Loading Kayak Onto Roof Rack

[PianoAl]

I'm planning to get the Tesla crossbars and put on kayak mounting hardware.

There are some that allow you to roll the kayak on from the rear:

but I figure that would be useless because of the shape of the rear of the model 3. That is, I'd have to slide the kayak on the rear window. I think I will just need to load from the side (kayak weighs only 39 pounds).

I think I'll just get these: EvenKeel

Any thoughts? For those of you who carry your kayak on your M3, how do you load it?

Thanks.

 

[Puddles]

I’m considering this too. Let us know how the bar install goes. $450 Plus the horror stories have kept me away.

 

[PianoAl]

>horror stories

I have my hands over my ears right now.

ETA: Yeah, you made me look. OEM TESLA roof racks Crack Glass

I wonder what the consequences of not tightening it enough are?

 

[PianoAl]

Here's another solution, but I don't think I could trust it:

 

[PianoAl]

I’m considering this too. Let us know how the bar install goes. $450 Plus the horror stories have kept me away.

I posted a thread about installing it the Tesla roof rack here: Roof Rack Installation Tips, Errors in Manual

There are some issues with the manual that made it a little worrisome (given the reports of glass cracking), but it went well. I'll put on the kayak pads soon.

 

[Puddles]

Here's another solution, but I don't think I could trust it:

I could trust it as long as I could verify it. And the nice thing about a glass roof is: you can check your load easily.

(Isn’t it funny that things have gotten to a point where even Ronnie would be preferable? No? Not funny?)

 

[teletype]

I have the same setup as the video in the OP, OEM rack with Yakima SweetRoll. You are correct, the shape of the car makes the rollers useless for rear loading. I just muscle it up from the side.

 

[PianoAl]

I’m considering this too. Let us know how the bar install goes. $450 Plus the horror stories have kept me away.

Works great. The Yakima EvenKeel fits perfectly. I didn't have any trouble loading the boat onto the rack.

I wonder how much drag the EvenKeel pads add. I'll be tempted to leave them on except for long trips, but they can be added/removed without much fuss.

Also got these:

 

[PianoAl]

A neat thing with the M3 is that I can open the trunk without interference from the surfboard. Even if the board were longer, it would still work.

That was a problem with other cars.

 

[PianoAl]

Here's the car with all its toys:

 

[Puddles]

Your secret is out. I'ma gonna hit you up for surfing lessons.

 

[WillN to Go]

I've ordered some foam rack pads from NRS NRS Universal Kayak Block | NRS I'll probably have to modify these a bit for my Model Y Tesla/Yakima rack. I've been hauling around 18' long sea kayaks on the roofs of my cars for 15 years. (45 to 65 lbs). All you need for most cars are these pads, or any pads, and bow and stern tie downs. That's the bare minimum. I've heard dozens of 'kayak fell off the roof' stories. Everyone single one of them there wasn't both a bow and stern tie down. In many cases the roof rack was ripped right off the car.
A Tesla is a different problem. Even though that glass is pretty tough I'd be reluctant to lay something heavy on it. So roof rack. All those cradles and rollers that cost a fortune? Waste of money. They turn gummy, you end up not removing them if you paddle every week and none of the rollers work after several months. They fit your hull one time and then you never ever put your hull in exactly the same position. So long as you don't cinch down your kayak and leave it on the rack for a few hot weeks it doesn't matter that your hull doesn't fit. The only actual benefit is they keep your kayak in one basic alignment -that's it. The foam will always fit your hull.
My problem (why I'm here poking around) is how to get my kayak up there without scratching the car. I think my best option is to make my own outrigger out of wood. Lift one end and then the other. Guess I'd better do that, see if it works and report back.
Also, I paddle solo. If you always paddle with others, well getting a kayak up there is easy with two people.

 

[shauna]

Hello Everyone! I just ordered the roof rack for my 2020 Tesla Model 3. Mostly I want to transport my whitewater kayaks and surfboards...do you know of any kayak stacker option that will work? Ideally I would like to load two whitewater boats on each side and Thule said they don't have anything for me. I also would like to use it for surfboards as well. Is the surfboard above loaded directly onto the rack? Have you ever tried a Thule cargo box? Is there anyway to load 4 bikes on the rack? I hope Telsa makes a hitch bike rack for the model 3 soon!

 

[MD-2000]

Hi all;

I have the roof rack and bike carriers from BMW for my 328. I am curious whether the bike carriers will fit the roof rack for the Model 3 - I am holding off until I can find out whether the T-Slot bolts for the bike carriers will also fit the Tesla rack's T-slot.

The connectors are basically a bolt sticking out of a plate that is approximately 1.25"x1.5" and maybe 1/8" thick (I may be wrong about the exact dimensions.) 3 per bike holder, you slide the plates into the T-Slot on the cross rack and clamp them down with levers (and one locks). The position of these slide back and forth to accommodate any rack crosspiece spacings. Does anyone have the specs for the width of the T-slot and the width of the slot gap on a Tesla rack? It would be nice to avoid buying a new set of bike carriers. I was looking at Yakima and it seems theirs clamp around the crossbar instead of using the T-slot.

Any comments on what carrying a pair of bikes on the roof does to range at highway speeds?

 

[Maureen]

I've ordered some foam rack pads from NRS NRS Universal Kayak Block | NRS I'll probably have to modify these a bit for my Model Y Tesla/Yakima rack. I've been hauling around 18' long sea kayaks on the roofs of my cars for 15 years. (45 to 65 lbs). All you need for most cars are these pads, or any pads, and bow and stern tie downs. That's the bare minimum. I've heard dozens of 'kayak fell off the roof' stories. Everyone single one of them there wasn't both a bow and stern tie down. In many cases the roof rack was ripped right off the car.
A Tesla is a different problem. Even though that glass is pretty tough I'd be reluctant to lay something heavy on it. So roof rack. All those cradles and rollers that cost a fortune? Waste of money. They turn gummy, you end up not removing them if you paddle every week and none of the rollers work after several months. They fit your hull one time and then you never ever put your hull in exactly the same position. So long as you don't cinch down your kayak and leave it on the rack for a few hot weeks it doesn't matter that your hull doesn't fit. The only actual benefit is they keep your kayak in one basic alignment -that's it. The foam will always fit your hull.
My problem (why I'm here poking around) is how to get my kayak up there without scratching the car. I think my best option is to make my own outrigger out of wood. Lift one end and then the other. Guess I'd better do that, see if it works and report back.
Also, I paddle solo. If you always paddle with others, well getting a kayak up there is easy with two people.

So, did you figure out how to get your kayak up on the roof without scratching your car? I thought a yakima side loader would work on the Tesla roof rack but was just told by the Rack Attack store sales person that the Model Y sticks out too far on the side to allow the side loader to work. Used to put my kayak in the back of my Jeep Cherokee and secure it safely with the cargo door tied down and 3' of kayak hanging out the back, diagonally. Worked for short distance hauling. Now I'm stymied as to how to get the kayak up on the roof rack of my new Model Y.

 

[PianoAl]

I realize these replies are late ...

My problem (why I'm here poking around) is how to get my kayak up there without scratching the car.

My kayak is probably significantly lighter than yours, but perhaps you're younger/stronger? In any case, I simply stand by the side of the car, lift the kayak like a barbell, and put it on the rack. It wasn't as hard as I expected it to be.

Did you find a solution?

Is the surfboard above loaded directly onto the rack?

It's on the pads I show above. Works great.

Is there anyway to load 4 bikes on the rack?

The bike carrier shown above is 7.5 inches wide, and the rear crossbar is 44 inches wide. So, maybe.