How do you get it up? (Kayak)

[Sport (no trac)]

I have a question...kinda dumb, but I'll ask it anyway...

I just bought a Kayak (Loon 138) and a set of racks (Yakima Hully Rollers and Mako Saddles) to fit on my stock roof rails. My 2001 Sport doesn't have cross bars, but the Euro style rails that accept the cross bars.

Loading the yak on the roof racks at the yak shop was easy, mostly because I had the guy from the shop help me out. When I got home I pulled the yak off the racks, but when I lowered the stern, the bow was centimeters from scraping across the top of the tailgate. At the end of the procedure, there I was with the yak awkwardly balanced over the top of my head with my wife standing next to me laughing. This isn't going to work for long. I am concerned about that eventual mistake where I ruin the top of the tailgate.

I tried to mount the rear rack as far back as possible, but the factory rails don't allow me to put it back far enough. What do you all do to make loading and unloading your boat easier and safer for the tailgate?

 

[Jason_25]

Heh funny title to this post.......

Anyway, until you get used to unloading the Kayak I bet you could jam a large piece of fabric in the top of the liftgate and drape it down so even if the kayak touches it won't scuff your paint.

 

[Sport (no trac)]

Thanks Jason, I thought about that and I'll prolly take a trip to Home Depot to pick up a couple of moving pads unless I can come up with a better idea.