Diy kayak transport

[Gregorym38]

I have a ford taurus 2002, its a sedan. I plan to get a sportsman 120, a 12 foot and heavy kayak. How can i transport it easily, and solo? I was thinking id use foam blocks for under it, but how can i load it onto the roof? Is there anything i can make/buy to make it easier? 

[padlin]

Do a web search on “roof rack load assist”.

Probably the easiest loading is a canoe/kayak trailer.

[flyfisher]

with that heavy of a boat you are going to want a real rack and not foam blocks.  That boat is unweildy to lift and to have to mess with foam blocks is going to damage your car.  I'd get a rack for the roof of some sort and then figure out how you want to go about loading it.  There are lots of options out there for making loading wasier but on a car it won't be horrible.  I loaded my 14' ATAK on my slightly lifted jeep for years before I got a trailer.  It is about technique as much as brawn.

[Bankbeater]

Check out YouTube.  There are a couple of racks you can purchase that makes lifting a yak up on top of a car easier. 

[Bankc]

If you don't care about the car, get some pool noodles and stuff them with PVC pipes for support.  There should be a size that fits snuggly inside them.  They'll roll across the top and give you a way to roll the kayak across the top.  However, they'll compress pretty quickly and the roof isn't made to hold much weight, so they'll also dent and scratch your roof.  Also, and this is important, make sure the roof is rated to hold the weight of the kayak.  Look for dynamic, not static weight ratings.  Otherwise you can crush your roof, break your windows, and destroy the car.  

 

As for getting the kayak up on the roof, buy a kayak cart that doesn't have any crossbars on the bottom, or ones bent out of the way, like the one pictured below.  Then flip it upside down and strap it tightly to the trunk.  Lift the bow of the kayak onto the wheels of the cart and walk around to lift up the stern and you can roll the kayak up the trunk and onto the foam/PVC rollers on the roof.  Then insert you foam blocks under the kayak at the front and back edges of the roof where the roof is most supported.  Strap it all down and you should be good to go.  Reverse the process for kayak removal.  

 

A more permanent roof rack would be a better, but more costly option.  They also make temporary ones that might be worth looking into.  But the upside down kayak cart will really help with getting that heavy kayak up and down.

 

[Koz]

I would bet that your car is not rated to support that kind of weight. You may get away with for a little while, but in the end I would bet that you end up with big problems.

[Deleted account]

3 hours ago, flyfisher said:

is going to damage your car. 

It's an 02 Taurus...

[BustedSwimbait]

I'm using this one bought off of amazon, has worked well for me and my 08 Audi that has a glass sunroof. Been on the highway many a times, just make sure to strap'r down real well or you're going to have a bad time. Also, it was roughly $20 cheaper when I bought it. Whenever the inflatable tubes inside the fabric decide to never inflate again, I plan on replacing them with pool noodles. Granted, my kayak is 70lbs max so I just heave-ho it on top of my car. As for loading your chunky unit, I'd just lift one side onto the trunk and then lift the rear up. Can use a towel or something to help slide it up and on top of the car.

 

Amazon.com: HandiRack Universal Inflatable Soft Roof Rack Bars (Pair); Tie-Downs and Bow and Stern Lines Included; Carries Kayaks, Canoes, Surfboards and SUPs; Fits Cars and SUVs : Automotive

[Darth-Baiter]

i would go to yakima or Thule websites and see what racks fit your car.  and they come with max load capacities.  my gut tells me you kayak will just fit, weightwise.

 

 

[Gregorym38]

I didnt even think about the weight, i will look at the owners manual. I also dont really care that much about the car, its 20 years old and has a lot of scratches. I definitely dont want to put money i dont need to into the car, so cheap is ideal. I think i might make a diy roof rack with a pvc pipe thru a thick pool noodle, then i cant just strap it through the doors, as pictured below. 
but my main question would be, how do i get the heavy kayak ontop of the roof?

[padlin]

Other than getting help from another person I don’t see a way of doing it using a flimsy setup like that. A 50 lb boat, maybe, but not 85+ lbs unless you do some serious weight lifting before the season. I can get my canoe up on my shoulders, rest one side on the edge of the rack and walk it onto a roof rack, can you get  your kayak up on your shoulders?

