I really want to go kayaking this summer. I have an 85 pound kayak that I can’t put on the roof of my car. Should I buy a collapsible kayak, buy a new car, or have my roof reinforced? I have tried roof racks, they didn’t work.
I find it difficult to imagine that any car roof, unless it’s a convertible, can’t support 85 pounds. Can’t you just lay some urethane padding on the roof and tie it down? How would you propose reinforcing the roof anyway?
I can’t imagine what kind of kayak you have that wouldn’t be accommodated by one of these Yakima products. I have the Mako type, and carry two kayaks on my Honda Civic.
I weigh ~150 and if I sit up there it leaves a large dent, which slowly springs back. That makes me very nervous about putting the kayak up on the roof.
85 pounds? Is it a tandem or made out of wood? That’s a heavy boat.
When I had a Jeep Wrangler with a soft top I would just throw a kayak in, hanging out the back with a bandana tied on. Then I got a roof-rack made for a soft top Jeep.
Have you tried roof racks that were designed for your type of car? Why do you say roof racks didn’t work? Do you have a Smart Car, or something?
I know a guy who tows an ultralight one kayak trailer with a smart car.
The Yakima racks I use on my Civic would probably work on a Smart Car, too. The only thing I really think they wouldn’t work on is a rag top.
The kayak’s weight won’t be concentrated in one spot as you were when sitting there. I remember that they used to sell rubber pieces that slipped over the gunwales of a canoe so you could carry it on your roof upside down. Wouldn’t work on a kayak, but I’ll bet a piece of urethane foam would work.
The proper roof rack applies the weight onto the stiff part at the edge.
You just need the proper roof rack. It may have be to professionally attached, as in permanently attached footings.
The one I have can be installed and removed in a few minutes.