Kayak racks for Smartcap

[Greg_L]

I have two Ocean Kayak Scramblers and a @SmartCap on my Gladiator.

How are you guys with SmartCaps carrying one or more yaks?

Although I know the SmartCap alone can hold the weight of two kayaks, can it hold two kayaks hauling ass at freeway speeds on the way to the beach? I don't know what the forces applied are when you add the weight of two yaks plus 80mph wind resistance.

So my idea is maybe put a rack on the SmartCap and one across the freedom panel/rear top area. Kind of spread the load so it's not all on the SmartCap.

But fuck if I know, my previous vehicles had roof racks built in, so give me some ideas please.

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[Greg_L]

Shit, nothing? Okay.

 

[Freems]

Yakima, Thule both make yak racks for the rig, the ones that lower themselves over the sides of the truck to load and unload them are amazing. Both of these companies have engineered these to be safe to carry the loads at speed.

 

[Greg_L]

Yakima, Thule both make yak racks for the rig, the ones that lower themselves over the sides of the truck to load and unload them are amazing. Both of these companies have engineered these to be safe to carry the loads at speed.

Thanks. I think my concern is more about the attachment points on the SmartCap and/or the cap-to-bed.

The SmartCap's built in rails is great. It's rating of 700 lbs static is great, no problem. But 350 lbs dynamic...in motion....then I'm just not sure.

Each kayak is 11.5 ft long and weighs probably just north of 50 lbs. So say at least 100 pounds of kayaks by themselves. Add the drag and tug of highway speed wind resistance...are we at 350 pounds then? I don't know I'm not a physicist. These are saltwater fishing kayaks, not flimsy swimming pool toys.

So my idea of splitting the load by having the yaks mount on both the freedom panel side and the SmartCap on the other end should work, I'm just not even sure where to start looking.

 

[EZRider]

Thanks. I think my concern is more about the attachment points on the SmartCap and/or the cap-to-bed.

The SmartCap's built in rails is great. It's rating of 700 lbs static is great, no problem. But 350 lbs dynamic...in motion....then I'm just not sure.

Each kayak is 11.5 ft long and weighs probably just north of 50 lbs. So say at least 100 pounds of kayaks by themselves. Add the drag and tug of highway speed wind resistance...are we at 350 pounds then? I don't know I'm not a physicist. These are saltwater fishing kayaks, not flimsy swimming pool toys.

So my idea of splitting the load by having the yaks mount on both the freedom panel side and the SmartCap on the other end should work, I'm just not even sure where to start looking.

I doubt that the kayaks cause any more force on the SmartCap than a large roof top tent.

 

[GI Grandpa]

I have two Ocean Kayak Scramblers and a @SmartCap on my Gladiator.

How are you guys with SmartCaps carrying one or more yaks?

Although I know the SmartCap alone can hold the weight of two kayaks, can it hold two kayaks hauling ass at freeway speeds on the way to the beach? I don't know what the forces applied are when you add the weight of two yaks plus 80mph wind resistance.

So my idea is maybe put a rack on the SmartCap and one across the freedom panel/rear top area. Kind of spread the load so it's not all on the SmartCap.

But fuck if I know, my previous vehicles had roof racks built in, so give me some ideas please.

Not sure if this will work on a Smartcap, but Shaun from The Story Till Now has a set up you may want to look at.

 

[Greg_L]

Not sure if this will work on a Smartcap, but Shaun from The Story Till Now has a set up you may want to look at.

Yeah I've seen the Hullavator. Nice unit. I'm also not spending 1800 bucks on yak racks.

I really just need some basic crossbars that are adjustable, movable, removable, and tough enough.

I'm seeing some basic 400lb capacity stuff on amazon that I could weld and modify to fit my needs maybe. I might need to go that route.

 

[Jaxmax]

I have the smart cap and it is solid , I have carried two Native Propel kayaks at 34” wide at the same time , and have delivered a couple 13’ Native Kayaks in past. Only picture I have in phone of my Yakima round bars with removable control towers, on the passenger side the round thing on the end of the bar is a boat loader that is steel rod 36” long that helps load kayaks, I have two boat loaders so I can pull them out a bit to carry two large kayaks once in a while.
I love the round bars these started life with me on a 2013 Silverado and have been on a few trucks before glady. I myself would not put the weight of front of kayaks that have the wind lift on them on the Jeep hardtop. Also getting three or four bars to sit at same height is hard to do……Jack

 

[Greg_L]

I have the smart cap and it is solid , I have carried two Native Propel kayaks at 34” wide at the same time , and have delivered a couple 13’ Native Kayaks in past. Only picture I have in phone of my Yakima round bars with removable control towers, on the passenger side the round thing on the end of the bar is a boat loader that is steel rod 36” long that helps load kayaks, I have two boat loaders so I can pull them out a bit to carry two large kayaks once in a while.
I love the round bars these started life with me on a 2013 Silverado and have been on a few trucks before glady. I myself would not put the weight of front of kayaks that have the wind lift on them on the Jeep hardtop. Also getting three or four bars to sit at same height is hard to do……Jack

How are you attaching the round bars to the SmartCap?

 

[Jaxmax]

Couple pic, mount with cover for when not in use , boat loader is an amazing option, both for loading kayaks and for making my rack wider at times, also photo of my 270 awning mount on the round bars. I gave. It looked in a long time not sure if round bars, control towers and mounts are still avalible. They make a heavy duty bar but not sure which ones have boat loader. Loading a kayak with the boat loader is easy and we loaded two Native Propel 13’s up there already and they are around 95 pounds with wheel kits. In the past on my suburban these same exact bars had five 11 OK Tridents them with a center poke to stack them vertical. I have rod holders , bike holders and lumber braces. The one nice thing or bad thing with round bars is things can spin on them like my surf rod racks when driving long distance without rods I can tip them horizontal….Jack

 

[Greg_L]

Couple pic, mount with cover for when not in use , boat loader is an amazing option, both for loading kayaks and for making my rack wider at times, also photo of my 270 awning mount on the round bars. I gave. It looked in a long time not sure if round bars, control towers and mounts are still avalible. They make a heavy duty bar but not sure which ones have boat loader. Loading a kayak with the boat loader is easy and we loaded two Native Propel 13’s up there already and they are around 95 pounds with wheel kits. In the past on my suburban these same exact bars had five 11 OK Tridents them with a center poke to stack them vertical. I have rod holders , bike holders and lumber braces. The one nice thing or bad thing with round bars is things can spin on them like my surf rod racks when driving long distance without rods I can tip them horizontal….Jack

Ok thank you for the pics and explanation.

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