Background - before I got the Hullavator:
If you paddle solo a lot, some method of assisting you with loading your kayak onto your car is nice - and potentially essential depending on your level of fitness. I used to carry my heavy British kayaks over one shoulder and hoist them onto my car solo using just my outstretched arms. Not surprisingly, after perhaps a decade of that I began looking for an alternative! I first found Yakima's "Boatloader" - a great product that's simply a bar that extends from your rack. I used that for a long time - you first lift the bow onto the bar and then raise the stern onto the rear saddle - greatly reduces the effort of lifting the boat since you do it in stages. One downside to the Boatloader is the potential for your kayak to slide off the cradles if they're slippery, or in high winds. (I've got a post about this elsewhere on this blog.)
The Hullavator:
But if you need a little MORE help, then the Thule Hullavator is the load-assist kayak carrier to buy. I finally bought the Hullavator after a shoulder injury. I personally had no choice at that stage. But in retrospect it would have been nice to have a Hullavator sooner, and I definitely recommend the product. The main upsides to the Hullavator include: ease of raising the boat onto the roof (you can really just lift it with one arm); the boat is secured before it's on the roof (won't slide/blow off before you strap it down); and it provides the ability to easily work on the boat when it's in the "down" position - sponge-out water, remove hatches, fix a bungee, adjust footpegs. It's right at waist height so easy to do all that.
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| So easy to access the cockpit/hatches, no standing in doorwells |
The downsides to the Hullavator are worth knowing before you buy. Some, but not all, can be overcome as discussed below. The downsides include:
- You have to lift the full boat weight to chest height to load it onto the Hullavator.
- You must simultaneously (yes) squeeze the hand grips to unlock the hullavator in order to raise the boat - this is not easy if you've got any knee/back/shoulder issues. See TIP below.
- When you lower the boat, the swing-arms may not fully lock (especially if your boat is lightweight) - meaning the arms will swing up violently when you remove the boat.
- The cradles don't fold down, so if you must enter a low garage you have to remove the Hullavators - and they're pretty heavy.
- If you use Yakima (round) bars, the Hullavator arms tend to rotate when you load your kayak, so you must first realign the two arms before cinching your boat straps tight. Otherwise you won't be able to raise it.
- Road noise - the rack makes more noise (wind at high speeds, squeaking at low speeds) than other racks.
Ways to overcome some of these downsides:
1. People who have used the Yakima Boatloader, Thule Outrigger, or any of the similar load-assist kayak carriers that allow sliding the boat up from behind (Hully Rollers, Roll Model) are accustomed to lifting just 50% of their boat's weight at a time from ground level - first the bow is lifted up to the bar (or rear cradle in rear-loading methods) then the stern in a second step. These load-assist products make a major difference in effort when solo-loading. And are a perfect combination to use with a rolling kayak cart. Unfortunately, unlike these other load-assist carriers, the Hullavator requires that you lift the entire boat's weight at once - why? Because lifting the bow into the rear Hullavator cradle and sliding it forward is not officially sanctioned (I called Thule) due to the potential for damaging the hydraulic arms with repeated use. The arms are not meant to be torqued sideways - only opened/closed up and down. This inability to load the boat in a two-step fashion is far and away the biggest downside to the Hullavator. If you have no trouble dead-lifting a 60-lb kayak from the ground with the cockpit facing towards you (which is necessary to "properly" load a kayak onto the Hullavator cradles), then chances are you don't need the Hullavator in the first place! (Not sure what Thule was thinking there.) Nevertheless, despite the non-orthodox nature of this method, what I do is put the bow in the rear cradle, then lift the stern, followed by a combination lift/slide, shimmying the boat forward until the cockpit is between the two arms. Then I strap it down. When "slide-lifting" the boat along the cradles, I try not to put too much sideways pressure on the arms. This is actually one advantage to having round Yakima bars, it allows the Hullavator arms to rotate a bit during the "slide-shimmy", which probably reduces the forces on the joints of the arms. The arms will be misaligned afterward, but I fix that before securing the straps. With my heavier boat, I sometimes lift the stern into one of my Talic portable kayak stands so I can work the boat forward into the Hullavator. But any way you cut it, lifting the whole boat or a semi-slide method, with the Hullavator you end up lifting more of the boat's weight than with the other load-assist carriers that allow separate bow-then-stern loading. The saving grace is you only have to lift the boat to chest height with the Hullavator. Because you don't have to lift anything above your head, overall the Hullavator is an improvement in terms of effort as compared to other load-assist carriers in my opinion - especially if saving your shoulders is your goal. But clearly the Hullavator could be improved - Thule should work on modifying the Hullavator to allow step-wise loading from the ground. Perhaps reshape the rear cradle to facilitate sliding and put a crossbar or something to prevent torqueing the arms (?).
