It's Kept Me Kayaking!!!

By oreo72752244558 Ranked #110 - Car Racks June 25, 2008

I am 5'2", 120 lbs, 52 year old female who started kayaking a few years ago as good exercise for very bad arthritis, and fell in love with it. In the beginning I could, with great effort, lean my 48 lb kayak against the back of my suv and then push it up on top of factory rack, and then climb up on step ladder to tie it down. But this year I could no longer even manage that, and since I am single with no strong guy around, kayaking would have come to an end for me. I went to my outfitter and they showed me a new kayak just out by Swift - the Kiwassa 12.6. It was only 31 lbs, but at 12'6" even though lighter, still unmanageable for me to load on top of suv. They had solution for that too. The Thule Hullavator! They had a demonstrator set up. I would only have to lift the 31 lb kayak as high as my waist, lay it on the cushioned arms at front and back, wrap the straps around and cinch them up, squeeze the two handles and she lifts up and then lays over on top of the suv rack all by herself. I just guide her up. I can load the entire kayak by myself no matter where I am within 10 minutes tops!!! It has saved kayaking for me. Without it I would have had to quit just because I couldn't load and unload the boat anymore. I've read reviews where many people accuse those who have the hullavator of being lazy! I'll bet they are all tall, young and healthy and predominantly male folks making such comments who live in a bubble where they think everyone is as fortunate as they are and were all born healthy and strong and tall. Well there are many, many kayakers out there who are short, lightweight, older folks, handicapped folks, female and without the requisite upper body strength that men have, especially when they get into their fifties and sixties. But we are out there, and we love kayaking too. We aren't lazy. We would not be able to kayak if not for a rack like the hullavator. I can't say enough for it. And it looks and operates like it is very expensive. I had one guy remark that my rack probably cost more than his car. Wrong!!! It was very inexpensive. The largest part of the cost for me was that I had to have my outfitter install it for me, but the rack itself was not expensive. It just seems like it should be. I had to have it installed because if I could get up there to install it myself, I wouldn't have needed such a rack. I've already been kayaking more times in the past month than I did for the entire summer last year. That's what it did for me. I can't say enough to promote this rack!!!

View Details: Thule Hullavator

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