Will A Kayak Fit Inside My Car

When purchasing your first kayak, it is exciting. However, most people overlook transportation to get to their desired location. Kayaking is a brilliant method for a beginner to get out and explore a tranquil and beautiful lake.

Kayaking is a great way to combine a hike in the woods with a relaxing day on the water. Even if you don’t have access to lakefront property, you can still launch your boat into the water.

The sports utility vehicle is one of the most popular and effective vehicles for transporting kayaks. This vehicle’s seating can accommodate many people, and most SUV variants include crossbars to aid with transportation. In addition, most kayak roof racks on the market today come with crossbars.

You must secure your rack to the roof and load the kayak carefully not to damage either the car or the kayak. A kayak inside minivan is popular as these family vehicles are perfect for carrying kayaks in various ways. (Learn How To Hang A Kayak On A Wall)

However, what about a kayak that fits in a car? It will be a primary concern as most kayaks are just too big to fit inside a car. Luckily, in our guide, you can quickly discover that transporting a kayak in a car is simple when you have the correct equipment.

By the end, you’ll know enough to find the answer to can a kayak fit in a car and how to get around the problem.

When you want to safely transport a kayak in your car, here’s all you need to know about transport inside our instructions.

Can You Fit a Kayak Inside a Sedan?

A kayak’s weight varies greatly depending on its kind, size, and material. For example, a plastic kayak weighs 30 to 35 pounds.

An inflatable paddle made of polyethylene or plastic can weigh up to 60 pounds. Inflatable tandem kayaks weigh 35-50 lbs. Fiberglass or plastic kayaks can weigh up to 82 pounds.

Most kayaks are transported by vehicle; however, those in good health can carry them manually if they like.

Kayaks are easier to transport to pickups because they don’t require a rack. However, if you have another vehicle that is large enough, you could use it for kayaking.

Perhaps an inflatable kayak safely fits on rear seats of a sedan, yet anything longer carried inside this kind of vehicle, and you’ll have a kayak sticking out of the windows. (Find the Best Kayak Fish Finder)

How to Carry A Kayak Inside A Pickup Truck Bed

Truck beds are the most convenient and straightforward way to transport kayaks.

This is because if you already possess a pickup truck, you don’t need a roof rack to keep your kayak secure. Trucks are also a few cars that can carry a kayak inside, allowing you to transport it with ease.

To start, you need to get the truck bed ready and clean the back of the truck thoroughly. If there is any hardware or things in the back, these must be removed. Next, place a rubber mat across the truck’s bed to keep your kayak from rolling about while also protecting the hull and bed.
If your kayak is very hefty, enlist help loading it onto your truck. Keep in mind that the hull must face down. Ensure that the seat and any loose gear in the cockpit have been removed and are safely placed within the vehicle.
Place the kayak on the back of the truck.
You could fit a tiny kayak inside a large truck if you had one. If your kayak is large, though, you may not fit it unless you keep the tailgate open.
The kayak will overhang because of this, and if it overhangs too far, it will be unsafe. You can keep the tailgate up if you don’t want to transport your kayak with the tailgate open.
One end will be in the air when carrying your kayak with the tailgate closed. Add extra foam and cushioning to the tailgate before using your ratchet straps to fasten the kayak to the truck bed anchor point.
This will stop the kayak sliding and provide you with a pleasant surprise when you get to your destination.
A red flag should be fastened to the end when transporting a kayak using these methods as part of road safety. The flag shows other drivers a long vessel, boat, or item protruding from the back of the car.
If you require safety measures such as a red flag, or if you may legally transport your kayak in this fashion? It depends on the length of your kayak and how far it sticks out of the rear door or over the tailgate.
Typically, anything that protrudes over 4 feet from the back of a vehicle requires additional safety precautions, such as using a flag or the addition of red lights.
Most models can be transported in a truck bed, but those above 11 feet will require the installation of a rack on the car to elevate the kayak over the cab.

If workable, transport a kayak with the cockpit facing down and the hull up while employing this way of transportation, or use a cockpit cover if you have additional goods to carry.

Because of the enormous quantity of draft, failure to cover the cockpit or keep the kayak upside down can cause complications when transporting kayaks in this manner.