2. Next is a major TIP for those who own or are considering the Hullavator. If you have trouble bending way down to squeeze the two handles (to unlock the swing arms prior to raising them up once your boat is strapped in) I discovered an alternate method through trial-and-error. You can instead simply stick your finger at the top of the swing-arm (see photos) and pull up on the metal claw that "locks" the arm down. Voila - the arms are unlocked now and you can raise the boat to the roof. (I'd initially rigged a rope across the handles that I could step on with my foot to release, but unlocking the metal claws from above is far easier).
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| Alternate way to release Hullavator when in "down/extended" position |
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| Pull up on metal claw |
3. To prevent the swing arms from swinging up (violently) when you remove the boat, just make sure you press down on the tops of both swing arms firmly once the boat is lowered until you hear a "click". Then they're locked in the down position. This is pretty key.
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| Make sure it's LOCKED down |
4. Removing the Hullavator isn't hard - in the up position (arms retracted on top of cross bars), unlock the swing-arm and tip it up (so it's vertical but not extended/lowered) and pull it out (extend the swing arm) just an inch or two, then yank out the removable pin with your free hand. The swing arm stays put in the vertical position resting on the cross-bar (but you must keep a hand on it). Then just lift the unit up and off the cross-bar with two hands. It's pretty heavy - no way around that. The Hullavator's mounting bracket stays permanently fixed to the cross-bar.
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| To Remove Hullavator from Crossbars |
5. Regarding the problem of rotating arms (if you have Yakima bars) no way around that really either - but it's not a major problem. Just make sure you realign the swing arms so they're roughly parallel before you cinch down your boat straps and raise your boat. Pretty easy to do.
6. On the road noise issue - no way around it, but it's not too bad. I once had my rubberized kayak Lasso lock thing on my boat and mysteriously the squeaking stopped. There is probably an easy way to fix it but the noise doesn't bother me.
So that's it - the downsides to the Hullavator are mostly minor and the upsides are pretty substantial. The product is expensive ($500+) so it wouldn't be the first product I'd try if I needed solo boat loading help. On the other hand, it might save wear-and-tear on your back/shoulders over the years so you might consider getting one even if you don't absolutely need it.
I considered the various other products out there - none did much more than the Yakima Boatloader (Thule Outrigger) so I didn't buy them. For those with sedans, the Thule Glide&Set or Yakima's Hully Rollers work well I'm told, in combination with a blanket to protect your car's trunk. Kari-Tek (a UK company) has the Easy Load Roof Rack which I saw in Wales. While it's a great product, it's primary benefit is loading/lifting multiple boats at a time and it has no hydraulic assist. Worthwhile checking out though if you often load multiple boats.
26 comments:
I am thankful for people like you who take the time to post helpful information. I have been struggling with releasing the Hullivator when it is in the down position. I used it for the first time this past Saturday and it really was a problem. Mostly I did not have the strength to release it. I am going to try your tip this Saturday when I go out again. Thanks so much.
We have been using a hullavator for about 5 years on a VW Tiguan and it's been brilliant. We have a Hobie mirage tandem kayak. It's big and HEAVY. Your review is outstanding and will assist many. Now we have a Landcruiser with a canopy which is much taller than the Tig ( 2 metres from the ground) and I'm having a lot of trouble lifting the kayak onto the hullavator arms. You are spot on to identify that the biggest problem with the hullavator is having to lift the kayak in one motion. Tried doing it by resting the front on one arm and snapped the arm off!! Currently playing with a pulley system.
I am a new Hullavator user, and find it very difficult to lift my 17ft plastic kayak onto the arms. Once on, it raises to the rooftop with no problem. Tried using the tie downs as handles, and that helped. Not much written about this little issue-will watch for solutions.
Hi we just got a Hullavator and I was wondering when you strap the kayak down how essential is it to tie down the front and back of the kayak as well.
A friend said as long as it's strapped down and your not going over 50 to 55 you should be fine.
Been using the Hullavator all season and love it except for one thing. Does anyone else have a prob with the rack not being lined up when it's about to sit in the bracket that's on the cross bars when there's a kayak but no prob with no kayak and weight?
When I remove my kayak and put the carrier back on the top of my truck everything lined up perfectly and it snaps right into place. But when the kayak is being loaded onto the roof everything is shifted over a 1/2 inch so I have to try 5 or 6 times till it snaps into place. I called thule and they have no idea.
Hi fellow Hullavator owners. I am 80 years old (5'3" 125 lbs) and although it took me many hours, I finally figured out how to get my Hobie Revolution up onto my Prius without help and without sliding it in (and thereby pushing the arms awry).
