Watersport Rack Guide

Upright KAYAK RACKS: EFFICIENT AND SAFE

Designed for minimal wind resistance and fuel efficiency, our horizontal kayak racks transport your kayak securely and efficiently. Upright Kayak Racks lay your boat flat on its belly. This style of carrier offers the most surface area contact to your boat's hull and can be adjusted so as to fit a wide range of boats. Upright Kayak Racks are easy to load and unload and transport your boat in a safe, sturdy, and stylish fashion. They also feature minimal wind resistance and utilize the aerodynamics of your kayak to reduce fuel consumption.

J-STYLE KAYAK RACK

J-Style Kayak Racks, or j-cradles, are the world's most popular kayak racks and have the convenience of folding down when they are not in use. Sitting your boat on a 45-degree angle creates more room on your crossbars so that you can transport other water toys. J-Style Kayak Racks allow you to load your boat from the side of the vehicle or from the back. They also feature locking capabilities, so you can lock your boat to your rack and your rack to your vehicle with the purchase of locking accessories.

VERTICAL KAYAK RACKS: PERFECT FOR GROUP ADVENTURES

Carry multiple kayaks without hassle using our vertical kayak racks, ideal for group excursions and quick installation. Vertical Kayak Racks or kayak posts allow maximum boat capacity by stacking your boats vertically on their sides. Their on/off hardware allows rapid installation and removal, and there is no adjustment ever needed. Simply lift the kayak and place it against the post or against the neighboring kayak. Vertical Kayak Racks will hold up to 4 kayaks at a time.

Tilt-Down Lift Assist

The Thule Hullavator Pro features pneumatic gas struts to lift the vast majority of your boat's weight. The system folds down to the side of your car, only requiring you to lift your boat to a comfortable height.
Note: The Hullavator Pro ONLY works with Thule roof rack systems and can not be used with a factory rack.

The Yakima Showdown is a similar style rack, and while it does not have gas struts, the simple slide out and tilt mechanism will still get your gear down to an easy-to-load height.
The showdown can also fit any brand roof rack as long as the bar extends pas the edges of the roof at least 3.5" and can also carry paddleboards by swapping to the included paddleboard cradles.

Roller Lift Assist

Loading from the rear can be preferable in some situations. If you're in a tight parking lot at the lake, you may not have enough room to unload using a tilt-down rack. Instead you can opt for a rack that has rollers built in to the cradle, or even add a roller to an existing setup.

Carriers with built in rollers can fit pretty much any crossbar, including factory racks.

If you already have a set of carriers and want to add a roller, check out the Yakima Showboat. The Showboat includes a nearly 4' rubber coated roller, and slides out from under your bars up to 34" behind your rear crossbar, extremely helpful for modern cars with large rear spoilers.

Locking SUP Carriers

A SUP specific carrier is a great option for getting to the lake or river. Get your boards secured with the integrated straps, and on higher end models the strap has a steel cable core and a locking ratchet mechanism for added security.  SUP racks are 100% universal and come with everything you need to carry your SUPs or surf boards.

Soft rubber padding will protect your freshly waxed finish and conform to the shape of the board for a solid fit.

Our Sup racks are designed to carry up to two boards, so you can bring your friends in style.

Surf Pads

Surf pads are a great inexpensive option for transporting paddleboards and surfboards. Simply wrap them around your crossbars, and load up. 

You will need to get some straps as well, we offer basic nylon buckle straps as well as lockable steel cored straps.

Surf pads are nearly universal fitment, just choose the ones that match your bar style (square/round or aerodynamic) and the length that you need.

A set of crossbar pads will keep your rig looking sleek; they are low profile and super quick to install, so if you don't like the look, you can simply open up the velcro and chuck them in the back.

Canoe Gunwale Brackets

Canoe Racks are a must when carrying a canoe on your vehicle. You won't run the risk of ruining your car or your canoe, and with the innovative products to help you load, unload, and, most importantly, secure your boat getting in the water and enjoying your day will be a breeze.

Roof-mounted canoe racks have padded cradles/brackets that provide maximum stability for the boat, plus added safeguard for the gunwales.

Hitch Mount Canoe Racks

For vehicles that do not have a long enough roofline to support a canoe rack, Hitch Mount Canoe Racks like Yakima LongArm create a rear-mounted load bar on vehicles equipped with a two-inch hitch receiver. Their telescopic design makes height adjustment easy, and the hitch stats are tightly secured with an anti-wobble feature. To complete the system, you are also required to purchase a set of Canoe Brackets mentioned above, as this simply comes with the bar on which to attach them. Hitch Mount Canoe Racks are the perfect solution if you have a pick-up truck.

Fly Rod Carriers

Flyrod reels are pricey! Keep them safe and the road grime out. The Thule RodVault and Yakima DoubleHaul feature lockable cases that willl protect not only the expensive reel, but will also fit the entire rod up to 10' long. No need to disassemble your rod to put it away, and you don't risk dinging the finish.

Spining Rod Carriers

Prefer more still waters? We've got you covered. Choose from a fully enclosed carrier like the RodVault ST or the Yakima TopWater, or something a little more lightweight like the Thule OnShore or Yakima ReelDeal.