[VolFan]

Put a towel or blanket or rubber mat on the car even with the seam between front and back doors. Place kayak parallel lengthwise to car, middle of kayak with seam. You can adjust this orientation to your yak. Lift bow onto blanket/towel/mat so that bow is now leaning on roof with stern away (yak should be 90 degrees to car with bow leaning on roof. Walk back to stern, lift and slide yak onto roof. Pivot (PIVOT) towards trunk so yak is parallel with car again. Adjust and strap down. This is remarkably quick and easy and you never lift more than half the yak. What’s under the boat is up to you but pool noodles or anti-fatigue mats are great once you figure out where it will ride best.

[flyfisher]

5 hours ago, padlin said:

Other than getting help from another person I don’t see a way of doing it using a flimsy setup like that. A 50 lb boat, maybe, but not 85+ lbs unless you do some serious weight lifting before the season. I can get my canoe up on my shoulders, rest one side on the edge of the rack and walk it onto a roof rack, can you get  your kayak up on your shoulders?

not necesarrily true.  it is about finding the true balance point and going from there.  Most handles aren't in the right spot.  It isn't always easy at the end of a day of fishing but it is doable.  Technique is as important as strength.

 

[Darth-Baiter]

there might be 1053 videos on the youtube on how to put a kayak onto a sedan.  I do know it gets easier if you have one of two things:

 

1.  a light kayak

2. or an old car you dont care too much about.  

 

[VolFan]

I think you missed a zero or two in there. There are a million with varying states of physical attractiveness of the presenter.

[airshot]

Just get a trailer, much easier, less hassle.  Small kit trailers at Harbor Freight under 250.00, even less if you can find a used one. 

[Bankc]

The foam pool noodles will compress, and you'll want to replace them periodically.  As you can see, I used four.  Two were strapped down at the far ends, and the two in the middle rolled freely.  I've put them at the back when loading, so they'd roll forward with the kayak.

 

But with the upside down kayak cart strapped to the tip of the trunk, I could easily lift this 90lb kayak, even with my herniated disc.  

 

Here's a link to a video that shows the basic idea.  They're doing it with an SUV, but it's the same principle, only the cart lays flat instead of hanging.  

 

https://youtu.be/s7gQKKBV648

[Gera]

Would you consider adding a hitch and an a harbor fright trailer?? hitch is cheap and trailer will still work for you after you change the car. 

[Gregorym38]

2 hours ago, Gera said:

Would you consider adding a hitch and an a harbor fright trailer?? hitch is cheap and trailer will still work for you after you change the car. 

Depends how much it would cost me. I dont have a hitch so i would have to install it

[Gera]

29 minutes ago, Gregorym38 said:

Depends how much it would cost me. I dont have a hitch so i would have to install it

Look into that option, if you do the work yourself cost will not be that high. I have the 106 so Kind understand the weight issue. there are used trailers everywhere that with a little work and imagination you can get yourself something even better than using the roof of your car. installing a hitch in any car its super easy. 

 

I carried mine on the roof of my grand Cherokee, bought a very expensive Yakima roof rack and it was a struggle loading it. I could have spend less for the trailer and made it easier. 

[Bankc]

31 minutes ago, Gregorym38 said:

Depends how much it would cost me. I dont have a hitch so i would have to install it

It should come in around $200-250.  The hitch will be about $30, hitch receiver about $150, and wiring kit will be about $30.  And you'll have to get plates for the trailer in NJ, so that's another $15 or whatever.  And I don't know about the 2002 Taurus, but some cars need holes drilled into the frame or other modifications to install the hitch receiver, which might require buying a new tool, depending on the job and what tools you already own.  There should be YouTube videos out there walking you through an installation that you'll want to watch before going down this route.  But it's typically a fairly easy DIY job.  Maybe 1-3 hours.  Probably a 20 minute job for someone who works on cars a lot.  

[padlin]

Add $500 for the trailer.

[Darth-Baiter]

  i can get a kayak ontop of a ford Taurus.  no problem.  you only have to lift half the weight of a kayak at a time.  cheesecake. 

 

i saw a guy lift a giant Native 13 something onto a jeep wrangler.  no pool noodles even.  he just grunted it up there upside down and grabbed the end on the ground and push/slid it on top.

[BigBiscuit]

2 hours ago, Gregorym38 said:

Depends how much it would cost me. I dont have a hitch so i would have to install it

I picked this trailer up for short money that I used to transport my canoe. It's a TrailEx. I want to say I found it for $325. The deals are out there if you keep an eye out.