & cross bars with Hulley Rollers & Saddles. I also use a boat roller on the rear door, takes me longer to tie my yak down than get it on my roof.

Primarily One Kayak
I will primarily be carrying one kayak and head room is not a problem as I have 9’ overhead door clearance. Thanks so much for all of this information. One consideration though is that I want the carrier and kayak to be secure and stable for long trips such as transporting the kayak out of state, especially to Florida.

GO TO THE MFRs’ VARIOUS WEBSITES…
Find the ‘Fit Your Car’ section, and follow the instructions about entering your car’s make, model, and year, and you find out what you’ll need to get a rack to carry your boats so you can happily



PADDLE ON!



-Frank in Miami