Roof rack that can hold two canoes

[Erica]

Why are you buying them from a motorcycle place?

Sorry. I should have typed Yakima. My piano is a Yamaha, so you never know.

 

[canube]

Sorry. I should have typed Yakima. My piano is a Yamaha, so you never know.

I was just funning ya

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I’ve ordered the 78 inch Yakima bars

Right on target!

I carried five canoes on 78" Yakima bars on top of my full-sized van from Woodstock, NY, to Tallahassee, FL, and back. There were two tandem canoes next to each other; one Royalex solo canoe on top of the two tandems, like a pyramid; and a composite solo canoe leaning against the outside of each tandem. Each canoe was individually roped to the racks, plus two long belly ropes going over the whole magilla. A lot of rope.

 

[Caledonia]

These rails are 80” and made of ash bolted through the existing racks with the old hardware from my Yakima racks. I used to use rope and a truckers hitch but I’m sold on the NRS straps now. Makes the load feel really secure and I don’t feel the need for any sort of load stabilizer. I use hood loops at the front. Can easily handle two tandem boats side by side. They are pretty custom to this car but sometimes you just feel like making something…

I’m in the habit of ducking whenever I get out of any car at this point. Good luck on your trip! Rob

 

[Boatman53]

Nice job fitting those bars Rob. Did you drill holes in the cars bars or were they there already?
Jim

 

[Erica]

Right on target!

I carried five canoes on 78" Yakima bars on top of my full-sized van from Woodstock, NY, to Tallahassee, FL, and back. There were two tandem canoes next to each other; one Royalex solo canoe on top of the two tandems, like a pyramid; and a composite solo canoe leaning against the outside of each tandem. Each canoe was individually roped to the racks, plus two long belly ropes going over the whole magilla. A lot of rope.

I’d like to see the picture of that!

 

[alsg]

This has worked for me on the few occasions I need to carry two canoes. If you are not confident in your knot tying skills this might not be the best solution. I had the pipes from the setup on my trailer so my only expense was a foot of vinyl tubing and two yoga blocks about $15. The blocks are cut to fit and engage the contours of the side rails. The vinyl was used to pad the metal tie down points. The padding is short nap industrial carpet wrapped in duct tape.
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Canoes were tied to the bars and at the bow and stern additional straps were holding thing to the factory Subaru bars.
The foam blocks actually interlock in the side rails so they do not have the ability move fore and aft. If anyone wants to see the bottom of the block shapes I can take a pic as the bars are not installed yet. They will be next week getting ready to go to the assembly.
Jim

Here it is loaded for last year.
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My 2020 Outback lacks that little metal bracket you are using for the tie down but I like this solution and will try to figure out how to adapt it!

 

[alsg]

Ok, no need for pictures. My 2023 XT has the not canoe friendly factory rack. Wish it had the Wilderness rack, but looks like the new 2026 Outback will have a better rack.

Got the same issue with my 2020 Touring XT.

 

[Caledonia]

Nice job fitting those bars Rob. Did you drill holes in the cars bars or were they there already?
Jim

Yes, just drilled through the roof bars and used fender washers as the metal was pretty thin.