Transporting kayaks on car roof

[BobC]

I just bought two Pungo 120s and would like to get some kind of rack system. My wife and I brought them home on the top of her 2002 Cadillac DeVille using a foam block and strap system, but it's a pain to strap them on like that. When I go to the sites of the major rack manufacturers like Thule, Yakima, etc., their fit guides tell me that they have nothing available for this car. I find it hard to believe that I can't find something that fits.

Has anyone had experience with these online fit guides saying that nothing will fit, yet you ultimately found a rack solution that does work?

My own car is a Scion which is too small for two 12-foot kayaks.

 

[peakbagger]

I have carried my two kayaks, one 18'6 and one 19'6 on my honda civic hatchback. I have a thule racks and a special cradle when I only carry one. I even get 35 MPG with the kayak on the roof. Usually the hassle with custom racks is finding a way of holding them down. If it was a beater 4 holes int eh roof and some fender washers does great but I expect the wife will not appreciate it.

 

[BobC]

Well I should have stopped at EMS before posting. I did so on the way home from work tonight, and the book they had in store said that the 400XT footing system will fit on the Cadillac (the book says 'No fit' for the Scion). I think it's a discontinued product which is why it doesn't show as a fit on the web site...or else there's just a problem with the web site. You'd think they could at least tell me that a discontinued product fit, because some stores still probably have them in stock.

 

[Jay H]

So, I guess you have figured it out, I was going to ask if it was a "soft top" cadillac, the kind with the fabric like roof....

I had a car that had "gutter" mounts where the fit kit for the thule had veritical fins that would fit in the gutters and then clamped down over the door sill. But I don't there there are a lot of cars anymore with gutters and everybody for the most part use flat mounts with the clamps...

I might still have my gutter feet cause I don't have that car anymore but kept the feet.

Jay

 

[BobC]

Thanks Jay...when I got home I actually discovered there was a Yakima application that I could use for my Scion after all. I'd rather put racks on that car than the Caddy anyway.

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

And the length of the car vs. boat doesn't really matter. I carry 17-foot kayaks on my little Toyota Matrix and tie a red strap or flag to the stern of the boat that overhangs way past the back bumper - no problem.

 

[Jay H]

The roofline though may and I know Thule makes a short roofline adapter for their roof racks so it would allow for the minimum spread between the crossbars.. Some of those small compact cars had short rooflines..

jay

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

My Toyota has a fairly short roofline. Some cars may need the special adapter to allow the bars to be spaced far enough apart.

 

[BobC]

Just an update, in case anyone cares. I installed Yakima racks on my Scion Tc's roof using Yakima Q Towers, 48-inch crossbars, and two sets of Yakima Hullraiser kayak carriers. The Yakima site said that these won't fit on my car, but they fit just fine. The kayaks don't stick out over the front or back - the car is about 14.5 feet long. So all is good. Thanks everyone.