I've been working my butt off lately so I decided I should treat myself.

Yakima Rack- $240 @ Gijoes (20% off sale)
Landing pads
Towers
48" bars
Locks
Kayak Stacker

Dagger Blackwater 11.5 - $550 @ REI (15% off sale)
Werner fiberglass paddle - $100 @ REI (sale, reg 125)

So 890 in all. I really thought about getting a lift instead but I didnt have enough for tires and gas prices are high so it'll wait. Besides, summer is just around the bend and I have really been looking forward to having my own boat.

Click "See the pics" in my sig to get an underside shot

 

Congrats on the mods, looks awesome!!

 

yup I would have gone for the boat too .. good choice

 

Nice Yak and Rig!
Whats it like loading the yak with the kayak stackers? Is it easy to keep the kayak vertical when straping it down? I have the Thule Hullaport but the're rusted through and Im looking for a new setup.

The smaller the boat the more you use it!!

 

It took me a few to figure out how to tie it down right. You gotta go from the hooks, under the bar, then cross the verticle piece, under the bar agiain and cinch it down. Some padding on the bars will really help to keep it from slipping when loading. Considering that the "Max" capacity of the factory rails is 100 lbs. I cant put more then 2 boats up there anyway. Bottom line is that the Stacker is just more complecated. I may get the hull cradles for when I just go alone.

Thanks for all the kind words everybody!

 

Great looking set up. Nice yak!

 

You sexy thing you.

 

Homer: Sorry, Mr. Burns. I don't go in for these backdoor shenanigans. Sure I'm flattered, maybe even a little curious. But the answer is no!

 

Trust me, hull cradles are a lot easier. I sold my kayak stacker after using it once and my ww kayak was a lot shorter than your boat. You could always just get some Yakima cross-bar pads and put the boat on them. That works fine too. Also, I've had a lot more than 100 lbs on the factory rack w/o any problems. 2 kayaks, Dagger EGO & Perception Whiplash, and a bike. Just strap everything done good and you will be fine. And my canoe with a combination of other items.

 

I love the Thule Hullaport except for the fact that they rust out after one season (from the inside out) and they needed lateral reinforcement too keep from tilting over. They are super easy to load and unload even with a 70lb Cobra Fish n Dive. Ill probably just replace them with the new Yakima cradles. I will definately seal them before putting them to use so they won't rust out so soon.

 

I guess the main reason I got the Stacker was Cost vs capacity. The mako sadles are 48 bucks each, and you need two for one boat. The stackers were 80 for the pair. and you can carry 4.

I also wanted to stack on edge as I have a canoe also and wanted to be able to haul both. In hindsight I really should have went for the longer bars, but I think I can squeeze both on the 48's.

As far as the 100 lb limit. I'm pretty sure it's a conservative estimate on how much sheer weight those little screws that hold the track can take. 200lbs at 55 stopping quickly could rip the little things right out.