Kayaks are a great way to enjoy yourself. However, the fun only happens once you hit the water. If you have to transport your kayak to a destination, you need a kayak hitch rack. Luckily we have all the answers you might have concerning a truck or an RV kayak rack and everything you need to do to get them safely to your destination.
What is a Kayak Hitch rack?
A kayak hitch rack is mounted on a vehicle to hold a kayak while transporting it. Vehicle racks are fittings done on a vehicle to hold goods while transporting the goods. The racks are meant to hold the goods safely to avoid damage, loss, stealing and any inconveniences that may be experienced. There are many kayak racks, and we will explore all of them.
How do you build a kayak hitch rack?
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Best Kayak Hitch Rack
1. TMA Kayak Carrier Top Mount
Sale
TMS® 2 Pairs J-Bar Rack HD Kayak Carrier Canoe Boat Surf Ski Roof Top Mount Car SUV Crossbar
- KAYAK CAR TOP CARRIER A simple, low-cost solution to carrying...
- This Kayak Carrier designed mounts to virtually all crossbars and...
- Features: Steel design with adjustable padding for carrying...
- PLEASE CHECK MEASUREMENTS BEFORE PURCHASE.
TMA has the best kayak racks as they are highly reviewed and trusted. In addition, the kayak racks fit on the car roof, allowing for space for other things that you may consider carrying along. It has never been easier to carry kayaks before the arrival of TMA into the market.
TMA is a low-cost J-rack carrier that has a sturdy steel design. The best thing about the rack is that it has an adjustable height that adds to the overall convenience. TMA is your go-to when looking at kayak racks.
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2. Yakima Rooftop Kayak Carrier
YAKIMA - JayLow, J-Style Fold Down Rooftop Kayak Carrier, 2 Boat Capacity
- Carry up to 2 kayaks: Fits 1 kayak in J-cradle position (up to 80...
- Fits most crossbars: Compatible with Yakima SteamLine and round,...
- Includes straps: Includes all the necessary hardware and straps...
- Versatile design: Integrated cam lever allows you to adjust the...
- Easy install: Comes fully assembled out of the box; Tool-free...
If you are seeking the best kayak racks to fit your Yakima crossbars, you have to look no further. Yakima has always had some of the best accessories, and they do not disappoint here. Yakima has a J-style, fold-down rooftop kayak carrier with all the conveniences you can think of. You can carry up to two kayaks in a J-cradle or a vertical position, adding to your options and convenience. The carrier is sturdy and secure, offering you the safest transportation to your kayaks.
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3. Darby Industries Truck-Bed Extender
Darby Industries 944 Extend-A-Truck
- Designed for secure and safe hauling of long loads
- Features a 4 Feet wide support
- Can be stored flat behind the seat when not in use
- Features adjustable height for roof top hauling
- Comes with a red flag
The truck bed is a highly contested space for transporting cargo. Luckily, there are other options of transporting the kayak, freeing up the truck bed for other goods. Darby industries offer the best truck bed extender that you can use to mount the kayaks safely without the back hanging dangerously. The truck bed extender is simple and easy to install, saving you the time and energy you can use to have fun instead. If you are a track owner, Darby is the bed extender for you.
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4. Thule Xsporter Pro
Thule Xsporter Pro Mid, Black
- Perfect mid-size truck rack for carrying cargo up to 600 lbs
- 16" rack height provides easy access to cargo and sits below cab...
- Installation requires no cutting or drilling of the truck bed
- ReliableLock system locks the rack to the truck with two Thule...
- WindDiffuser technology on the load bars disturbs airflow to...
Thule xsporter is the truck rack to beat them all. The truck rack is installed at the back of your track, offering a sturdy loading area for your kayaks and giving space for other gear to be loaded onto the track. The kayak rack is a windsurfer technology that offers a smooth ride and reduces drag when speeding towards where the fun is. The track rack offers safety to your racks and itself using a locking system. This rack is the one to have if you own a truck.
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5. Rhino-Rack T-Loader Kayak Rack
The Rhino rack t-loader is a simple solution to carrying kayaks on your SUV. The heavy-duty rack holds steady even at top speeds. You will not experience any vibrations or rattling of any kind when on the road. The Rhino rack has an adjustable height and tilt position that ensures the rack fits perfectly on your car and fits the kayak perfectly. If you are setting out for kayaking with your friends, here is a simple, affordable and easy-to-use kayak rack for you.
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Types of Kayak Hitch racks
a) Bed extender
Bed extenders are versatile racks that you can use to carry kayaks. Bed racks have different ways of mounting onto the vehicle. One way you can mount the rack is by fitting it horizontally. The horizontal setup is easy to install as the extender will lie on the truck bed. The truck bed extender is specially designed to rub the extent of the truck bed, allowing easy installation. When installing the rack, ensure it does not extend past the truck bed.
