Systems to unload/mount Canoe or Kayak from Roof

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Yakima also sells Loadstoppers for ladders etc that may work:

https://www.yakima.com/loadstop

I have used those loadstoppers for years while carrying the canoe on the pipe rails on the Ford Escape.
They work great and come in handy for other carrying needs.
Almost half price also.
Frank

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

We carry our canoe quite a bit (we live in Minnesota). I just pop it up on the roof from the side, using our 3-step ladder. We have Yakima bars and just use ratchet straps with no special hardware or fittings. I have learned through experience that it is easier to pop the roof with the canoe on top if I undo the front and back straps first.

Al that does help.
Frank

 

[mc0321]

I use a collapsible 8.5 ft aluminum ladder and slide the boards or kayaks up from the middle of the camper then secure them. Takes a little while as I have to slide the ladder to either end to secure after putting them in place but is not difficult.

 

[KMac]

So I went over to the REI site last week to buy the gunwhales that were on sale and they were sold out. Guess all the 4WC folks raced over there and scooped them up after I posted the link, ha!

 

[DanoT]

When I bought my Yakima gunwale brackets, inside the box was a flyer advertising The Showboat. This is a roller that goes across the back of the roof rack and slides out beyond the end of the roof so you rest the canoe bow on the roller with the stern on the ground, then left the stern and easily roll the canoe onto the rack. The Showboat roller then slides from beyond the edge of the roof to back inside the roof line. It works great and makes unloading the canoe easy as well.

Edit: the roller is wider than the canoe and is soft and a bit grippy but rolls easily.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

When I bought my Yakima gunwale brackets, inside the box was a flyer advertising The Showboat. This is a roller that goes across the back of the roof rack and slides out beyond the end of the roof so you rest the canoe bow on the roller with the stern on the ground, then left the stern and easily roll the canoe onto the rack. The Showboat roller then slides from beyond the edge of the roof to back inside the roof line. It works great and makes unloading the canoe easy as well.

Edit: the roller is wider than the canoe and is soft and a bit grippy but rolls easily.

Here's a photo of the Showboat... Looks like another set of bars are needed. I didn't see anything to indicate that they are included, but they might be.

 

[DanoT]

Here's a photo of the Showboat... Looks like another set of bars are needed. I didn't see anything to indicate that they are included, but they might be.

Screen Shot 2015-08-18 at 6.15.51 PM.png

Yes the bars are included--66" long IRRC. and the width between the bars can be adjusted to best fit the crossbars/gunwale brackets. A pricey but very worthwhile system at $200 in the US and in Canada we are getting ripped off at $300CDN.