Side loaders for car topping

[Bigbox99]

Just want to share my love for these devices.  In the past I used a Yakima Boat Loader that slid out of a Yakima rack but when I got the Element I needed something that was universal to work with the existing rack.  Enter the Rhino Rack universal side loader.  It comes with a bunch of brackets to adapt to your roof rack and I did have to swap out the ones that were pre installed but now it grabs onto my rack like a glove.  It allows me to bring the boat along side the car and hook the bow onto the loader then pick up the back and place it onto the rear rack then shove the boat off the loader and onto the front rack.  

[Bankc]

Well, there you go!  And it looks like you have a lip on the front of your kayak that catches the bar, making it easier to lift.  That's handy.  

 

I do something similar, only I use a truck bed extender in a trailer hitch on the back.  I have my installed in reverse, so that it sticks up instead of out, so it's level with my roof rack.  It's definitely a lot easier having to lift just one end of the kayak versus the whole thing at once.  

[Bigbox99]

The rack extension really helps to car top tall vehicles.  The Element is as tall as my pickup on 35s.  

[Will Ketchum]

If you can drive into your garage with the kayak still sitting on top, you can have a set of 4 ropes hanging from the rafters with "S" hooks to hang the kayak in the garage upside down and just lower it for the next trip. That's what I did years ago with a 12' boat.