Show your Kayak campertop racks

[Bassyaks]

Guys I would like to see different style racks used on campers to carry kayaks, also the mounts than hold the rack to the camper top

Here's the reason www.Bassyaks.com

Thanks
Steve

[bjrogers86auto]

I have Yakima racks on the van but haven't yet installed the helper shocks.

My trailer is by far the best way to haul 4 boats ranging from 14'5'' to 17'.

I have tried Thule Hull-a-ports and various stackers. Cockpit down on pads works the best for me.

My spring plan is to improve on my rack on the trailer for easier loading and strapping.

Brian.
_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[Bassyaks]

How does the van pull the trailer, you pulling about 2 times the weight I plan on towing .I debating either to use a rack onto of the pop up or to put a hitch on it and tow my Rack and Roll trailer. It all depends on how the van handles with a trailer.

[dobryan]

I've pulled an 800 lb trailer with no problem. Just go easy down hill when the trailer is pushing. But, I've got rear disks and a Subie to pull with.
_________________
Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

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[Inlet]

800lbs is equal to 4 200lb people. I would hope the vanagon could handle this.

[Randy in Maine]

I also do the trailer as it is a lot easier to load/unload them + I did not want to remove the yaks and the carrier every time I went to pop the top.

You could also do with the smaller and lighter trailer (the bed in mine is 8' long but I use it for other stuff as well). Perhaps something like this and modify it to hold the kayaks well? Those are the Thule racks from my pickup truck mounted backwards, but they work well on the trailer.

http://worksporttrailers.com/4x6open.php#

[vanagonjr]

Fhttp://worksporttrailers.com/4x6open.php#

That 4 x 6 trailer is only 350 Lbs - good link Randy! Another option is getting a small boat trailer, like one for a Sunfish and building racks on that. I built a "temp" kayak rack out of wood on the boat trailer 4 or 5 years ago. It was so light, I could move it around by hand easily. I finally put it back to it's intended use this year, but it was great.

Randy - that a nice looking Bay (and trailer) that you got there!

John
LiMBO

[bjrogers86auto]

Like Randy's, my trailer is a Snowbear trailer. Mine is the smaller version, the base measures 6' X 4'6".

My kayaks average weight per boat would be around 55lbs. The trailer is stripped down to the base with a light rack system to carry the boats.

The total weight I guess to be around 600lbs. If not less. I have the straps attached to the bars to make strap management less of a factor. The boats being down low makes a huge difference in loading effort. The Yakima racks are going to hold a roof box once the shocks are installed.

When the day arrives that there is just the two of us, I may consider roofing the boats. The trailer works great and I haven't noticed any difference in power or even much when stopping...they both still suck.

When I finish the spring modification I will post a better trailer pic. Like the van...it's naptime for the kayaks around here...sadly.

Brian.
_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[j_dirge]

[climberjohn]

Carrying one boat:

Rack on top plus heavy duty poptop shocks from Jack Bombay should be fine. Maybe a small ladder to access the top depending on your agility.

More than one boat on a regular basis, a trailer might be a better option.

I am a whitewater boater, with shorter easier to manage boats than the longer sea-yaks most other posters are talking about. Heck, most times I put the (dry) boat inside the van!

-CJ
_________________
'86 Westy, 2.5 Subaru power
Know your limits. Exceed them often.

[bjrogers86auto]

I agree 100%. Braking is the big issue. I drive very cautiously without any extra load...even more when full.

I never plan on hauling more than the yaks on the trailer. I want the van for another 25 yrs. The roof top issue for me isn't so much about the back as it is about simplicity. The trailer makes it simple to load and unload. My 11 year old helps me put the boats on.

When you arrive at the campsite it takes minutes to unhook and park the boats to one side. Then the van is free for other adventures. The rooftop box may or may not be needed. Time will tell.

In my last rack configuration for the trailer, I had the bottom boats upright on hull pads with cockpit covers on and gear stuffed in the boats. Worked sweet.

If your looking for a paddle bag...a folding lawnchair stuff sack works great.

Brian.
_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[f-666]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[floggingmolly]

Just a typical Yakima set up I got off craigslist. I had to get the fake gutters (the two bolt version, not the 4 bolt version). I think my cross bars are like 65 inches. Works great, but my fat ocean kayak (65lbs) makes it too heavy to lift the roof with it up there. Maybe with the pop-top shocks...

Drilling the holes was nerve racking, but measure twice drill once, and it was all good. No issues with leaking though we don't get a lot of rain in SD. The fake rain gutters have held up with no issues and I have had over 100 lbs up there.
_________________
'85 Wolfsburg Weekender

[bjrogers86auto]

We get lots of rain around here....snow as we speak.

I used a double face tape to hold the gutters in place as I drilled them. Worked great. I then used a silicone to seal around the gutter. No leaks yet.

The shocks are necessary for sure with boats up there...even a box.

That's in the budget for next season.

Brian.
_________________
86 Vanagon GL Westfalia 2.1
18 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X
19 Honda Civic Hatchback

A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin and Hobbes.

[plummerdesign]

Gotta love Yakima because it works with all of the cars here. Change a mount and it fits the Intrepid. Change the clip and it fits the Windstar.
On the Westy two 40 pound kayaks makes it tough to lift the top, so I will be ordering the GW lift kit. One pocket-full of money at a time
.

Link

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If you look at my Samba gallery photos you can see the rack and yaks, otherwise the YouTube link shows the same.
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Cheers,
Jeffery[/img]
_________________
It is old and green and it makes me grin.
1984 Westfalia 1.9

[Bassyaks]

What's a GW lift kit??

[Bruce Wayne]

[westynova]

I have the roof racks. All I need now is the kayak so i can join in on this post! Too many toys, not enough time.
_________________
84 Westy
2010 VW Golf TDI Wagon
2009 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited, Lifted and Locked

[floggingmolly]

[Love My Westy]

My jackbombay lift kit with the most powerful shocks works for my Yakima rack holding my 65# Wenonah canoe. Much more than that would be difficult to lift the top. We tried it with my whitewater canoe that is about 60# and a whitewater kayak about 40# and it took two of us to lift the top.