How To Pick The Right Kayak For Your SUV

Different kayaks may be suitable for your situation, depending on the size of your SUV and the style of paddling you enjoy. (Learn How to Get Out of a Kayak with Bad Knees)

You can discover that carrying a kayak inside an SUV or car is against kayak etiquette.

Short Kayaks

Occasional kayakers may get a smaller kayak inside an SUV that has a back hatch or trunk door that can stay closed. However, even the smallest kayaks are usually around six feet long, so you’ll need to fold down the front passenger seat to transport a kayak inside your SUV.

You may not be able to safely fit passengers in your SUV with a small kayak fully loaded. You’ll also need to factor in room for kayaking gear and safety gear.

Make sure that two-thirds of your kayak fits inside your SUV, leaving only one-third exposed. This ensures your car supports most of the kayak’s weight. If you plan to travel a kayak with the trunk open, you’ll need to secure your kayaking gear.

The length of kayak you can transport in your SUV is thus limited. For example, if the rear of your SUV (with the seats folding) is five feet long, you should only transport kayaks up to ten feet long.

Folding Kayaks

A folding kayak is a terrific choice for SUVs and vehicle owners. They may be folded up and stored in the trunk of your car until you get to the beach or boat ramp.

Plus, you won’t have to fold down the back seats. So these kayaks are great for groups or families that don’t want to deal with roof racks or multiple automobiles.

Inflatable Kayaks

The greatest inflatable kayaks are like folding kayaks. They deflate fully when not in use, allowing you to stow your kayak inside an SUV with all of your gear and passengers without folding too many seats.

You can safely transport inflatable and foldable kayaks as there are no shape edges, and they are unlikely to slide forward under braking. In addition, such as are their designs, they take minimal effort to set up when you get to the water.

Kayak transportation in SUVs with a kayak sticking out of the rear door needs to follow the same process as a pickup truck and use a red flag or lights.

Types of Kayak Roof Racks

Roof racks for kayaks usually fall into one of four categories.

Stackers

Stackers are great for transporting many kayaks. Before being fastened down, kayaks are laid on their sides for transportation.

Saddles

This type of rack is popular because of its size and enhanced safety.

J-Cradles

J-cradles are the most popular kayak roof racks because they provide optimum security and stability while simple to install and use.

Temporary Pads

These pads are ideal for kayakers who only paddle once in a while. As the name implies, you use foam blocks and straps to secure your kayak. To secure a kayak, all you need is a four-door compact vehicle, ratchet straps, and pool noodles.

Remember that, aside from the foam for transporting a kayak. The size and type of the car’s roof you have will influence the sort of kayak roof rack you’ll need, as many car manufacturers offer pre-built roof rails. (Learn How Many Hours Does a Jet Ski Engine Last)

Besides this, you need to be sure you can get your other gear inside your vehicle, or you can stow it inside your kayak safe if you have a sit-in type.

How To Make a DIY Kayak Rack System

If you can’t transport a kayak inside your vehicle, you can quickly use the same methods other drivers use to transport a kayak with a DIY kayak roof rack safely.

Tools

Electric drill & drill bit (#40)
Rasp file & flat jeweler’s file
Sharp knife & needle nose pliers

Materials

3 x 1 in x 12-inch ratchet straps
3 x 3-inch diameter pool noodles
1 x 1 x 1-inch aluminum plain square tube to be cut into two
Protective rubber or plastic tips
Straps with adjustable buckles

Measure and cut the tube into three (must be the width of your car’s roof )
Place the tube on the roof and measure the edges of your car roof.
Mark two rectangular slots on either side for each tube.
Use the drill to run around the line to cut out the aluminum.
Cut rectangular holes large enough to feed your ratchet straps through.
Place at the front, middle, and rear of your vehicle.
Measure and cut three pool noodles until they reach the hole on either end of the tubes
Feed your straps through the first hole.
As you tighten the ratchet, the strap secures itself to the vehicle.
Next, load your kayak onto the roof rack tubes and pool noodles.
Strap down the bow and stern using the straps with adjustable buckles.
Secure your kayak to the aluminum tubes of your DIY roof rack.