Having a roof rack on your vehicle is an excellent way to carry things that don’t fit inside your vehicle: skis, snowshoes, runners and luggage are all easier to handle when carried in your vehicle.
Besides bikes and skis, the most popular thing to transport with a roof rack is a boat. Kayaks, boats, and even surfboards are simply impossible to transport inside your vehicle. Compared to other means of transportation, such as a trailer, a roof rack is substantially cheaper and easier to use. It may be the only one: where do you start to choose a water rack roof?
What kind of ship will you take?
The first step in the selection process is determining what type of boat you are wearing. Many water tanks are specifically designed for transporting a kayak, canoe or even a surfboard. It’s no surprise that rack sizes and styles vary as much as boats carry them so you can tailor your rack to your specific needs more easily.
There are 4 styles of roof rack boats: load carriers, saddle carriers, j style carriers and towbar style carriers. All 4 types are available from the top 3 names in water shakes: Thule, Yakima and Inno.
Help the Water Cannons place
First, at the higher end of things are the load assist tools which, as their name suggests, help you slide the weight of the raft onto the roof of your vehicle. This comment usually features easy-to-scale features and straps that make the loading and unloading process as easy as possible.
The most common type of load is the water rack. Cylinders provide an easy way to load your boat with you. By placing the end of the boat on the racks and lifting and pushing from the opposite side, you can very easily load your boat into the rack by yourself.
A load-assist spring exclusive to Thule is found in the Hullavator rack. This rack descends from the roof to be brought down to the level of the navel by ascending hooks. Once the boat is securely attached, the rack uses a gas-assisted push to help pull the boat back onto your roof. Just secure a couple of safety clips and you’re on your way.
Saddle-Style Water Guns
The most popular kayak rack model is the equestrian style model. These rest your ship on 4 “feet” or “stars” so you can mount it in a horizontal position. They have the lowest profile on the roof and are the simplest option for carrying a boat. If you’re worried about the rack’s effect on your gas mileage, this is the way to go. Loading a carrier-style chair typically takes two people for larger kayaks. An optional roller can be used to load smaller and medium-sized kayaks for a one-person job.
Typically these also take up the most rack space in your bars. By placing the widest part of the boat in the vehicle you will not be able to fit more than 2 kayaks on top. With some vertically mounted systems you free up space for a carrier or bike rack.
There are many types of feet and they can be mixed and matched to suit your taste. Some contact surfaces have lower friction to help with skid-loading from the rear of the vehicle. If you have a smaller vehicle or one with a lower roof, a set of rubber feet may be the best fit for you as you can just lift and lower the boat over them before the crash.
Style Water Races
If transporting white water kayaks, the best bet is probably the “Stackim” style rack. These racks provide a single point contact center roof rack allowing up to 2 kayaks to be attached. either side. Kayaks will ride completely vertical on your roof, so the adverse effect on gas mileage on water bottle carrier is the J style rack. J bearing cradles holding your boat in a straight position to maximize rack space and load relief keeping the boat stable. while the strap Some J-style folding rack models reduce wind resistance and lower the vehicle’s profile when the rack is not in use.
Conclusion
This is a brief introduction to the many options you have when it comes to mounting a boat on your roof. What rack is best for you really depends on your primary use, frequency of use, and vehicle. Hopefully this information will help you prepare to spend your next vacation outdoors.
