Thule 897XT Hullavator Kayak Rack

Hullavator works well enough but the two arms need to be close enough to grab the releases with both hands at the same time and the Hullavator weighs 40 lbs. and Thule has maximum load limit per side of roof rack of 82.5 pounds so only a 40 lb. kayak can be mounted without voiding the Thule warranty.

Back again, Michigan Mark. Quickie- Still have the 2 Hullavators. Still work great. (Read previous reviews). 59 yrs old mechanical engineer. I appreciate a fine design. Getting pricey, but you can amortize the cost over years I have owned to evaluate their worth.

The Hullavator has made all the difference in my life. As a relatively small woman, it has given me the freedom to load and unload my kayak without assistance. One of the best purchases I ever made. Whenever people see me using the Hullavator, they rush over excitedly. They can't believe how easy it is to operate.

2002 Infiniti G20

Update!! Checking out what's new with Thule. Came across my review 2 yrs ago about the Hullavator. Still there, guess electonic media is forever.. Our Hullavators are scratched & sun faded. But will state all works as good as they days we purchased them. Again, nice product. I'm 2 yrs olded & kayak loading is still a breeze.. That's not only nice-- it's sweet.

2007 Ford F150

I purchased my Hullavator in April 2009. I use it to transport an Ocean Kayak Zest 2EXP tandem sit-on-top on my van. The Hullavator does indeed work; loading my boat without it on the van would be impossible. It also has a certain cool-factor; other kayakers frequently ask about it. But it does have drawbacks: Installing the Hullavator is an hours-long affair; once it is installed I leave it on all spring-summer and fall. The metals used are not corrosion resistant. I conscientiously rinse the salt off my boat before loading, but I have rust problems on the steel parts. The screws, nuts, etc used to secure the parts to the bar are not made of stainless steel, and have bent under the stress of use. I recommend treating all the hardware with rust-inhibitors before and after installation. I will be replacing all the small parts with stainless when I re-install next spring. You will have to experiment to find the proper balance for your boat, since the arms are not connected and your boat will twist and torque the rack if not lifted with the correct technique. Before lifting, you may want to use some short straps of your own to secure the boat to the lifting arms, or the boat could flip off and on top of you as you are lifting. Once the boat is atop your vehicle, you will still want to use quality straps to secure to your regular crossbars. Flipping the straps around the Hullavator side arms on a high-profile vehicle is a bit of a trick. Easier for taller people. Once up top and secured, I have had no problems and no shifting of the boat. To answer the question; Would you recommend this product to a friend? I would answer with Yes; But. I would encourage Thule to beef up all parts securing the Hullavator to the crossbars, and to use stainless steel liberally, especially considering that this is a rather expensive item. I would gladly share photos and feedback with Thule.

1993 Mitsubishi Delica

Nice--- My son & I split the cost of a Hullavator 2 yrs ago. Good investment. We trade off using on both Ford Explorer & Mercury Mariner. Thought to do it again when I added 4WD truck with cap to the mix. I ordered a second last night, checking to see if new one shipped, I thought I would give a review. (Yea, son is splitting cost again, maybe this one I can keep on my vehicle.) -- Sale price & free shipping - great timing. We have a mix of different makes of kayaks from single to tandem seaters. Wts ranging from 45 to 80 lbs. This product works as advertised & is very durable. From highway driving speed to bumping down logging trails getting to that remote lake. I'm 54 yrs old & not as strong as when younger. This hullavator makes single loading easy again. Nice.

2007 Pick Up w|cap Ford F150

This system made loading and securing my kayak on my F-150 simple and easy. I am 5'4" and trying to load a 10' kayak on my truck would have been near to impossible. This system was simple to install, simple to use and impressed alot of people when I put it to the test at the Harbor just recently. Alot of people were impressed with the Hullavator.

1999 Ford F-150