Getting the boat on your cartop (was Hey... is this thing ON?)
OK... I did some searching in a place I hadn't initially thought of:
YouTube.
I found a clip of someone loading a kayak using the outrigger crossbar
extension type device. I have to say I was not impressed because it looks
like it would be VERY easy to scrape the boat against the side of the car.
But what I also saw were some pretty cool vids of guys using home-made
loading aids. Instead of being out to the side, they were temporarily
attached to the very rear of the roof (when used with a station wagon/SUV
type vehicle like my Subaru Forester). One end of the boat was lifted up to
the skid/roller/whatever type car protection, and then the boat was pushed
straight up onto the pads on the roof racks. I think I'm favoring this
approach. As did jaybird, I used to easily load my canoes that way on the
ladder racks on my pickup, and they were w-a-a-y up there.
As and added benefit, the home-made rigs are cheap. And so am I. :-)
Good paddling,
desmobob
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