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I have a transit custom which is a fait bit higher than my previous car.
I have a sea kayak that is approx 17ft so wont fit inside.
Im only short at 5'8" and want to use kayak from the van....
I know Karitek do a lovely slide and drop down rack, but is there any thing cheaper? Or indeed more elegant than a decorators 18" step that i place at the side of my van?
Thanks
Ian
There won’t be anything cheaper than the decorators’ step.
DOI: about the same height as you and have been known to use a folding step to load stuff onto the roof of the car, never mind a van.
Edit: thinking about it, I think you can get rollers that clip to the rearmost bar to help you load stuff on from the back - any use?
Pair of step ladders, small enough to be stowed away inside when not in use, yet big enough for you to strap your kayak to the roof bars.
I’m the same height and had to climb up the inside of the back door on the Vivaro to put our 15ft kayaks on the roof. It was a bit dodgy to be honest especially if wet.
Im looking at building a slide out system for the new T6, but that’s awhile off yet
My wife uses the malone telos system to get her sea kayak on top of the car (Dacia duster). She’s shorter (and weaker I’d imagine) than you and has had no trouble with it. Small step also required for final tying down.
You might find either a roller attached to the back of the rear roof bar, or an side extension to one of the bars (lift one end onto it, then lift the other) would be helpful. You'll still need the decorators' step, if only to help get onto the roof to strap the boat down. There are a couple of 'karitek alternative' devices but I think they're more expensive than the karitek, even if you can find them.
I was brought up by stepladders. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but I wish I known my real ladders.
Folding combination ladders can be had pretty cheap in B&Q / Screwfix and take up little space in the van if you have it packed with other kit and I find them much much more stable than regular steps if you're handling something cumbersome. They're more likely to find other uses than just loading your boat too.
My mate has one of these, it's quite good. Also another mate has a rod that he sticks in the roof bar with the end cap off, works in the same way but he made it himself. Might be a broom handle, I can't remember
https://www.systemxeurope.com/products/eckla-loading-arm?mode=ixjuvnmxybwh
We use an old milk crate with a sheet of ply attached on top to make a step, nice and stable and easy to get up on without looking. We use uprights so tying down is fairly straighforward - If you have set up the straps prior to putting the boat on and laid them out down the rear doors and down the windscreen it's fairly easy to tie the boat down by flicking the straps over the boat and then standing on the back wheels or the passenger seat to thread the buckles. Also you can buy a clip on step which temporarily attaches to the door lock clasp on the b pillar - I think REMO do them. Means you can stand nice and high right near the front roof bar
If you are flicking the straps over and worried about chipping paint, get ones with a rubber bumper over the buckle - Palm equipment make them.
All, thats great! Thank you 🙂
I'd be more worried about taking a Ford van anywhere near seawater than chucking stuff on top of it. I can hear it rusting from here!
It’s comments like that, that make me think I’ve been very lucky with our Transit, 2012 and spent it’s entire life of the Fife coast and no rustageddon.... yet.
Composite or plastic boat?
Plastic I would just use a ladder roller and push it up.
Composite I would buy a the karitek. They are great kit and I think worth the money if you have spent +2k on your boat.
I have just ordered an RUK load assister which looks pretty much the same as the device mentioned by Vader, but is a bit cheaper.
I had hoped to find the Yakima equivalent, which looks neater, but they don't seem to be available in Europe. And I had also wondered about a roller, as mentioned by Greybeard, but it's for a kayak and we have a canoe. Mine is only for an estate car, but I'm hoping it means I'll be able to go canoeing with my 15 year-old daughter!
Thule Hulavator - not far off the price of the karitek mind. Comes off the rack when not going to be used for a while and looks a bit tidier though. I have similar sized boat to you but going onto a hightop Ducato - that is a problem. On a transit custom I'd just do the rack extension trick with broom handle or aluminium tube. Did it for a good few years on my van but weak and feeble now so gone for luxury solution.