My girlfriend and I just bought kayaks for my pond and now we want to venture out.  We want to get a car carrier for my 2021 Subaru Crosstrek.  I have the mounting bars on it.   I have a pelican sentinel 100 and she bought a beginner kayak at dicks.  What do I buy to transport 2 kayaks? I want something secure and relatively easy to use.   Also.  Is there anything else I need?  Rope to tie the bow and stern? Clamps for my car for that? Etc.  thank you for any info!   

I would recommend that you find out what the max weight your rack can handle. The one I have one on an suv it can only handle 100 lbs (according to the people who installed it and they knew we were going to use for 2 kayaks) and the two kayaks are just under that. True fishing kayaks tend to be heavier than their non-fishing cousins.

 

 

However, I look to see if the truckers hitch works for you. That’s what I use. 
 

 

They have kits that come with everything you need to secure the ends of the kayak that will be anchored under your car’s hood and trunk. No special tools need. 

I highly recommend that you factor in the time it takes to load and unload the kayaks  into your trip. Probably 20-30 minutes to load and unload until you get proficient and not only that put putting away the ropes and porting your kayaks to the water. It sucks up a lot of time. 
 

You might even consider getting a kayak dolly (I made one from PVC pipes) to ease transport. It sure beats dragging them.

 

I haven’t used my kayak (non fishing) to go fishing yet and not sure if I want to for now. 
 

Good luck!
 

 

 

6 hours ago, Davefishes2366 said:

My girlfriend and I just bought kayaks for my pond and now we want to venture out.  We want to get a car carrier for my 2021 Subaru Crosstrek.  I have the mounting bars on it.   I have a pelican sentinel 100 and she bought a beginner kayak at dicks.  What do I buy to transport 2 kayaks? I want something secure and relatively easy to use.   Also.  Is there anything else I need?  Rope to tie the bow and stern? Clamps for my car for that? Etc.  thank you for any info!   

For transporting two kayaks on your 2021 Subaru Crosstrek with roof rails, J-style kayak carriers are likely your best bet for security and ease of use.

You'll also need:

• Cam buckle straps (at least 4) to secure the kayaks to the carriers.
• Bow and stern tie-downs (ropes or straps) for extra security. Attach these to tow hooks or use soft loops under the hood/trunk if needed.
• No clamps attaching to the car body are necessary.

Most cam buckle straps that come with the  J-style carriers are really poor. (Don't use ratchet straps) Replace them with quality straps. I've used these and they work very well.

 

4 hours ago, EchoHorizon23 said:

For transporting two kayaks on your 2021 Subaru Crosstrek with roof rails, J-style kayak carriers are likely your best bet for security and ease of use.

You'll also need:

• Cam buckle straps (at least 4) to secure the kayaks to the carriers.
• Bow and stern tie-downs (ropes or straps) for extra security. Attach these to tow hooks or use soft loops under the hood/trunk if needed.
• No clamps attaching to the car body are necessary.

Thank you.   I will follow this advice

If you do opt for a cart, again, replace the straps with quality straps. I struggled with the included straps and my struggle was almost comical and definitely embarrassing. I replaced them and all was good.

 

Carts vary in price wildly but it sounds like that a budget cart might suit your needs. If you're handy, you can turn a budget cart in a very functional and dependable tool. Sometimes you can find them used on Marketplace or Ebay.

 

If security is a consideration, a cable type lock might be in order. I use a Master Lock Cobra all the time and it's additional security not only to deter theft but in transport it provides another level in keeping the yak in it's cradle in the event of a strap failure (unlikely).