jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

If I get a kayak, I should probably get a roof rack to carry it. Thule, Yakima, and Rhino-Rack are the major brands, with the base prices running from around $440 - $570. Then I have to add either flat or vertical mounts for the kayak itself. If you have any suggestions, I'd be glad to hear them.

worldcycle Loc: Stateline, Nevada

If you can, test drive the rack systems or look up user videos. Ease of use is most important. They are all high quality.

mrpentaxk5ii

Depends on what you drive, during the time that I have had my 14 ft kayak that I sent you photos of I have had the kayak on two vans. The first one was an Chevy Astro Van,on that one I had a Hullavator by Thule, the bunks mount to the car rack and each bunk swings down from the roof to the side of the van, the kayak is loaded, strapped down then the boat and racks swing back up and lock in place on top of the roof, makes for easy loading and unloading, but coasts the most. The one I have now is used on a dodge Grand caravan, also a Thule rack, but I'm not sure if it is still made. The rack is on rails that clamp to the cross bars of your roof rack, it has two adjustable bunks, on the end of the rack is a roller that the bow goes onto then the kayak is lifted up and slid into both the front and rear bunk, unlike the Hullavator the rack I use now the kayak has to be tied down while on top of your car. Lastly. if you get a kayak shorter than 12-ft you will find the seating area quite small and your knees will be up in your chest, the shape of the small kayaks under 12 feet are egg shape, this means that they do not track well while you are moving through the water, smaller kayaks tend to be less stable. I have had found myself in choppy water due to passing boats and or change in wind and have never capsized, a smaller kayak will not give you that safety in tough conditions.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

It's a different type of equipment, but depending on your intended use it may work. Have you considered an inflatable kayak? (if they are call like that)

Adds the pain of having to inflate/deflate, and possible puncture issues, but surely is easier to carry and store.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I considered an inflatable for about four seconds. I've done enough inflating in my lifetime.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Yes, I have spent hours online with all sorts of rack sites. It's not easy finding some place that anything in stick - kayaks, paddled, lifejackets, roof racks. Things aren't being made, but people keep buying.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

This will be going on a 2015 Honda Fit. The kayak will probably be a Wilderness Aspire 105. I want to keep the price under $3,000. There aren't a lot of kayaks actually choices available, at least nothing I'd consider buying. Just because the dealer shows them on his website, that doesn't mean they have them. "Oh, that should have been removed." I found the same thing with car dealers. They show a dozen cars on their lot, but when you ask about it, "Oh, we don't have that anymore."

Although a longer kayak would be great on the water, paying for it and hauling it back and forth would be more of a challenge. I'm aiming for small lakes and ponds. I've been talking to local people, and there are a lot of nice, calm places near me. As for safety, I'm 76. How many more years can I expect? I'm going to live dangerously and go kayaking on small ponds!

Harry0 Loc: Gardena, Cal

AH! Inflatables!
There will always be somebody who gets the idea of using the vehicle exhaust.
I don't really know what causes the chemical reactions.
But you may have a few hours before the seams start giving way.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Why do you associate ‘inflatable’ with ‘exhaust’? Our inflatable kayak came with a pump which could be powered via a “cigarette lighter”.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

No kayak, so no roof rack. When I went to buy the kayak today, the price was $100 higher than yesterday. The salesman "made a mistake."

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

When I was about ten, a car salesman pulled that sort of stunt. When my family went with my Dad to pick up our ‘new’ used car, the used car salesman said his manager insisted on another $500 - my Dad was so mad, he ended up purchasing a new car ..... from a different dealership.

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

When we were driving our kayaks around on a minivan, we just used the roof racks that came with the car, with padding. The store we purchased the kayaks from actually had custom tubes (like pipe insulation) that would go on the cross braces. We just strapped the kayaks down tightly and off we’d go. Frankly, I was never really comfortable with this setup at highway speeds, and would probably go for a specialized kayak rack if I did it again.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

I use THULE. I've heard good things about YAKIMA, but we can't get them in the U.K. On my old Volvo 940 my THULE bars could take 4 river running kayaks. If you are just putting one or two boats on the car I'd look at 'J' bars. I use these to secure my sea kayak. I find it makes life a little easier topping and removing them.

Check your vehicles roof loading maximum weight allowance - and subtract the weight of the rack and fittings from that. The remainder is good for boats and accesories etc.

jcave Loc: Cecilia, Kentucky

Jerry, after years of paddling and hoisting kayaks onto rooftop racks I sprung for the Thule Hullavator which has made a huge difference on my shoulders as well as in strapping the kayaks in place. This rack is unique in that it will lift and lock a kayak in place with no more effort than one finger. While expensive, over the years it has paid for itself many times over and retains its resale value. Happy paddling.

Country Boy Loc: Beckley, WV

I'm 73 in a month or so and have a 12 foot sit on top fishing kayak. Empty I can carry it but it is not comfortable. I started taking it on a trailer and using a set of those wheels that strap to one end to let you pick up the other end and push it to the water. That was a pain. I ended up purchasing a small boat trailer and mounting a board down the center with carpet on it and the kayak sits in its own bed. When I go out, I carry gear in the kayak and when I get to the lake, I back it in like a regular boat and it is almost ready to get in and go. No lifting or struggle and makes it so easy to travel with and launch. May sound odd but prevents car roof damage and the struggles that go with roof top carriers. You will also find that you will use it a lot more if you make it easier to deal with.