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Solo loading


Jim Snyder

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I'm looking for advice on solo loading on my wife's new Subaru Impreza. It has Thule Hulla-a-Ports which are really awkward so I bought some foam blocks which aren't too bad with a towel over the back one but then it's hard to get the towel under the kayak to unload. I'm considering trying the Thule WaterSlide but I bet some of you will have solved this problem. I also bet some of you will tell me to quit paddling solo. Imperative not to damage the new car!

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What's wrong with the Hulla-ports? I thought they were designed expressly for kayakers who need to load their boats solo so they would appear to be just the ticket for you and your situation. . I knows several people who have them and use them with success:  I would think that  it might be just a matter of getting used to them and  how they work. They do have a lot of moving parts and theres a specific set of steps to using them. 

 

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Mike is right. I refuse to buy a Hull A Vator until I'm at least 70, no offense to those of you using them now. Mike, I'll try again using your method. 

Ed, we should get in a solo paddle together on the frigid waters of Lake Winnisquam!

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I found loading u Subaru Impreza  solo a snap.  It's not a tall car.  If you have saddles, just get a rug fragment to put over back edge of car, lift up bow of boat and rest on towel.  Walk back to stern and pick up and then slide forward into saddles.  j hooks are a pain.  Get rid of them for solo loading.  If I was able to load an Impreza solo, anyone can.

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I have a new Crosstrek, which is a few inches higher.  Definitely need the Malone suction cup thing for that, but definitely no need for Impreza.  I don't use a towel for protection of car.  I have a small doormat, fuzzy on one side, grippy on the other.  No damage at all to car in six years of use.  It also doubles nicely as a mat for changing out of wet paddling clothes.

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I do what Pru does, using one of the car floor mats at the trunk edge and another one at the top of the rear windshield (this is for a Legacy, not Impreza). Have done this for years without damaging the car. Or my back. My entire summer season was paddling solo. 

I have seen those roller suction cup things being used and they are pretty cool, just haven't been motivated to find one and buy it.

Kate

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Kate, , Newer  tall cars require the suction cup thingy bc they all have a stupid "eyebrow" at top of rear window that sticks out and is not strong enough to support a boat leaning against it.  Look at Subaru's and all SUV,s going down the road.  They all have it now.  Dumb feature.   In the old days with old tall cars you could lean it against rug on car.  No more.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I second what Pru and Kate do.  I have  a  light weight recycled rug material which I place on the  front hood of my car. The rear eyebrow prevents back use.  I use velcro straps to hold the rug to the towers of the rack up top in a wind.  

So you don't need to pick all that weight up from the floor, I built quite easily, a frame/cart on wheels with slings where the kayak sits at waist height.  I roll the cart up to the car, place the stern on the hood, stabilize the boat if necessary, walk to the bow and just slide it onto my saddles.  No muss, no fuss!  

I would be happy to send a picture of my cart if anyone wants to use it for help building. All of it is creatively adapted, heavy duty wire shelf material, easily available at the homeware hardware stores.  It's pretty cool if I don't say so myself!  And I haven't hurt my back or neck since using it.  

Edited by glad
clarification
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Hmmm....my VW wagon has the "eyebrow" above the rear window. It never occurred to me that it wouldn't be strong enough to support the kayak, as I pushed it up along the edge of it. This is what I have been doing for about 5 years, with no damage. Perhaps it depends on the car. I use a fuzzy bathmat with rubbery side against the car.

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2 hours ago, nchill said:

Hmmm....my VW wagon has the "eyebrow" above the rear window. It never occurred to me that it wouldn't be strong enough to support the kayak, as I pushed it up along the edge of it. This is what I have been doing for about 5 years, with no damage. Perhaps it depends on the car. I use a fuzzy bathmat with rubbery side against the car.

Eyebrows have gotten bigger and weaker.  Look at new SUV's and you'll see.  My 2013 Impreza had a strong little eyebrow that I could reat boat on. 2019 Crosstrek...no.  

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