Inflatable Kayaks

[tulip]

If you have an SUV, you should really consider a Thule Hullavator rack. Spendy, yes, but alot cheaper than throwing out your back. I can't justify it because I have a small car (VW Rabbit), but I've seen one in action and it is very, very nifty.

[Cataboo]

To get the boat up, I have this:
http://www.fasttrackracks.com/p-227-...t-rollers.aspx

The yakima hully rollers on the back, the mako saddles on the front.

I've also got the yakima boat loader:
http://www.yakima.com/racks/kayak-ra...oatloader.aspx

So I just lift the end of the boat or put the end of the boat on the boat loader arm which sticks out from my roof rack, then slide the boat up the armon to the front saddles, then I can use the rollers to push the boat forward or back to where I want it...

I've got a 2nd set of saddles/rollers the next side over, so I can just leverage the boat & put it over on the 2nd set...

I also have an easier time of getting the boat on my roof than having an inexperienced person helping me - if I've got another person, we do just sorta lift the boat onto the car, one holding the front and one holding the back.

I've done the use a blanket thing when I first got a kayak, but if you have sand or grit on the bottom fo your boat and it's on your car (I kinda typically have a layer of sand on my roof in the summer), you don't want to slide anything along the roof...

The rollers have a lock so they don't move when you don't want them to, and I tie down the boat pretty securely - I've gone 80 mph for like 13 hours with my boats on my roof without any problems.

I'm 5'1, the car is a subaru outback so it's fairly high for me, but not SUV high.

Boats range from 16-18 feet long, prob 42-60 lbs. I don't have a problem carrying them.