Thule Hull-a-Port kayak carrier on OEM rails and crossbars

[spacemonkey]

Anyone have any advice on using the Thule Hull-a-Port kayak carrier on OEM rails and crossbars? Are the crossbars strong enough?

[joatmon]

I don't know about that particular carrier, but at different times I have carried a 17' canoe and a 14' kayak on my factory rails/crossbars, and had no structural capacity problems.

The factory cross bars tend to give a bit of a front lift angle to the boat, which didn't matter much with the kayak, but definitely turned the canoe into a gas sucking parachute

[pushead]

I just used a big old Thule luggage carrier filled to the rim with stock crossbars and it they worked great. I don't know the model of the carrier becuase I borrowed it but it was as large as the entire roof and then some. I guranty it wayed more than a single kayak. I have a few of them so I am very familar with their weights.

[ken99287]

How are you guys attaching stuff to the stock crossbars???? They are soooo low profile, how do you have enough room?

[tribalman]

like this

[pushead]

I use the stock bars to transport my 17' yak every weekend on Thule rack. Never even worried about it.