Anybody Use These to Load Kayak on FWC

[camper rich]

Does anyone use Thule Hullavators on top of their FWC to load up a kayak. I have a 60 lb Eddyline kayak that I want to carry up on a Yakima Rack. The Hullavators weigh 40lbs, plus the weight of the Yakima Rack will mean I need to lift over 100 lbs to raise the top. I have the On Stage Speaker stand to help me as well as the 40# roof struts.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

I like these...

https://www.yakima.com/boatloader

 

[Yukon]

Hi Camper Rich,
I bought the Hullavator for my Subaru this year and LOVE it!! I have a 17 foot kayak (about 55 lbs) and it is sooooo easy to lift up on top of the car, and makes putting the straps on very easy. I am almost 70 years old and it was getting hard to deal with.

I don't know how big/heavy your kayak is, but you still would probably want to take the kayak off the top of camper at night before lifting the ceiling. Not sure. Hullavators are heavy, plus weight of boat. You would at least need good lift pistons to lift both attached to the camper. I would probably need a step stool to use this as I am only 5ft.4 tall and reaching the locks, etc. might be a stretch.

When you go kayaking, and leave your rig for an afternoon, you will might want to lock the hullavator. Buy the locks! I have heard that they sometimes get stolen and as you know they are pretty expensive. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me directly. Chris

 

[Lighthawk]

Our Hawk came with a Hullavator and we got rid of it. The roof height causes the distended Hullavator to be higher than waist level and tipping it up to lock it in place was scary. Maybe it's because we had a 70# boat at the time. It's also quite heavy by itself.

We changed gears and use the Holy Rollers and the Mako Saddles sold by Yakima. Those have worked well for us, but it's still a two person operation.

 

[Wallowa]

Our Hawk came with a Hullavator and we got rid of it. The roof height causes the distended Hullavator to be higher than waist level and tipping it up to lock it in place was scary. Maybe it's because we had a 70# boat at the time. It's also quite heavy by itself.

We changed gears and use the Holy Rollers and the Mako Saddles sold by Yakima. Those have worked well for us, but it's still a two person operation.

I have had the rollers [actually tested them for Yakima when they were still in Arcata, Ca] and Makos for years to carry two 17' sea kayaks at about 55lbs each....with the solar panel and given the height of our Hawk on the Tundra I would not even attempt to hoist the kayaks onto the Hawk. And I would also not attempt to raise/lower the top with 110lbs plus towers and bars...but then again in my old age I have become somewhat of a wussie.. heck it was a struggle just getting them on the cab high shell I used to have on the Tundra; especially in a wind [paddled solo so it was a one person lift]...

 

[dakozicki]

I use the Yakima Boat Loader for my 14' Wilderness Systems Commander. It is a chore to do solo, but can be done.

 

[camper rich]

Today I got my Yakima bars attached to the tracks on the roof. I was able to put my kayak up using a step ladder and the Hully Rollers I have had for years along with my old Yakima saddles. I would guess somewhere around 90 to 95 lbs. I then attempted to raise the roof using the On Stage Speaker Stand and it did the job perfectly using a small drill. After the initial lift, I was able to use the leverage provided by the lift panels and 40 lb gas struts.

My wife has ordered the Hullavators, so I will have to wait until they arrive to see if it makes the job any easier. I too am 70 years old.

I have an extra pair of Yakima Lock Cores, I hope they will work with the Thule Hullavators.

I'll let you know how it all turns out. We got a nice discount on the Hullavators, but it turns out they are back-ordered.

 

[PokyBro]

This is something I saw and wondered if it might make getting a canoe up on top of the camper easier, given the height we're dealing with. The concept looks good, but the height of the t-loader center bar, though adjustable, might not be tall enough to equal the height of your Yakima cross-bars on the camper roof. Just adding another option for us to consider. It is pricey at $299, however!!!



Here's a video of this loader in action.....

http://www.rhinorack.com/products/water/kayak-carriers/t-load-hitch-mount_rtl002

Poky


Sent from my iPad using Wander The West

 

[Yukon]

Camper Rich,
After you get them installed, please let us know how that Hullavator works out for you. I am interested in the impact on roof weight, lifting roof, height when you are loading the boat onto them and if you are going to need a ladder, etc. Thanks, Chris