You have your kayak and gear – now it’s time to hit the road and go on your next water excursion. But before you can do so, you must have the right kayak roof rack, which depends on the type of vehicle you drive, the size and weight of your kayak and your personal preferences. You must also know how to install kayak racks, so you can safely transport your trusty boat to wherever your next adventure takes you.
Installing J-Style Racks
J-racks get their name from their design, which is shaped as a J to help support kayaks as they rest on their side. These are a popular option, as their versatile design allows for mounting onto existing crossbar setups, and you can use them to store anywhere from one to multiple kayaks.
Use J-style racks with a variety of vehicle types, including trucks, cars and SUVs. However, you must consider the height of your car before installing your rack, as J-style options are often designed to sit taller on vehicles. Because of this, these types of racks may be better suited for smaller, shorter vehicles, as you can easily reach your vehicle’s roof to lift kayak setups onto them and take them off.
To mount these rack styles, you must have a crossbar, which may be factory-installed on some vehicles. If not, you must purchase one. These racks simply clamp onto the crossbar for secure use. To load your kayak onto a J-style rack, follow these steps:
Get Straps Ready to Go
Before even picking up your kayak, you must have kayak straps ready to wrap them around the J-rack’s uprights. Make sure to line them up with the back and front of your vehicle, as this allows for easy securing of kayaks once you place them onto the rack.
Position the Rack Angle
Some J-racks come with adjustment capabilities, allowing you to change angles in setups to meet your desired positioning. By moving your rack to a 90-degree angle, this allows you to fit one or two kayaks.
Place the Kayak
Before putting the kayak on your vehicle, you should position it on the ground. This prepares it for placement and makes lifting efforts easier. You should place kayaks next to your vehicle, ensuring that the bow faces forward. This is optimal positioning for lifting setups onto roof racks.
Side-Load Your Kayak
You want to load kayaks onto J-racks from the side of your vehicle, allowing you to reach racks and the vehicle roof with ease. When lifting kayaks, be sure to grab them from the coaming, and use your body weight to lift setups onto the rack. If you’re worried about scratching your vehicle during this process, place a towel over the side of your car to protect it before you start lifting. Once your kayak is onto the rack, adjust it so that the bow rests against the front cradle. Then, simply lift the stern and slide it into the rack.
Evenly Distribute Weight
After placing your kayak, you must ensure that weight loads are balanced across the top of your vehicle. This ensures it stays in place and won’t fall off as you drive.
Strap Your Kayak Down
It’s finally time to strap your kayak down! Using cam straps, you should secure kayaks from their bow and stern, tightening them so they’re snug against the surface, but not too tight that they damage your kayak. Take the cam buckle and position it to the side of the crossbar, and then wrap the strap underneath. Now, your kayak is ready to go!
Mounting Horizontal Racks
Different from J-racks, horizontal racks (also called saddle racks) hold kayaks from their hull, meaning setups will sit flat against your car’s roof instead of on their side. Their design offers enhanced surface area contact, making them a sturdy and durable option. It also decreases wind resistance as you drive, meaning you can get better gas mileage.
To install these racks to your car, you will need a crossbar, as they also come with connectors and clamps to secure setups to the car roof. Loading your kayak onto horizontal racks involves many of the same steps as above, starting with preparing the cam straps and positioning and securing the rack. However, to load kayaks, you must lift them from the back of your car instead of on the side. Then, push the kayak onto the rack until the hull sits comfortably on the supports.
Many people prefer these racks for their ability to accommodate a variety of kayak types, sizes and shapes. When you need something that can carry kayaks that are too large to fit on other rack types, such as J-racks, opt for a saddle rack option.
Attaching Vertical Racks
Alongside J-racks, stacker racks (or vertical racks) are another option for mounting kayaks onto your car vertically. Instead of having small supports underneath the kayak, such as with horizontal racks, these feature long, upright arms, with two on each side. Kayaks rest against these arms during travel, keeping them secure.
Stacker racks mount to vehicles via their crossbars, with the first set of arms attaching to the forward crossbar and the second set connecting to the back portion of the crossbar. Because of their armed construction, these types of racks give you the power to hold one or multiple kayaks, depending on their size and the width of your crossbars and roof.
Unlike other types of racks, you won’t need to adjust the angle to ensure they’re ready to hold your kayak. Instead, you simply clamp them onto your crossbars, and you’re able to slide your kayak right into the rack. When using stacker racks, consider placing padding under the hull, as these types sit directly on crossbars. By padding your roof, you can prevent scratches and dings from damaging your car.
Using Lift-Assist Racks
Do you have trouble lifting kayaks onto your car? Or maybe you’re looking for easier ways to load boats. If this sounds like you, opt for a lift-assist rack, which is designed with special mechanisms and technologies, such as pulley systems or gas struts, to make easy work of loading and unloading kayaks from your vehicle’s roof.
Gas struts do the heavy lifting for you, as these components use compressed gas to automate lifting and unloading. These parts are often adjustable, meaning you can choose how much lifting power you need for your kayak. Some racks may also use a pulley system, which distributes kayak weights with pulleys and ropes so you can effortlessly get kayaks onto your vehicle roof.
Each type of kayak rack, including J-rack, horizontal and vertical options, is available with lift-assist mechanisms, meaning you can choose a design that works best for your vehicle and hauling needs. Find complete lift-assist rack sets with everything you need included or browse options that connect to your existing rack setup.
Browse Kayak Storage Solutions from Tractor Supply
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned kayaker, we all need reliable kayak carriers to tackle any adventure. From short treks in your local pond to longer excursions around scenic lakes, having a roof rack makes transporting your boat easier and more convenient, allowing you to spend more time enjoying the stunning views nature has to offer. To learn more about our kayaks and kayak storage solutions, visit your local Tractor Supply store today or browse online.