I carry two kayaks on top of my westy often; I carry one very often. I don't
use a rack at all. I don't even use a ladder or stool although it makes it a
bit easier. I just take as few things as possible.

I am about Rocky's size. I approach the vehicle with the bow of the kayak
(mine's a 17 foot sea kayak) and rest the bow on the rear edge with about a
foot and a half of overhang. Then I walk backwards, holding onto the kayak
so it won't slip back, and at the right point lift the boat and shove it on
the top. Then I locate the boat where I want it and lash it down for and
aft, and I use the luggage rack cleats to keep them boat(s) from moving side
to side. I have probably done this activity 100 times since I began working
for the Alabama Scenic River Trail three years ago. No mishaps or regrets so
far.

My aversion to racks (I have a nice Yakima) is that they prevent me from
pulling into urban parking garages or even my own garage. Not acceptable. I
live in tornado and storm country, there are times that my westy is coming
inside.

Jim

On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 9:47 AM, Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@gmail.com
> wrote:

> Seeing that Rob brought up a similar question, I am prompted to ask for
> suggestions on carrying two kayaks on a Westy roof.
>
> I see plenty of folk carrying two kayaks on their cars, using
> purpose-built racks that carry the boats at a tilt so they ride
> bottom-to-bottom, taking up less width.
>
> Westys are tall, however, and I'm not a tall man -- 5' 6'', which puts
> the roof out of reach. So solutions from men over 6' are probably not
> going to be very helpful.
>
> And I'm thinking that even if I did find a suitable rack from the likes
> of Thule or Yakima, I cannot envision how I'd get the boats up there and
> back down. First climb on top then haul the boats up on ropes?
>
> My guess is that with two boats up there, raising the roof would be
> difficult if not impossible without first removing them, were I to want
> to just overnight. So any method I use to get the boats up and down
> would want to be pretty darn easy.
>
> --
> Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
> Bend, Ore.
> 1984 Westfalia. A poor but proud people.
> 1971 "Ladybug"-brand utility trailer from a defunct company in San
> Clemente, Calif., now repurposed as The Westralia.
>
> Sent from my kitchen.
>