Yakima Hully Rollers?

Advice
#1

I’m looking to switch from side-loading j-cradles to a rear-rolling situation. I have a short Nissan Versa hatchback so I think this would well for me.



Bottom line: I’m thinking of taking advantage of NRS’ current 20% off Yakima sale. Looking at getting a pair of Hully Rollers and a pair of saddles. Any general happiness or unhappiness with the Hully Rollers? Any opinion/advice is appreciated.

#2

I have them all
Saddles, Hully Rollers, and J cradles.



Here is my take:

My preference is for the saddles.



If you have a heavy boat, the Hully Rollers are the best. I loved them for our big 23 foot long 100 pound tandem.

With any boats under 50 pounds, they are over kill, and if your yak has a white hull, you are subject to getting some black/gray marks on it



I also have some of their old saddles that I have glued carpet on, and like those too



With two vehicles and constantly switching back and forth, and sometimes carrying two yaks and a canoe, I use them all, and that is when I use the J cradles.



Jack L

#3

I did not like my Hully Rollers.
I use only saddles now. Hully rollers can leave black marks on your hull but the reason I got rid of mine was that one of them rolled over during loading and the bolts gouged my hull.It was as tight as I could get it on the bar.

#4

String is correct
About leaving black marks which do come off. What is better than the Hully Rollers and saddles are the Yakima Sweet Roll carrier. I ordered it in the Spring and have used it all Summer. Much easier to use than the dated Hully roller design.

#5

Hey Fred,
I didn’t care for the ones I had. They didn’t really roll with a composite boat and they had less square inches of support on the hull while transporting. Saddles allow the boat to slide up quite easily and give a bigger footprint.

I gave them to my cousin. She loves the way the help her roll her poly boat on the roof of her small SUV.

For what it’s worth,

T

#6

So for you “saddles only” people…
Do you load solo with no problems? The saddles allow the boat to slide up and in without the need of rollers? Am I getting that right?



Thanks all.

#7

I use a bath mat
over the back hatch to slide a boat up and onto my middle cradles.



was not a big fan of the hully rollers. sometimes they would tilt rather than roll, and I was concerned with the small contact area – the hull would bounce around some, and the rollers definitely leave marks.

#8

bath mat

– Last Updated: Nov-27-15 9:39 PM EST –

I have found a bath mat also good to put on the back of my Ford Excursion which is high when I load on to my Yakima saddles the Current Designs Libra 21-4 and 100 lb. Just need decent rubber backing on mat so it doesn't slip. I get it on myself at 63.

#9

Yes




Jack L

#10

saddles and bath mat
I am a 5’3", 67 yo female who loads her kayak onto Thule saddles onto her Forester alone using the bath mat method. Works great. A friend has the hully rollers, but I find no need for them.

#11

Versa

– Last Updated: Nov-28-15 11:33 AM EST –

I just bought a new Versa note 2015 about 2 months ago. I now use both V-saddles from Oak Orchard and a Thule slipstream.

Those Hulley rollers mark up the hulls gel coat as I found out when I loaded my kayak on to a friends pickup who has those. Not to happy about that.

Picture of slipstream with a 18 foot QCC on it
http://www.pbase.com/dc9mm/image/161947166

Closer view showing how it slides the built in roller so you can slide kayak on from the back.
http://www.pbase.com/dc9mm/image/161947167

and then same kayak on the V-saddles BUT On OLD car a 2008 Honda fit which is almost the same car.
http://www.pbase.com/dc9mm/image/159816316

Notice how the Thule Slipstream spreads out the contact point on kayak for a much more solid hold on kayak.

#12

Saddles

– Last Updated: Nov-28-15 5:42 PM EST –

Are good if you have a low vehicle. If you have an SUV some form of rollers work best. The Yakima Sweet roll incorporates the best of both worlds. Their much easier to use than the Mako Saddles and cost effective too.

https://www.yakima.com/sweetroll

#13

It may be a personal thing…
I find the saddles slide well even on my Tahoe. I’m 6’ tall. If I were shorter, my results might be different. My wife likes to buy the terry cloth buffer pads to put on the saddles. That really helps the ‘slide’ and protects her boat from scratches. We call them the ‘whitey-tighties’.

T

#14

great idea!

#15

rollers
On my excursion the suv is so high and the saddle position so far forward rollers would not work unless I got the extenders they make.

#16

Home made roller

– Last Updated: Nov-30-15 2:12 PM EST –

Quote "On my excursion the suv is so high and the saddle position so far forward rollers would not work unless I got the extenders they make."

On most of the rear load type kayak holders you need to also get some kind of roller at back of car to get it up to the saddles(Except Thule Slipstream as it has built in roller that extends backward). The youtube videos on the Yakima Hully Rollers or the Sweet Roll make me laugh as they either show magically the kayak up on the back roller/saddle or they have a vehicle were the rear bar is almost at the very back of vehicle. Some SUV's have the bar that far back most cars don't.

You need something else, yea a bath mat can work. or make this http://www.hobiecat.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=31224

My rear bar on my Versa are around 31 inches from back of car. Were either the Hully Rollers or Sweet rolls would be useless without something to protect rear of car.

Hully Rollers work on friends pickup as his rear bar is right at back or truck cab. BUT mark gelcoat up when a wheel stops rolling.

You can buy a rear roller Oak Orchard sells them but I had to make the one above when I got my new car as the one I bought wouldn't fit into the rear slot of the back hatch (it did on my old car), to narrow a slot on Versa, suction cup type only way on Versa Note same for Honda CRV.