Kayaks on rack (1 Viewer)

[2021 LC200]

Good points. The t-loader likely won’t work for me as we pull a camper when we take out our kayak.

Yes, that narrows the options...

My plan with the Tandem Island originally was use the T-bar and then put it in the back of the cruiser or trailer prior to hitching up. Bottomline the Tandem Island at 18.5ft and 145lbs is just way to heavy and big so I went the DIY Engineered solution...

Maybe the less involved PVC tube side load setup per the video above and use of existing roof rack is a route for you? Mounting the winch should be possible by having the right plate and some holes in the OEM roof rack side bars (be it they are not that sturdy). I know, it is a puzzle unfortunately. I kept looking at it and thought the T-bar setup would be enough, then went to the next level.

You can also get even more creative which I would not recommend per this dude's video. Complex yet some of it to flimsy for my taste. The music is probably the best part...

 

[a200]

Is that crane on top of your cruiser.... I like it. Very inspiring.

 

[2021 LC200]

Is that crane on top of your cruiser.... I like it. Very inspiring.

No. See pictures earlier on. I just showed Sleepy an over designed setup.

Repeat one picture of my setup. Very pleased with it and zero back breaking effort for a big Hobie Tandem Island on and off the cruiser.

 

[2021 LC200]

Sleepy, this setup could be copied (yet smaller and fit for purpose) to mount a 12v winch. From a strength and bending prespective probably better mounted on the outside. Together with those PVC tubes in the video I shared above you could have a simpler and lower cost option for sideloading with little effort. Maintaining the stock roof rack etc.

 

[stonepa]

Sure, why not. May want to consider risk of damage to your antenna and/or your rear windshield.

For reference - The Rhino T-bar loader I sold to Tex68w for half price is about $280 to $300 new. In his case I sold him also 2ea additional x-bars which fits the OEM rack and some more Rhino supports to facilitate easy sliding and fastening onto the OEM cross bars. Good setup allowing for easy and good securing of his kayak(s).

View attachment 3231045

Pretty much how i have been doing it for 40 years. Nothing damaged yet.

 

[sleepycruiser]

No. See pictures earlier on. I just showed Sleepy an over designed setup.

Repeat one picture of my setup. Very pleased with it and zero back breaking effort for a big Hobie Tandem Island on and off the cruiser.

View attachment 3231155

That looks so easy. I am wondering what kind of telescopic poles I could use to mount to the factory side rail. I could tie a rope to the kayak and just pull from the other side...or do a small winch. I would need to be able to store the poles up top for travel. Or I could just keep doing old school.

 

[2021 LC200]

For a medium or smaller size kayaks the factory OEM rack with maybe one or two additional cross bars is probably perfectly fine, instead of getting a full rack like I did for the Tandem Island.

The aluminum poles I assembled from 6 footers into 12 feet long each (connecting two 6 footers 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" 1/8" wall with a piece of 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" inserted and riveted).

Since the cruiser is about 17ft long and most Kayaks are that length (12ft) or longer, they can be easily stored on the rack with the kayaks as you move around. That is the easy part.

Without taking further new pictures of my setup, in my case they hang of in the Rhino Rack ladder mounts and with aluminum strips bended at about 90 degrees and riveted inside the 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" tubes per the zoomed in pictures below.

Example of aluminum strips used:

Hope that shows/explains enough.

How to setup the OEM rack which such interface needs a bit of thinking. Probably similar will work. Need to make sure the tube and strip would be setup such that the tubes can take vertical load (hang off, this is easy) and would prevent horizontal movement as you winch in your kayak. Considering what i did and how the OEM bars look like, it would be something like the sketch below. I can see some champfer on the aluminum tube to provide a better/matching interface with the OEM bar.

I recall now I bought some of these to close off my aluminum bars to prevent lots of dirt and or water to enter (glued them in place). They would help to prevent scratching the OEM bars.

 

[2021 LC200]

That looks so easy. I am wondering what kind of telescopic poles I could use to mount to the factory side rail. I could tie a rope to the kayak and just pull from the other side...or do a small winch. I would need to be able to store the poles up top for travel. Or I could just keep doing old school.

Yes, my setup requires no arm or back muscle work, my main objective. It also has real good control of the big tandem island.

Just in one hand the winch remote and the other holding the nose of the kayak for any guidance, which is not even needed. Worked out great.

 

[sleepycruiser]

For a medium or smaller size kayaks the factory OEM rack with maybe one or two additional cross bars is probably perfectly fine, instead of getting a full rack like I did for the Tandem Island.

The aluminum poles I assembled from 6 footers into 12 feet long each (connecting two 6 footers 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" 1/8" wall with a piece of 1-1/4" x 1-1/4" inserted and riveted).

Since the cruiser is about 17ft long and most Kayaks are that length (12ft) or longer, they can be easily stored on the rack with the kayaks as you move around. That is the easy part.

Without taking further new pictures of my setup, in my case they hang of in the Rhino Rack ladder mounts and with aluminum strips bended at about 90 degrees and riveted inside the 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" tubes per the zoomed in pictures below.

Example of aluminum strips used:
View attachment 3231990

Hope that shows/explains enough.

View attachment 3231953

View attachment 3231959


How to setup the OEM rack which such interface needs a bit of thinking. Probably similar will work. Need to make sure the tube and strip would be setup such that the tubes can take vertical load (hang off, this is easy) and would prevent horizontal movement as you winch in your kayak. Considering what i did and how the OEM bars look like, it would be something like the sketch below. I can see some champfer on the aluminum tube to provide a better/matching interface with the OEM bar.

View attachment 3231989

I recall now I bought some of these to close off my aluminum bars to prevent lots of dirt and or water to enter (glued them in place). They would help to prevent scratching the OEM bars.

View attachment 3231992

Got it, so you made those poles? Looks like I could figure something out with the OEM side rail channels. For crossbars I have 4 LFD crossbars and they are super beefy, so good there.

Might be able to flatten the end of the poles and use a tube bender to bend them into a hook to just set on the rails when loading. Then strap them down with the kayak. Hmm. This has me thinking, which can be dangerous.