- This topic has 8 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 18 hours, 54 minutes ago by Quirine Schuyff.
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April 10, 2026 at 4:09 pm #27752Sue JohnsonParticipant
I am considering buying a hullavator. Does anyone have experience or comments that you could pass on? Thanks!
Sue J
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April 14, 2026 at 8:11 pm #27791Quirine Schuyff
Gosh with all of these rave reviews maybe I should switch from my current Yakima Sweet Roll system! I was watching this thread to see everyone’s thoughts. I do like my system but it takes a bit of wrangling.
April 13, 2026 at 7:44 pm #27786Timothy LimHi Sue we bought one last year and it has been a huge difference maker for us in loading and unloading our kayak. It now takes 5-10 minutes to do it and you can tie your bow and stern lines at eye level. The hydraulic makes it super light to lift it up and down. This is a back saver. The install is easy enough I did it myself but the disassembly and reassembly of the cradle part can be a little tricky but after doing a few times it becomes easier. I included a YouTube video here to show the easy step by step install. Also look on Facebook marketplace as sometimes there are gently used ones that can save you some money.
April 12, 2026 at 8:56 am #27780Kapila JayaweeraGreat piece of engineering. I had almost 8 years now and I love it. Specially work well for higher vehicles like SUV, Mini van, Trucks etc. I can load in less than 10 minutes without much effort and get going.
April 11, 2026 at 9:41 am #27771Don Froese-
<li style=”text-align: left;”>Expensive but worth it. We finally bought ours after falling off a ladder loading boats. Wish we had bought them sooner! They made loading much faster, safer, and easier even for one person. You do need roof racks that extend past the side of the car. We take ours off when not using them.
April 10, 2026 at 8:47 pm #27758Kelly RobertsonHi Sue, I have had a hullavator for a few years and love it. I mostly leave them on throughout the paddling season. I do need to avoid underground parking as my car is often over height, depending on the garage. I am able to install and uninstall the hullavators by myself, but it is definitely awkward and much easier with two people. If you purchase from Rack Stop in N Van, they will install or remove your racks seasonally as needed for no charge. I’ve had really good service from them. I can meet up with you if you want a demo to see if it works for you.
April 10, 2026 at 6:58 pm #27757Kylie WilliamsHi Sue. I bought a hullavator recently from Rack Attack and it’s great. I can load and unload solo on a large SUV. Like Caity, my kayak isn’t super-light and I often kayak solo, so it makes a big difference. Also, the Rack Attack person who installed it gave me a tutorial on taking the hinged portion on and off – the pin problem mentioned above – and it’s tricky but doable. I recommend.
April 10, 2026 at 4:53 pm #27754Clark Perry-BaterHi Sue,
My partner has a Hullavator on her car (a large SUV). She leaves the bars for the rack on the car year-round, but removes the hinged portion (that actually holds the kayak) when not carrying her kayak. We find it cumbersome/awkward to line up the holes in the rack and insert the pin that holds it all together before loading a boat. It’s almost a 2-person operation, although I’ve done it by myself once. I guess it depends on the height of the roof. A lower roof would make it easier.Once the rack is all set up, it’s a piece of cake to lift the boat up onto the rack (you have to manoeuvre both front and back lifters together).Hope that helps.ClarkApril 10, 2026 at 4:49 pm #27753Caity MiltonHi Sue, I bought the Thule Hullavator about 3 years ago and it was the best purchase ever! I’m short (5ft), single (which means a lot of solo paddling), and my kayak is heavy (55 lbs/25kg). It has allowed me to get out on the water more often while keeping me and my car safer from wonky fixed cradle manuvering 🙂 Cheers!
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