The other way to fit the bed extender for transporting the kayak safely is vertical. If there is no space on the truck bed, you can have other options to explore, and this method is one of them. While truck beds are stable and easy to install, it is good to know you have other options. You can figure the kayak rack with a roof rack crossbars. All you need to do when installing the kayak is configure the two and ensure they fit perfectly, and you will be able to transport the watercraft safely.
b) bed rail rack
With increasing technology, you can never run out of ways to transport goods using cars or trucks. There are solutions for almost all kinds of goods. One other efficient way to transport the kayak is using the bed rail rack. The kayak rack is a bed rail rack attached to a rail on your track. You may need to drill some holes in some places to get the rack attached to the truck rack. Another way of installing the kayak rack is by using C-clamps.
The big advantage of the bed rail rack is how much space it leaves you with. The truck kayak rack leaves you with the truck bed available to carry other goods. With the bed rail rack, you can still have space to attach bike racks at the back of the truck and make good use of the space you have. This kayak rack is great for cargo carriers or a utility trailer. You will have a distributed load capacity and space, which is valuable when traveling.
While the track has many advantages, like leaving the hitch receiver free for a different trailer and setting the truck's bed free, it has some downsides. It might be a bad idea to place many kayaks on the bed rail because of the nature of the installation. The kayak rack is high compared to other storage places, making the weight capacity significantly lower than the truck bed. The kayak rack will do fine with two kayaks. More than that will start shifting the weight significantly.
c) roof racks
The roof rack is one of the best kayak rack options, and for good reasons. The roof rack passes as a heavy-duty kayak rack option because of its stability. The kayak roof rack is stable because it is attached to the vehicle's body, which is significantly more stable than the hoisted rail roof rack. The roof rack has a versatile feature to it in that you can use it in conjunction with the bed extender.
Roof racks are the most common way of carrying cargo on cars and trucks. You can be sure that this method will work for the kayak. The best kayak racks will most likely be the roof racks. If you have a pickup truck, you might need to consider other racks. Otherwise, a roof rack should be your go-to rack because you can always add extra weight to the racks.
Tips to Safely Transport the Kayak
Unlike other gear and cargo, the kayak is a one-of-a-kind cargo that needs a bit of extra care to transport successfully. The kayak is taller than the typical cargo, and you might need to know what to do to make the journey as comfortable as possible. Even if you had the best kayak rack in the world, not being smart when you do not the installation will cost you your comfort during the journey. Here are some tips to ensure you reach your destination safely.
1. Know the Roof Type
Cars are different. Some will have flat roofs, while others will come with factory-installed roof rack crossbars. Some cars have four doors while others have only two. You need to respond appropriately to the type of car you have, as the chances are that one method will not work for two different cars. At this point, either your car does not have a trailer hitch, or you are using the hitch receiver for a different purpose or pulling something else. Another case that might force you to use a kayak rack is installing other cargo systems such as the bike rack. However, worry not because we are not leaving the kayak behind. Here are different ways you can approach different roof and car types.
i) Fixed points
Some cars have hidden attachment points that will be hidden most of the time. The hidden points are meant to help you secure your load by bolting it down onto the points. The points may sometimes be covered by caps that you must remove to access the points. Once you have accessed the points, you can bolt down the roof rack for a tight fit, making your kayak rack sturdy and stronger than if you never secured it. Your load limit will increase significantly when you use the fixed points.
ii) Tracks
On the outer edge of your car roof, long tracks, channels, or slots run parallel to the door. These slots can sometimes be factory installed and may come with the car. In other cases, the tracks are installed in aftermarket services, which you will find yourself doing with your car to add convenience.
Once you have identified the tracks, you can remove the plastic covering and add a kayak rack. First, you need to find a rack that will slot into your vehicle comfortably, offering you easy loading and unloading.
iii) Bare Roof
A bare roof is one without any attachment point. This kind of roof may cause the challenge of where to attach the kayak. You might be forced to buy accessories sold separately to transport the kayak securely. The good thing is that you have the chance to fit a new rack and one that is compatible with your car type. This is a great opportunity to rig your car with the right gear you have always wanted to fit on your car.
For a car with a bare roof, you can use the options such as soft racks, which we will talk about in more detail a few lines down. While a bare roof may come as a challenge, it may be a great chance to do whatever you want with the car. At least you do not have the limitations that come with a factory-installed rack.
iv) Side Rails
There are two types of side rails that you will find installed on cars. The types are the flush side rails and the raised side rails, depending on the car you buy. Cars with raised side rails will have the rails running parallel to the car door. The rails have a space between them and the roof of the car. The space is often large enough to fit your hand through comfortably. This offers a great chance to try out different options. You can explore many methods with the raised rails while fitting a kayak rack. There is everything to be done with raised rails.
