I would like to get a carrier for my yak. I am seeing two types and was wondering who likes what and why. There are J-style and cushion/pad style and then Thule vs. Yakima
I have a ws pamlico 100, and the vehicle that I will be using for transport is a Subaru Forester w/ factory roof rack. I am also planning on getting another yak, so ideally the system will allow the mounting of two carriers.
Any recommendations?
You need to give Dav e @ Time Out Sports a call. They sell Thule. Thule is widely used and probably can get better service around here. I do like Yakima because I believe they are stronger but with a 10-16’ yak there is no worry with the Thule.
“Live like you will live forever but live like you will die tomorrow.”
I use a yakima rack, and don’t have any particular reason to tout that over Thule or J-style. The one feature I would reccommend is an extension rod that will allow you to easily load and unload alone. (Yakima Boat Loader for example) The pamlico 100 is over 40Lbs and after a long paddle, the roof of your Forester will seem like a MILE!
I have even used this extension with a yakima “round bar” strapped to the factory roof rack.
good luck!
Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. ~Henry David Thoreau
As far as Thule vs. Yakima, they both make an excellent product. Both of their kayak carriers such as J cradles, up right saddles, and stackers should work on square (thule), round (yakima), or factory roof rack cross bars (I know this is the case for Thule, Yakima should be the same).
In theory, the round bars(yakima) might be a bit stronger, but my Thule bars have been on three different cars and had sailboats, lumber, up to eight kayaks all adding up to much more weight than Thule recommends, and they don’t even have a slight bend.
The problem I have found with the Yakima round bars is that the carriers and kayak saddles tend to rotate around the bars when you don’t want them to. This can be especially annoying when trying to wrestle a large kayak into the saddles and they keep moving around.
Other than that, both are great stuff.
I do agree with manolin, the retractable loading arms are great and both companies make one that will work with their respective bars.
DD
(If you do get a Thule system from us at Time Out, we will install it for you free of charge!!)
I love the Thule I have, easy to take on and off. Can fit 2 yaks and a canoe on it.
If a man wakes up early to go fishing he 's sleep deprived, If a man wakes up late to go fishing he’s fish deprived
I am also shopping and am finding Thule to be about 2/3 the price of Yakima for the basic system. I have also seen SportRack http://www.sportrack.com/home. But, I don’t know anything about them. There aren’t any dealers around, but the racks are available online.
Also, I have heard that those round “noodle” float things work good as rack cushions (slit them down the center). At $1 each at Dollar Tree, they are almost disposable. Has anyone tried them?
BC
Mt P, SC
Wag more. Bark less.
quote:
Originally posted by bcioccoI am also shopping and am finding Thule to be about 2/3 the price of Yakima for the basic system. I have also seen SportRack http://www.sportrack.com/home. But, I don’t know anything about them. There aren’t any dealers around, but the racks are available online.
BC
Mt P, SC
Wag more. Bark less.
Sport rack was bought out by Thule. Same service and warranty as Thule, just branded and marketed separately. They do make a J cradle that is almost the same as the Thule Hull a port j cradle, just $50 cheaper.
FYI, Time Out is a dealer for the sport rack products!
DD
How is the quality? They seem to be in the $120 range for the complete basic rack - Frontier or $160 for the Mondial http://kayakfishingstuff.com/sportsrack.asp
BC
Mt P, SC
Wag more. Bark less.
Not sure about the base rack systems, but the accessories seem to be the ticket for the price!
DD
Wow. Thanks for all the quick responses.
So Thule and Yakima are comparable brands. The difference seems to be with the mounting options with their tubes, but I am installing on my factory rack (square/oval shape). I have checked their websites and both companies offer systems that will work with the factory rack.
But are their advantages to pads vs. j-style?
And can I mount two carriers on the rack at the same time?
Lastly, Do I need to cover the cockpit of a sit in kayak? When you drive does the air get forced into the yak and create pressure that may make it “lift” of the car?
Thanks again
If you are trying to go on your Subaru factory rack, the J style are the way to go since it is a small footprint and the boats are carried on their sides. If you try to carry them upright, you won’t have enough room to adequately protect the shape of the boats.
You can carry the boats cockpit uncovered without a problem, just make sure to ALWAYS TIE DOWN THE BOW AND STERN</font id=“size4”>. There are cockpit covers available for transporting the boat that either wrap around the boat or clip inside the cockpit for added security.
Not sure about how Yakima works, but Thule’s J cradles (and sportrack’s) both come standard with a universal mounting system, bow and stern tie downs, and across the hull cam straps.
Godd luck!
DD
I’m kinda partial to the Malone Auto Racks (that’s why I carry them… 
) They are indestructable with a lifetime warranty. You can get a Seawing version which holds the boat flat on its bottom or the Autoloader which is the J-style. They will fit any rack system: factory, Thule, Yakima. We sell them for $99.95 each which will hold one boat with straps included. We’ve had nothing but great reviews on them from our customers. They’ve been in business for about 10 years and have never had a report of a boat being lost off of one of their rack systems.
I’ve met the owner of Malone on three different occasions and I’m extremely impressed with his passion for quality and standing behind his products. He’s even coming up with a self loading system that should be available late summer which will retail for less than $200.00! Very innovative company.
just my 2 cents…
Mike
East of Maui Kayaks
James Island
Thanks for the info. I never expected so many great responses on such a mundane topic. Guess I will go with a pair of the J-style racks.
and when the time comes to upgrade my yak, I will know who to talk to.
thanks again
DolphinD
you have mail
One thing you might want to do is check the factory rating for the Subaru roof rack. I am pretty sure they are rated for significantly less weight than a full Thule/Yakima rack system. If you are going to be using adaptors for the Subaru rack to carry 2 kayaks it might be worth looking at- factor in wind while driving, and that’s a lot of stress in all different directions.
Just a thought.