There are a lot of different products that make it easier to load and unload kayaks, but the Hullavator is truly in a class by itself. The Thule 897xt Hullavator Lift Assist Roof Rack Kayak Carrier uses gas struts to lift up to 90% of your boat's weight, and it can lower your kayak up to 40" from the roof of your vehicle for easy one person loading. The Hullavator gives you the same ease of use you'd experience with a trailer, but for a much smaller price tag and no bulky trailer. The Hullavator's premium padded cradles adjust to fit your kayak's width (up to 36") for a perfect fit. It can accommodate kayaks up to 75lbs. and includes heavy duty tiedown straps with padded buckles, and ratcheting bow/stern tiedown ropes. We recommend the addition of Thule's 512 Lock Cores, 2 Pack to protect your new Hullavator from theft. This won't lock your kayak, just the Hullavator. For complete kayak security, we recommend a kayak locking cable like the Lasso Kayak Security Cable.
The Hullavator works great on Thule's square bars, aero bars, Xsporter pickup truck rack, or on Yakima's round bars, and all mounting hardware and necessary tools are included. You rack must have between 4" and 8" of bar (the same amount front and rear) protruding from the tower on the side of the vehicle where you intend to install the Hullavator. One tip we can give you to make installation much easier: at Step Five-Assemble Arm to Bar Mount in the installation instructions, it helps to pull the black lifting arm assembly away from the silver kayak cradle base and wedge a small object (perhaps a tennis ball) between the two. This will hold the arm assembly open and make it much easier to insert the hinge pin. (Just don't use an object that will scratch the Hullavator's finish, or that will be damaged by being compressed.) We do recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Hullavator instructions before you install the Hullavator on your base rack. Setting up the Hullavator is a bit more complex than most other roof mounted kayak racks, but as long as you follow the instructions and take your time, you'll have the best looking, highest performing kayak rack on your block.
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