Campers & Kayaks

Benbecul97

Anyone on this subforum - Motorhomes & Campervans - use/carry kayaks?
If so, are they river or sea kayaks? Sit in or Sit on Top kayaks?
Any recommendations for transporting (I know it depends on the length/weight of the kayaks)?

Thanks!

I know there is a specific subforum on here on Canoeing & Kayaking.

moodrater

Benbecul97 wrote: »

Anyone on this subforum - Motorhomes & Campervans - use/carry kayaks?
If so, are they river or sea kayaks? Sit in or Sit on Top kayaks?
Any recommendations for transporting (I know it depends on the length/weight of the kayaks)?

Thanks!

I know there is a specific subforum on here on Canoeing & Kayaking.

We have a two and a half person sit on top and after a few trial runs of putting it on the roof (high roof) I decided it could stay at home for the moment until I fabricate something. I think the simplest is a sliding bar something like this:


Carrying on the side it an option as long as it doesn't stick out any further than the wing mirror. Low roof is obviously more manageable:

Benbecul97

Thanks moodrater!

What make/type kayak have you?

Was looking at some the weekend, they are expensive for a 2 1/2, €800 ish. Would need to be getting used.

Then there is the issue of getting them up a high roof! That sliding bar looks like a good option.

*Kol*

A sliding bar is not workable if your roof is higher than you can reach (like mine). Roof bars can work but I am loath to 1. get up there and 2. to get up there!!

Maybe one of these for those of you with a large garage.

moodrater

Benbecul97 wrote: »

What make/type kayak have you?

Was looking at some the weekend, they are expensive for a 2 1/2, €800 ish. Would need to be getting used.

Then there is the issue of getting them up a high roof! That sliding bar looks like a good option.

Ocean kayak Malibu 2 XL I wouldn't get a large one again its a total barge its sagged too so I had to put a hatch in it and wedge the keel with polystyrene blocks. You're better off with two smaller ones.

*Kol* wrote: »

A sliding bar is not workable if your roof is higher than you can reach (like mine). Roof bars can work but I am loath to 1. get up there and 2. to get up there!!

Ours kayak is 12 feet long once the nose is on the bar I can lift the back on from the ladder. i should be able to reach the straps from my €24 maplin clearance telescopic ladder. If its too much hassle I'll make up some stainless brackets for the side.

That dismantleable kayak looks like a great idea

*Kol*

moodrater wrote: »

i should be able to reach the straps from my €24 maplin clearance telescopic ladder. If its too much hassle I'll make up some stainless brackets for the side.

That dismantleable kayak looks like a great idea

That's a great idea to save having to walk around on the roof. The roof bars may be back on the table or an inflatable rack perhaps.

tphase

I have a pair of Sherpas Combi Translift racks on my T4. They drop down to the side of the van for loading boats, then I push the up onto the roof and lock them in position. Hard to find now, the company no longer exist AFAIK.
This will give you an idea of how they look
http://ihr-business-im-internet.de/anwendungen/ms-visucom/bilder/firma70/EN/zubehoerprofi/204.pdf

Karitek make something similar but I think it's a bit bigger and heavier
http://www.karitek.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=149&vmcchk=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=5

Betsy Og

I bring 2 ocean kayaks on standard Halfords roof rack. Lying flat (as you would sit on them), secured by thin ratchet straps. Just about fit (width wise) on a Passat. I've seen people carry them stacked on their side, which is probably better for less wind drag, but would need a special fitting.

Moomat

We have an inflatable one and find, as occasional users, it does the job perfectly. Very handy to have packed away, especially for when you are on the contenient and see somewhere that looks perfect for a splash.


https://www.seaeagle.com/SportKayaks/SE370

Moomat

We have an inflatable one and find, as occasional users, it does the job perfectly. Very handy to have packed away, especially for when you are on the contenient and see somewhere that looks perfect for a splash.


https://www.seaeagle.com/SportKayaks/SE370

crabbypaddy

Moomat wrote: »

We have an inflatable one and find, as occasional users, it does the job perfectly. Very handy to have packed away, especially for when you are on the contenient and see somewhere that looks perfect for a splash.


https://www.seaeagle.com/SportKayaks/SE370

Love the picture with the rods, no way would I go fishing in a pvc inflatable!

Incidentally have you seen the nutters shark fishing off the kayaks south of Youghal.

Moomat

crabbypaddy wrote: »

Love the picture with the rods, no way would I go fishing in a pvc inflatable!

Incidentally have you seen the nutters shark fishing off the kayaks south of Youghal.

They're suprising robust but I wouldn't fancy fishing in one either. A puncture repair kit is supplied but you'd want to be quick off the mark if fishing miles of the coast for shark!

Benbecul97

Moomat wrote: »

We have an inflatable one and find, as occasional users, it does the job perfectly. Very handy to have packed away, especially for when you are on the contenient and see somewhere that looks perfect for a splash.

https://www.seaeagle.com/SportKayaks/SE370

Looks like a good alternative.
Where did you buy yours?
How much did you pay?

Thanks

Moomat

Benbecul97 wrote: »

Looks like a good alternative.
Where did you buy yours?
How much did you pay?

Thanks

We love it, more than meets our needs. It's much better quality than the likes of the inflatable ones for sale occasionaly in Aldi. The big plus for us was the weight capacity. It can carry nearly 300kg! That's far more than most of the competitors at the time and closer to the weight we needed with me, my wife and our gear.
The only criticism I would have in that in a heavy, and I mean really heavy wind, it can be a little difficult to control.

We got ours about 3 or more years ago in the US from the website I linked to. If I remeber correctly it was around €350 including delivery but the euro was much better against the dollar.

Benbecul97

Moomat wrote: »

We love it, more than meets our needs. It's much better quality than the likes of the inflatable ones for sale occasionaly in Aldi. The big plus for us was the weight capacity. It can carry nearly 300kg! That's far more than most of the competitors at the time and closer to the weight we needed with me, my wife and our gear.
The only criticism I would have in that in a heavy, and I mean really heavy wind, it can be a little difficult to control.

We got ours about 3 or more years ago in the US from the website I linked to. If I remeber correctly it was around €350 including delivery but the euro was much better against the dollar.

Thanks for the info Moomat!

It looks like a very good alternative and has alot of positive reviews.
The convenience of it is great.

Currently
- On seaeagle.com its $329.00 and Shipping to Ireland from the US is $161.37! :eek:
- On amazon.co.uk its £279

Mefistofelino

Sevylor inflatables (originally French, now made in the US) are frequently for sale in Decathlon. The French kayak federation use them at their white water training centre at Inzinzac Lochrist near Lorient in Brittany (I can strong recommend a visit if over there - you can hire one, paddle over to a conveyor belt which will lift you several metres to a higher lake and descend through the rocks before doing another lap. From about 0:40 on in this video

)



I sometimes carry two sit-on-tops on my coachbuilt, but getting them onto the roof can be a right PITA. My approach is to incline a ladder at the back of the body and (vertically) lean the kayak on it. With one person on the roof and one on the ground, you can slide the kayak up the ladder and onto the roof rack. Bear in mind that a two single kayaks will be 40-50 kg.



Or you could just go the whole hog and get this: