Kayak hauling on the vibe

[valspar1340]

I have an 07 vibe and want to haul 2 Rec. kayaks on the roof. I plan on getting the factory utility cross bars (thule type) and 2 sets of the thule J shaped brackets. Has anyone done this? i was not sure of this set up because of the short lenght of the rack and also being so narrow. i see i may have to remove the antenna when loaded?I did not want to spend hundreds of dollars only to find it would not work as intended HELP!

[viber05]

this one has 4 on top http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=31441another onehttp://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28242

[valspar1340]

i seen that pic before, but i few things 1. they are white water boats(smaller) Recreational kayaks are a little bigger 2. that is not the factory utility bars as they look to be wider. i only need to haul 2 boats and don't want wide bars to hit my head on. 3. they are not using the J shaped mounts.4. i would not want to be behind this car going down the highway 65 mphSo again my question is has anyone used the factory utility bars and 2 thule or yakama J style brackets on a vibe to haul 2 kayaksThanks for your help

[lovemyraffe]

Yes, I have used the Yakima kayak holders. I am a Yakima retailer. I personally don't see much of a difference. I had them, sold them with a previous car. Now I just strap them to my roof rails using a good piece of webbing.

[valspar1340]

i don't think i could put 2 kayaks on top without the J brackets as the roof is so narrow. I just wanted to know that it is possible to use 2 of the J's on the factory utility bars and if the short lenght becomes an issue as the J's will not be very far apart.I would think someone somewhere has tried this set up and was hoping to hear that this will work so i can purchase the pieces so I will be ready for the up coming Kayaking season.

[prathman]

I just put my kayaks directly on the crossbars (no J-bracket or other kayak mount). The bars are 50" long and one of my boats is a double with a 3' beam so when they're both up there they do extend out a bit to both sides over the ends of the bars. But the web straps are secured at the rails, so there's no way for the boats to slide off the sides (and they're also secured by bow/stern lines).It would be a little better to use a front crossbar on separate Thule towers at the front of the roof to give more separation, but using the factory rails seems adequate as long as the tie-down straps and ropes are kept tight enough.

[KNINE]

I just happened to run across this on ebay.http://cgi.ebay.com/Cobra-Fish...wItem

[morganee]

That setup should work, but you’ll need to be mindful of the short and narrow roof rack on the Vibe. The Thule J-shaped brackets are a solid choice for carrying two recreational kayaks, but securing them properly is key. Since the factory crossbars aren’t very long, you may need to position the brackets carefully to balance the load and avoid overhang issues. Removing the antenna when loaded might be necessary, depending on kayak size and placement. If you’re unsure, test the setup with temporary straps before committing to the purchase. Many paddlers face similar challenges, whether hauling kayaks in Dubai or on compact cars elsewhere, so checking forums for vehicle-specific experiences could help.