Load assist kayak carrier with factory crossbars?

Drogon · May 6, 2018

Hi all,

I brought home my CX-5 less than a week ago - love it! It came with roof rails and factory crossbars. I have a fairly heavy and wide fishing kayak and have a Yakima Sweetroll set that suited me well on my old Sonata but my Mazda is much taller (knew that before buying, of course).

After visiting Rack Attack, it was determined that the best load assist systems would require me to remove the factory bars and buy either Thule or Yakima crossbars PLUS the load assist system. Or get a trailer hitch installed and get Yakima Goal Post.

Does anyone have experience with the Yakima Showboat 66 on a CX-5? It looks like it would fit on my Mazda crossbars and I could use my Sweetroll saddles. Will it extend past the shark fin antenna and spoiler?

Or can anyone recommend a roof rack system for a 40 pound kayak on a CX-5 that can be used by one person? This is my first new car and I'll be damned if I scratch it right away.

Thanks in advance!

SaintsReturn · May 6, 2018

Check out my take on the Rhino Rack system. Plus I went out today. I know it is not directly answering your questions, but maybe it can help. And the load assist I have came with different plates to mount to different systems.

Drogon · May 8, 2018

SaintsReturn said:
Check out my take on the Rhino Rack system. Plus I went out today. I know it is not directly answering your questions, but maybe it can help. And the load assist I have came with different plates to mount to different systems.

Nice! That's a BEAST of a kayak, right? Mine is a fairly cheap BassPro sit-in Ascent. It's about 40-50 pounds.

Could you tell me exactly which load assist system you are using?

SaintsReturn · May 8, 2018

Don't knock your ride, mine is the ascend 12 T and yeah it's a beast lol.

It's the Rhinorack load bar. I'll look for the link, buts the only one on their site.

Only advice is do not buy from them directly. They recommended another site to use as they charge full retail and their online retailers will go to bottom of MAP pricing.

Drogon said:
Nice! That's a BEAST of a kayak, right? Mine is a fairly cheap BassPro sit-in Ascent. It's about 40-50 pounds.

Could you tell me exactly which load assist system you are using?

Drogon · May 8, 2018

HA. When I first researched fishing kayaks a few years ago, the 12 T was top of my list - no lie. When I went to the store, I literally laughed - had no idea it was that big in real life. Read all the specs but didn't translate to "real world" use. Imagine one person trying to put that onto a 2011 Sonata? Yeah, no.

So I went with the smaller one which actually tracks really well, is stable, and surprisingly fast for flat water paddling. Can easily keep up with friends in a canoe with small electric motor. But I would LOVE your 'yak at some point - definitely a solid fishing platform!

OK, found the Rhino load bar. I guess I'd use the load bar to hoist onto the crossbars from the side and then some maneuver them onto the cradles? I have Sweetrolls from Yakima which is made to load from the rear - the back saddles have wheels to facilitate. So that would sort of render them useless...

Guess I have some options - just more money and different equipment.

Thanks for your input!

SaintsReturn · May 8, 2018

Not really sure how to put it in writing, but here is my attempt.
1) attach the load assist
2) lift front of yak onto the bar
3) walk to rear and lift yak while swinging onto rear cradles
4) pull down on the rear and swing the front into place.

Because of this type of action, I actually think the rear rollers would be really useful. They will allow you to push and align your setup without resistance.

Hope this helps,

Saint

Drogon said:
HA. When I first researched fishing kayaks a few years ago, the 12 T was top of my list - no lie. When I went to the store, I literally laughed - had no idea it was that big in real life. Read all the specs but didn't translate to "real world" use. Imagine one person trying to put that onto a 2011 Sonata? Yeah, no.

So I went with the smaller one which actually tracks really well, is stable, and surprisingly fast for flat water paddling. Can easily keep up with friends in a canoe with small electric motor. But I would LOVE your 'yak at some point - definitely a solid fishing platform!

OK, found the Rhino load bar. I guess I'd use the load bar to hoist onto the crossbars from the side and then some maneuver them onto the cradles? I have Sweetrolls from Yakima which is made to load from the rear - the back saddles have wheels to facilitate. So that would sort of render them useless...

Guess I have some options - just more money and different equipment.

Thanks for your input!

Load assist kayak carrier with factory crossbars?

Drogon

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SaintsReturn

Drogon

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SaintsReturn

Drogon

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SaintsReturn

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