By putting together several tips from several other owners, including the current blog writer, I decided to try loading it upside down (reduces wind noise as well as makes it easier to load) and using two lawn chairs (the canvas Coleman versions. My Talic supports won't arrive until next week.) to support both ends of the kayak.
I lifted one end and then the other onto the chairs right next to the lowered and locked arms of the Hullavator, centered as closely as possible to how I wanted it on the roof of my car. Then I pushed the two chairs and Hobie closer and rotated the Hobie until the side of the hull was higher than the ends of the Hullavator arms. The inside of the Hobie was facing me.
Using the handle on the low side of the boat I lifted and pushed/slid the boat onto both arms. The pushing and sliding did push the arms toward the car, but they never touched it. I'm hoping that the Talic supports which are 31 inches tall make this easier--I'll let you know after I try them.
Once the side of the Hobie is in the saddle, I push the other side up (very easy) by pushing the hull until both sides of the Hobie are firmly against the Hullavator arms. Then I tie it down and lift it up. Both of these tasks, even I can do without too much effort. (I duck my head under and use my shoulders.)
Once all is in place I tie the front to the underside of my car and off I go.
Here's hoping the Talic supports make that one step easier.
Email me if you want the photos I took of the various steps.
Update: I made a video showing how I load my kayak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcjLjmqYZ8A
I've got it down now so that it takes only a few minutes. I was still pretty new at it when I created the video. :-)
Thank you Jim for posting this review. There is no way I can lift 75 pound, 12.5 foot kayak alone. I was really discouraged that the Hullavator was not going to do the job for me. A GIGANTIC thank you to Joan for sharing her YouTube video that demonstrates that a small woman can do this.
Thank you!
Fleq
http://fitwoutdoors.com
This is an extremely helpful post - thank you so much. And what a gift to find Joan's video! I appreciate the time you both took to help others.
Excellent post--thank you. I don't understand why "anonymous" wrote that your blog was of no help. We bought a used Hullavator assembled and installed at ReRack in Portland, OR. Your tip of releasing the claws to facilitate the upswing operation is greatly appreciated. I thought I'd get a smashed finger tip but the operation is safe and efficient. Only warning I can add echos what other owner's have said--practice and practice some more to hone your technique. Making sure the arms are locked in place in the down position and releasing the empty arms slowly with a good grip to prevent them from launching up like rockets will keep you from being surprised. My only gripe is that the hull padding is a hard rubber and may dent a poly hull. I am experimenting with attaching a pair of cut down foam hull pads, the kind found on the inexpensive foam and strap units to see if a little extra padding will help. Thanks again for your great post. We're saving up for a second unit. This is a great product for folks like me with a bad shoulder.
I really appreciate your post, and hope you can answer a couple of questions for me. I have a Toyota Tacoma with the Thule heavy oval contractor bars mounted on a fiberglass canopy, and a 90 lb. SeaScape tandem kayak. At age 72, my wife and I are finding it increasingly difficult to get the boat up onto the Holly rollers, especially with their height off the ground, so we are looking for other options. The 2 that come to mind are a lighter tandem and the Hullavator. Besides needing a little more effort to get the SeaScape on the Hullavator, is there a reason that it could not support the SeaScape? Also, can you tell me how far below the top of the crossbars the Hullavator comes when in loading position? Thanks for any insight you can provide.
Not sure about that Chris - Thule likely publishes the weight limit. I only had 60lbs approximately on my Hullavator. Personally (just my opinion) I think it should handle 90 lbs OK. Just might take more effort to lift the boat upwards - but that's not a problem really, it gives you maybe 20lbs of assist or something, and everything is very secure. Not sure how far down the boat lowers from roof to fully-down position, gotta be at least 3 feet. Call Thule or RackAttack (one of the many retailers online). Cheers, jim
Thank you for a very informative review. I think I am going to bite the bullet and get one. I have a Romany. I have read that the rear strap might not be tight around some boats with lower back decks. Is this an issue and if so have you come upon a good fix?
Thank you!
You'll have no problem w/ the Romany. I used Hullavator for my Romany just fine. I think only super low-profile, low back-deck Greenland-style boats might require something extra (?), like a small foam block to add bulk perhaps. But typical sea kayaks should have no problems. Good luck.
Thank you for your response. Am enjoying your blog very much.
Henry
My husband and I purchased 2 hullavators and had them mounted on my Subaru Outback by the store in Sacramento, CA. That was ~2009. Last yr the gas cylinders began failing one by one. Since I could not find my purchase ticket they would not help. Turns out those gas cylinders are not available for purchase and even Thule cannot provide them because "they are already installed when the part arrives at Thule". The only recourse Thule offered was to give me a 40% discount on new hullavators which I accepted. To me this issue is a major flaw in not only the design but the manufacturer's inability to provide this replacement part.
