Proven roof rack to carry two kayaks? Is that even possible?

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I know that roof racks have been discussed before, plenty of times. Whether for bikes or cargo.

But has anybody used a roof rack system to transport two kayaks, or even one on a Civic Si Sedan without doing damage?

I’m going to be using my kayaks more frequently come time for my vacation and now that I don’t have access to a vehicle to transport them (late fathers truck is selling), has anybody done this successfully on a Civic without denting their pillars/roof? Or would I be biting off more than I can chew? I know the car paint sucks on the civics and Hondas in general and I know the metal is thinner than a piece of paper it seems. But trying to see what my options are. I don’t want to get an SUV or truck yet as I’m not really prepared for that since I love my car too much, lol.

The kayaks are about 50-60 lbs each I’d say. Im not sure what the rating is for the roof so any input on that is appreciated as well.
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I was able to use the one that I had on my 2003 SI. I've only ever had one kayak on it, as it's not wide enough to hold 2 without the kayak mounts that hold kayaks on their sides (if they even exist).

Slight chipping where it squeezes onto the roof, but not visible with the door closed. My fault for not paying attention to the state of the protective rubber coating. It's also very noisy, screams like a banshee! But it works.

Saris Roof Rack

I know that roof racks have been discussed before, plenty of times. Whether for bikes or cargo.

But has anybody used a roof rack system to transport two kayaks, or even one on a Civic Si Sedan without doing damage?

I’m going to be using my kayaks more frequently come time for my vacation and now that I don’t have access to a vehicle to transport them (late fathers truck is selling), has anybody done this successfully on a Civic without denting their pillars/roof? Or would I be biting off more than I can chew? I know the car paint sucks on the civics and Hondas in general and I know the metal is thinner than a piece of paper it seems. But trying to see what my options are. I don’t want to get an SUV or truck yet as I’m not really prepared for that since I love my car too much, lol.

The kayaks are about 50-60 lbs each I’d say. Im not sure what the rating is for the roof so any input on that is appreciated as well.
 

SDAlexander8

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The civic wasn’t meant for this. It’s an economy commuter car. A cheap people mover.

There are so many dirt cheap CUVs and crossovers that come with roof racks and cross bars that you can fit kayak racks on.

The last thing you want is a kayak flying off the roof of your civic at 75mph, or dents and paint scratches from ratcheting them down so tight on the soft civic roof with aftermarket racks that fit just okay.

The worst probably won’t happen, but there are more suitable vehicles out there for an adventurer’s needs. It doesn’t have to be a 40,000$ Honda passport Elite.
 

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Racks work fine. I have thule aero racks on my Si. The rated load, according to Thule, is 165 pounds. Problem is that because of the arch of the roof they are quite close together, and there are no convenient places for front and back tiedown. Nevertheless, they work. Make sure each kayak is separately tied down to the rack, and ideally, front and back. For most secure tiedown I suggest the expensive accessories that attach to the racks and fit the kayaks.
 

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I have Yakima racks with the kayak carriers. Still need to put them on but itll hold 2.
 


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My Yakima rack is rated for 160ish pounds, and they make front and rear tie-downs to help tie the ends of the kayaks if needed. With the J-hook type kayak racks I don't see why you couldn't haul two kayaks on the roof rack.
 
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The civic wasn’t meant for this. It’s an economy commuter car. A cheap people mover.

There are so many dirt cheap CUVs and crossovers that come with roof racks and cross bars that you can fit kayak racks on.

The last thing you want is a kayak flying off the roof of your civic at 75mph, or dents and paint scratches from ratcheting them down so tight on the soft civic roof with aftermarket racks that fit just okay.

The worst probably won’t happen, but there are more suitable vehicles out there for an adventurer’s needs. It doesn’t have to be a 40,000$ Honda passport Elite.
This is unfortunately the answer where it’s safest and most practical. I wanted to figure out a way to keep my Si and still have fun with my water toys, but not at the cost of safety. Safety is most important and if I can’t secure them correctly then I won’t have anything to do with a roof rack. Not only I don’t want to damage my car, but I don’t want to put myself or anybody else at risk.