On the other hand, you have the flush rails. These rails have no space between them and the car. You can not slide your hands between the rails and the car, significantly limiting your options. You will have a harder time trying to fit a kayak rack, but you certainly can not run out of ideas.
v) Gutters
Gutters are not a very common feature you will see on the car. Gutters are protruding ridges that can be found running at the top of the car door. The gutters will be on either side of the car. You can attach kayak racks to the side of the car using the gutters.
vi) Factory crossbars
Factory crossbars are just bars that come pre-installed on your car. You normally buy your car with these bars already attached to it. These bars provide a place to start when you want to attach your kayak hitch rack onto the car. Cars with factory rails are mostly bought by people who are into outdoor activities.
2. Use Hard racks/mounted crossbars.
Hard racks are made for cars with side rails, gutters, fixed points or tracks. The mounted crossbars will work great for your car if they already have rails fitted on them. However, the hard rack is not a universal rack, and you will need to know a bit more before you do the installation.
3. Pads
Pads simply offer a safer approach to attaching the kayak racks to rails. Once the kayak is secure on the rails or racks, there will be contact between two hard surfaces. Pads reduce the friction between the surfaces, protecting your car and the kayak as well. On the road, there will be bumps and stops that may read to action on the rack and the kayak, and that is exactly what you do not want happening to your kayak. One kayak is expensive, and you can not afford to have it rub onto a hard surface during transportation.
4. Soft racks
We said we would talk about soft racks as one option for a car with no factory roof rack. Soft racks can fit your car, providing a soft surface for the kayak to attach. As a result, you can keep both the car and the kayak safe without worrying about scratches on either surfaces. The soft racks are made of inflatable tubes or soft pads. A rope runs through the pad or the tube and through the door to attach the soft racks onto the car. You can then load the kayak safely into the car. The soft rack is a universal rack for cars with no factory rack.
5. Use Bow and Stern lines.
The bow and stern are mostly confused with tie-down straps. The bow and stern are more for securing the kayak in place rather than holding it down tightly. The bow and stern prevent the kayak from swaying back and forth during acceleration and braking. You do not want the kayak to be sliding all over the place when you are driving. Given the nature of the kayak, which is a long cargo, the moments are a bit too pronounced when driving, braking and turning are involved.
6. Use Tie Down Straps
Tie-down and ratchet straps are some of the things you need to have before you set off on a journey with your kayak on the roof. The ratchet straps will hold down the kayak wherever you want them to. The primary purpose of the straps is to ensure the kayak does not move around much. Unlike the ratcheting straps, the tie-down straps are meant to hold down the kayak and the kayak racks.
Safety Precautions When Transporting a Kayak
a) Use a Reflective Tape
Reflective tapes are the best way to signal the person driving behind you that you have a long cargo on your truck. Sometimes you have to extend a truck to make the cargo fit. Extending the track can involve the addition of a trailer on the receiver hitch. Any situation that involves a hitch extender makes the car longer than you are used to. A reflective tape will keep the person behind you at a safe distance.
If you do not have reflective tape, you can use a red cloth. If you have ever seen trucks with long loads, they have a red fabric hanging at the back of the load, and most of the time, they have reflective tape.
b) Do Not Overload
Every car or truck has a weight capacity that you are not supposed to exceed. For example, a truck kayak rack is more likely to hold a heavier load than a soft car rack. Multiple kayaks can go on your car, but you should not have an excessive load that will put you and other drivers at risk on the road. Your truck is heavy-duty because you are an outdoors person. However, some limits have always to be adhered to.
A roof rack can/should only fit at most two kayaks. More than that, you will be overloading. An RV kayak rack may be tempting, but just limit the number of kayaks to two.
c) Use Light Materials
When building the kayak racks, your primary goal is to ensure that they are secured strongly onto the roof. It is okay to want the track rack to have a strong build to ensure safe transportation. However, try and use aluminum construction because of its light nature. A heavy-duty steel construction sounds lucrative, but we are trying to limit the weight on top of the truck. The truck rack will serve you well as you fit it properly.
d) Load Properly
Whether using the track bed, the trailer hitch, the RV kayak rack, the ladder rack or the track rack, you have to load the kayak properly. Balance the kayak on top of your car to respond properly to your driving. When loading, have someone help you do it. Remember to use things like the pool noodle to protect your kayak while on the truck rack. If you use a trailer, ensure the hitch receiver is properly attached to the trailer. You might be tempted just to throw the kayak onto the track bed and get going. However, you must resist this urge at all costs.-
Final Take
Kayaking is the most fun thing you can do with your friends or yourself. However, the kayak's first thing that needs to happen is to reach its destination safe and sound. You need a kayak hitch rack for that to happen. Go through the installation steps carefully and ensure the kayaks are secured in place. Use pool noodles to cushion any hard contact points and protect your kayak at all costs. When you get to the water, the kayak will be in perfect shape, ready to give you all the fun you can imagine.