# I need an easier way to load my yak..any ideas?



## hughmungus (Aug 25, 2008)

Hi guys, 
After a few trips I have now realised that I need an easier way to load the yak. Its doable but can hurt, especially after a long mission.
I have a falcon ute(aluminium tray) with builders racks. Getting the outback up on these isnt the easiest. Does anyone have a similar problem or any ideas the make this easier?
I have noticed an outrigger could help, but they only seem to work on roof racks, maybe they could be modified.
Cheers Gus


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## SgtWilson (Oct 6, 2008)

hughmungus said:


> Hi guys,
> After a few trips I have now realised that I need an easier way to load the yak. Its doable but can hurt, especially after a long mission.
> I have a falcon ute(aluminium tray) with builders racks. Getting the outback up on these isnt the easiest. Does anyone have a similar problem or any ideas the make this easier?
> I have noticed an outrigger could help, but they only seem to work on roof racks, maybe they could be modified.
> Cheers Gus


G'day Gus,

I have the same setup, (ute with builders racks) and a 27 kg Heritage Kayak.

Having recently had major stomach surgery, I am finding it a bit of effort too.

I'm just lifting the front of my boat onto the rear rack, and sort of sliding it on. I attached some foam pool noodles to the bare metal crossbars with electrical ties to protect the yak from scratching.

Same for unloading, I just hop up into the tray, and slide the boat off.

If I was fit, it would be easy as, but when you have just had bowel surgery (or getting on a bit, hernia or whatever) it can be very difficult.

Maybe others have similar experiences? any ideas for easy loading/unloading most welcome!

Cheers,

Paul.


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## LORTAP (Jun 19, 2008)

If the rack tubing is small enough get some round foam thats got a hole through it bigger than the rack & tape it up so it rolls then slide the yak up? I use a similar setup on my patrol for my ok elite.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

SgtWilson said:


> I attached some foam pool noodles to the bare metal crossbars with electrical ties to protect the yak from scratching.
> 
> any ideas for easy loading/unloading most welcome!
> 
> )


Paul one idea comes to mind that may work if the crossbars are round pipe.

Get a piece of PVC pipe with an ID that will go around your rack...split the PVC length ways with a saw and then push it over the bar and it might act like a roller on the bar as you load the yak


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## grinner (May 15, 2008)

mate my old yak at 21 kg i could just heave ho onto my hilux but when i brought the new one at 28 kg the chap insisted i get an swinging extender off the side of my roof racks. by putting the back corner of the yak into the area which has now a stable 90 degree pivot point its fairly easy to fulcrum the beast up. having said that theyre still slippery suckers . so if you dont want to push on from the back, if you can put an extender on one of your racks youve got one stable point whilst manouvering cheers pete


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## malhal (Jul 8, 2008)

I have a Patrol and use an aerial house bracket as an extender that I bolt on to my front roofrack. It is an L shape so i point it upwards so Yak can't slip off. Works a treat and only takes a minute to set up. I have also covered the bracket end in poool noodle for Kayak comfort.
Cheers Mal


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## DGax65 (Jun 7, 2006)

I'm not sure if your rack is similar to mine. I have a Thule Xsporter. It consists of two crossbars mounted on uprights that clamp to the rail.










I added a foam-lined aluminum tray that bolts to the crossbars.










I installed a hull roller at the back of the rack to facilitate loading.










I injured my back a couple of years ago and it would be difficult for me to load my kayak without this roller. Loading the yak is simple. I set the bow on the tailgate and get in position to lift the yak the rest of the way up. All I have to do is get the bow onto the roller. It stays in place until I get back to the stern. I grasp the stern hand strap and then push forward as I am lifting. Once I get about a third of the yak's length past the roller, it becomes very easy to lift the stern and walk the rest up onto the rack.


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

I got shown how to load my revo alone when I bought it but Ive never seen the method described here. Its easy, you dont need any extender bars or assistance and its not uncomfortable in any way. 
Im 5' 10" and 75kg so you dont need to be tall or particularly strong. Ive used this method to load a Revo and an Adventure but I dont see why it isnt applicable to any other SOT that sits upside down on standard bar roof racks. 
Ill try and get a video of it but Ill do my best to describe it here.

