18' sea kayak transport on the roof!

[Stewthebassman]

I have been a Ranger owner since 2022, but I have always relied on another vehicle for rooftop transport. That vehicle was finally sold in June, and I had to decide how to get my boat to the water and the campsites.

My 2024 Ranger with the Bison rollup tonneau is the current truck, and I had to decide how I was going to transport our two very long and heavy sea kayaks using this truck. I had considered a trailer, but ultimately "we" decided that "I" didn't want that. So it was either bed rack or rooftop. I went to a Rack store and they said the Xsporter by Thule would work, and after I got two hours into the assembling I realized that the C Clamps aren't long enough to go under the rail!! So I had to repack the whole thing and return it.

Next I went on Amazon and bought the roof rail setup, using square bars that would accommodate my existing saddles. I went with the 53" bars, to have as much overhang as possible. But when I tried to lift my boat up there it was NOT going to happen without scratching the truck or taking extreme risks with my back and shoulders!

So next I cracked and found a Thule Hullavator on Marketplace. I got it home and installed it - amazing how easy it is to install! After a bit of time figuring out the saddle width for my boat I tested it, and I must say I am as impressed as I thought I would be!

Thule makes nice gear and this Hullavator is beautifully designed. Easy on for my kayak, easy off! No drama at the launch, just efficiency and pleasure!

**I always travel with the kayak(s) strapped for safety in front and in back**

I hadn't seen anything in this forum on the topic so here is my two bits!!

PS. I know there are other bed racks out there but as far as getting what I needed without ordering from the US or going way over budget is concerned, this solution is perfect.

Sponsored

 

[mpcraven]

Great job, thanks for posting! I looked up the Hullavator, BUT can you please clarify what the roof rail system is? Tia.
(Oh... and you're near Montreal... I had thought polar bears...)

 

[Stewthebassman]

Here are the parts that fit our Trucks:

Thule Evo Clamp Foot Pack
Thule Fit kit 145324 (that's the little thing that grips inside your door frame)
and the 150cm Evo Square Bar (so I could reuse my older saddles)

I bought and applied some XPEL R4003-P Clear Paint Protection Film Roll on the roof and inside the door jamb to protect the pain. Easy and cheap insurance against scratches!

 

[Stewthebassman]

The Xpel is supposedly the best protective film out there. It was relatively inexpensive and very easy to apply.

 

[mpcraven]

Much thanks! I'm trying to avoid dropping the headliner and think I have Xpel laying around (headlight protective cover). Have a great time in the water!

 

[$Bill]

That is a really cool set up! Nice!!

 

[Stewthebassman]

Thank you! It's been a game changer!

That is a really cool set up! Nice!!

 

[SLJ]

You need a bow line as the cross bars are very close to each other. A truck passing can put up to 100mph side pressure on it.

 

[Stewthebassman]

Thank you for mentioning this, I always travel (even the ten minutes down to the launch) with a front line attached to hooks under each side of my hood, and a stern line clipped to the tow box or a hook in the bed.

You need a bow line as the cross bars are very close to each other. A truck passing can put up to 100mph side pressure on it.

 

[mpcraven]

You need a bow line as the cross bars are very close...

Good point. I always use both front and back ( whoops... bow and stern) lines on my 19ft aluminum canoe, but much more cross section than a kayak. Thanks for mentioning.

 

[RHIPDX]

Thanks for posting this. I considered doing the same thing but was concerned that the combined weight of the kayaks, rack and Hullavator might exceed the recommended roof loading. Did you check this?
For others looking for similar solutions, I ended up with the Hullavator mounted above a Retrax bed cover on Yakima Overhaul uprights. But note:
1) This wouldn't work with the rollup cover you have since it wouldn't clear the tied down lugs on the inside of the Overhaul uprights. I checked. There are alternative T Track compatible uprights out there though.
2) My set up leaves the kayaks pretty low when loading. Great for loading onto the Hullavator, but I have to do a deep knee bend/overhead press to get it back up. I may switch to the taller adjustable Overhaul as I age
3) Watch the overall length behind the truck if you are towing a trailer.. My setup would probably not work for any kayak longer than 15' with my trailer (a T@b 400 Boondock) - since the kayak would hit the windows on corners. My kayaks are 14.5'. See the attached photo.

 

[SLJ]

Went with Yakima on the roof for our canoes. (12', 15', and 16.5'). Was able to get a little more spread between bars by using the clips from our Maverick on the back bar. Nice T@B RHIPDX. Miss ours.

 

[Stewthebassman]

Wow, you're all set up for adventure! Nice setup! Regarding the weight, the rack max weight is 200lbs, so two kayaks are about 135-140lbs together and the Hullavator is 40lbs. So I think we're ok with one. Paddling dot com has lot of discussions about using two, and while it's probably ok I'd rather not risk it. If we are loading two kayaks it is presumable that the other paddler will help me load!

I have pulled fairly long horse trailer for about twenty years now, so I'm ok with a longer load, but like I said "we" didn't want one taking up space, haha!

Are you familiar with tie down hooks with loops that get held down by your hood? I'm thinking your bow lines might chafe your truck over time.

Thanks for posting this. I considered doing the same thing but was concerned that the combined weight of the kayaks, rack and Hullavator might exceed the recommended roof loading. Did you check this?
For others looking for similar solutions, I ended up with the Hullavator mounted above a Retrax bed cover on Yakima Overhaul uprights. But note:
1) This wouldn't work with the rollup cover you have since it wouldn't clear the tied down lugs on the inside of the Overhaul uprights. I checked. There are alternative T Track compatible uprights out there though.
2) My set up leaves the kayaks pretty low when loading. Great for loading onto the Hullavator, but I have to do a deep knee bend/overhead press to get it back up. I may switch to the taller adjustable Overhaul as I age
3) Watch the overall length behind the truck if you are towing a trailer.. My setup would probably not work for any kayak longer than 15' with my trailer (a T@b 400 Boondock) - since the kayak would hit the windows on corners. My kayaks are 14.5'. See the attached photo.

Sponsored