If you go on paddling.com you will find one man's solution posted in 2015 which entails ordering the part from Canada and making alterations to the arm assembly.
Thule has us by the short hairs since they are the only racks with this design.
My back hullivator arm doesn't go down all the time. I can put it vertical along with the front arm but only the front arm goes down. Any solutions to this? I've tried reaching Thule but their customer support is useless.
Thanks to all for useful comments..
I have two questions:
Is there a way to prevent the saddle tubing from corroding internally? I had a Hullavator that lasted only 5-6 years before these pieces roster to the point of breakage. I have just purchased a used Hullavator which shows some corrosion under the padding sleeves and I would like to keepmthyis from propagating.
Reaching under the boat to unlock the arms is a bit awkward because my car is not particularly tall (VW Jetta wagon). It looks like it might help if the lower arm were to be moved a few inches away from the handle, allowing easier access. My boat is 22" wide, so there is a lot of room for this adjustment. Is there any reason to not do this?
Clay - not sure about corrosion, probably only cosmetic since the unit's tubing seems overbuilt/strong. Regarding your2nd question about unlocking arms from below - read this blog post in full (I wrote it) for tip on unlocking arms from above. - Jim
Great blog. I just removed the saddle arms from my rack; wondering if I need to do any maintenance; oil etc to the parts. If so where and with what products? I was able to remove the arms because of this blog . Thank you!! 🛶🙏
Not sure about maintenance, oil, etc. I'd email Thule. After using it for a few years I got a different car and different kayak setup (stored near water), so I didn't "need" my Hullavator and sold it before it needed any maintenance. If Thule proves of no help on the maintenance question, I'd suggest just silicone grease on the hydraulic arms. Plus I think if you spray it lightly with fresh water if any salt accumulated that'd be good. Plus remove the Hullavator from your car whenever you can and store it inside out of the elements during the months you aren't paddling as much (if there is such a time), it should last for years, seems well-built. Although elsewhere online I've read about some hydraulic arm failures and lack of support from Thule. - jim
The support tubes on my unit rusted out from the inside. I think that water stayed under the cushions, causing corrosion.
Brilliant!
I have successfully used Jim’s tip (#2 from his original post of Sept 28, 2014) to release the handles by pressing the metal “claw” that locks the arm down. (Be careful because the hydraulic lift can release really quickly, and aggressively!) However, my issue is that my handles are sticking and the metal claw can be tough to release. I’ve had to resort to using a large flat-head screwdriver for leverage because my finger is too soft to apply enough pressure to release the claw. Has anyone else run into this? Will WD-40 somewhere in the handles work to keep them releasing the claw? Or is there any other trick you can suggest? I’m a bit stymied because this is a pretty new Hullavator Pro 898.
Hey Michael - I don't know about sticky claws and WD-40, might be worth a try. But one thing about the "claw", if the boat is heavier than the upward force the Hullavator's gas struts can pull up (about 40 lbs), then it's hard if not impossible to raise the boat from the "down" position simply by pulling up on the claws - unless you're hands can move at the speed of light the claws will just reengage before you're able to lift the boat up. Also, some Hullavators appear to have stronger struts than others (I got the newer 898 model at some point that I swear was weaker than the previous 897, who knows). On the flipside, if your boat's much lighter than 40 lbs, then the force of the gas struts might be the cause of the difficulty in opening the claws, too much upward force causing the claws to grip more.
One thing I discovered that might help, especially if your boats heavier than 40 lbs: try pulling each claw open then jam something in to wedge each claw open - such as thin tubing or a round stick, something the width of a pinky finger should work. I had some plastic hose fittings found at a marine supply store that were about that size (1/2 inch diameter by 4 inches long), anything will work really, even some folded cardboard. With the claws both wedged open, then you can take your time lifting the boat from below, step on a stool if your shoulders aren't strong. The pieces of plastic or hose will fall to the ground as you lift the boat. That worked like a charm for me anyway.
For help lowering the boat, if you're finding that difficult, you might consider using "Cable Cuff PRO" ratcheting clamps, they're super cheap at Home Depot. You can use them to squeeze/grip the release-handles and hold them squeezed, which releases whatever mechanism locks the Hullavators in the "up" position. Then you're able to take your time lowering the boat however is easiest, grip the coaming or whatever, to pull the boat down. Once the boat is down, just remember to remove the "cable cuff" grips before you take your boat off, otherwise the Hullavators will close up suddenly/violently.
That's it - Jim (might add this to the original post as I'm the author)
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