Park the yak alongside the car where it will sit on the racks.
Walk to the middle of the yak and roll it over so the cockpit is facing into the ground
Walk to the back (where the rudder is) and standing directly behind the yak lift the tail so you are raising the yak by leaving the nose on the ground. Use a towel or rubber mat under the nose if on concrete or bitumen but no probs on the sand or grass.
Now slide your hands along the gunwhales (rails) as you slowly walk forward raising the yak even further towards the vertical, nose into the ground. Its surprisingly easy to balance on the nose as you do this.
When your hands reach the moulded handles the nose will start to rise from the ground as the handles are the point of perfect balance in the Revo. Id be surprised if they arent on most SOTs.
As the yak rises to the horizontal it is now above your head and you can take the strain with your arms (like weights) or rest it a little on your head if you have to.
From here its just a few inches lean for the one rail to land on the roof rack. (That is if you have positioned it right beside the car before starting the lift). I normally use a little clean and jerk motion as its rising to the horizontal and it all goes on in one smooth motion.
Simply slide the yak in by pushing on the rail you are still holding.
To remove the yak simply do the reverse.

Not sure if I described it very well here but the video (when I get to it) should show just how efortless it is.


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## theclick (Jun 25, 2007)

My process with my swing goes like this:

Put it parallel to the car
stand on the opposite side of the kayak to the car
grab the yak by the centre hatch (open)
Break your back lifting it
Scratch the paint on the car, take off a wing mirror
Scratch your roof racks up
Fumble it onto the roof

Done


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## SgtWilson (Oct 6, 2008)

Hi everyone!

I just love this forum. Thanks heaps for all the ideas. a tremendous help.

Sounds like a fair few of us have, (or have had) a similar problem that has been overcome with some good old fashioned ingenuity, determination, new fangled contraptions etc etc.

Wonder what happened to Gus, (the original poster) Hope he's not still struggling to lift his yak off the roof racks! :shock: :shock:


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## justdrinkbeer (Aug 12, 2008)

Hasn't anyone thought to just man up a bit, get a milk crate if you cant reach, part of using paddles is the exercise isn't it? (apologie to anyone with injuries etc though)


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## crazyratwoman (Feb 26, 2007)

with my Pajero, i shut the back doors on a blanket so it covers the tailgate, i lift the front of the yak onto the spare tyre, then lift it up on the top of the roof at the back. Then walk around to the back, lift and slide it on the roof, (being a short ass) i stand on a stool to push it over the racks. To get it off, just reverse.


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## blaggon (Jan 14, 2008)

crazyratwoman said:


> i stand on a stool to push it over the racks..


 :lol: :lol: :shock: :shock: :twisted: :twisted:


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

crazyratwoman said:


> i stand on a stool to push it over the racks..


When I mowed lawns I often stood on stools if they had a dog :shock:

Hope you clean your shoes before getting in the car Kerrie :twisted: :lol:


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## crazyratwoman (Feb 26, 2007)

i wondered how long that would take... not very long.... u guys have a one track mind!!!!!


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## hughmungus (Aug 25, 2008)

Thanks for the advice guys, must appreciated!
I've decided that by fixing an outrigger poll to the rear bar , like the one on the thule roof rack system, i will be able to get one end up first then jimmy the other end on. Likewise for gettn it off.simple
Cheers Gus


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## rogueroges (Oct 19, 2008)

i have a similar problem, i just had to take it on the chin that my yak was going to get a few superficial scratches in the bottom, funnily enough, there are very few.

lift the front of the yak onto the rear roof rack, from a standing position slide the kay up. easy as, even with bodily pains, achs and complains, allow the rack to do the work, dont lift it slide it on and let the weight of the yak do the rest. parking on a slight incline with the nose of the car pointing down allways helps massively, mind you its not allways available.


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## YakN00b (Jun 9, 2008)

It seems obvious to me fit the car with the hopper style hydraulic suspension and just lower it all the way onto the ground. This will have 2 effects you will get that slammed to the ground pimping look and the roof will be low enough to just sling the yak on.


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