That being said, I know I don’t need something big. I’m going to be doing more research in the coming weeks and see what I can come up with if I would have to upsize to a small SUV or it might be my opportunity to get a smaller truck for my needs.

As for the other replies, thanks guys. I'm going to be looking into everything. with my Kayaks being about 60 lbs each and the roof rack system not included in that, I'm not sure its the wisest choice for me now, not to mention it'll be expensive to get a proper system going. But I will be looking into every option.
 

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This is unfortunately the answer where it’s safest and most practical. I wanted to figure out a way to keep my Si and still have fun with my water toys, but not at the cost of safety. Safety is most important and if I can’t secure them correctly then I won’t have anything to do with a roof rack. Not only I don’t want to damage my car, but I don’t want to put myself or anybody else at risk.

That being said, I know I don’t need something big. I’m going to be doing more research in the coming weeks and see what I can come up with if I would have to upsize to a small SUV or it might be my opportunity to get a smaller truck for my needs.

As for the other replies, thanks guys. I'm going to be looking into everything. with my Kayaks being about 60 lbs each and the roof rack system not included in that, I'm not sure its the wisest choice for me now, not to mention it'll be expensive to get a proper system going. But I will be looking into every option.
I’m not saying it isn’t possible. It’s definitely possible to safely secure them to the roof using aftermarket roof rack systems. The products exist. But it is way safer to use a vehicle that was designed to hold crap on the roof. Especially if you are going to go 60+ miles per hour.
 
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I’m not saying it isn’t possible. It’s definitely possible to safely secure them to the roof using aftermarket roof rack systems. The products exist. But it is way safer to use a vehicle that was designed to hold crap on the roof. Especially if you are going to go 60+ miles per hour.
That’s kind of my issue. A lot of the places I’ll be driving those speeds. I can take backroads if need be just would take longer.

But yeah, I’m going to look into the rack options first and see which one works best. Trading would be an absolute last resort. Push come to shove I’ll go on the slower roads and suck it up until I pay off my Si.
 
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Racks work fine. I have thule aero racks on my Si. The rated load, according to Thule, is 165 pounds. Problem is that because of the arch of the roof they are quite close together, and there are no convenient places for front and back tiedown. Nevertheless, they work. Make sure each kayak is separately tied down to the rack, and ideally, front and back. For most secure tiedown I suggest the expensive accessories that attach to the racks and fit the kayaks.
Could you send me a link to this rack? Or give me a model number? Not having much luck looking online.
 


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Racks work fine. I have thule aero racks on my Si. The rated load, according to Thule, is 165 pounds. Problem is that because of the arch of the roof they are quite close together, and there are no convenient places for front and back tiedown. Nevertheless, they work. Make sure each kayak is separately tied down to the rack, and ideally, front and back. For most secure tiedown I suggest the expensive accessories that attach to the racks and fit the kayaks.
Could you send me a link to this rack? Or give me a model number? Not having much luck looking online.
They changed the name to

Honda Civic 10th gen Proven roof rack to carry two kayaks? Is that even possible? 653253_sized_1000x1000_rev_1



Thule WingBar Evo 135
 

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Suggestions here by some that Civics are unsuitable for carrying bikes/kayaks are way off the mark. Civics/Integras can easily and safely carry these items. I have an extensive background in the roof rack industry so I know what I'm talking about. Platform bike carriers are great, but obviously don't work for cars with a central exhaust. Attached photos are using Thule and Sportrack products, but there are many other good products.

Drove from Ontario to Florida with the Integra as shown, absolutely no problems. For the Civic, there are front tie down kits available. For the Civic as shown, by wife made the front tie downs using 1" nylon straps, black with red stitching, naturally. They tuck in and don't show when not in use, and do not hurt the paint.

It's not a good idea to leave removable racks on indefinitely as dirt will gather underneath the feet and it can mar the paint. The whole point of removable racks is to only mount them when you need them. For wide loads, such as 2 kayaks or more, Thule's square bar system is the way to go instead of the aero bars.

Honda Civic 10th gen Proven roof rack to carry two kayaks? Is that even possible? IMG_2287E


Honda Civic 10th gen Proven roof rack to carry two kayaks? Is that even possible? IMG_6951E
 


 


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