It's an expensive solution, but the Hulavator is what I use on my Westy. I use it for my canoe, but it allows me to lower the canoe down to a level that is easily within reach, and also makes putting it back up on top a breeze (and in fact a one man operation.)

On Aug 9, 2011, at 10:47 AM, Rocket J Squirrel 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.