They make the most unmanly rides look beastly and that’s all good until you rip away from your roof on the way back from the Ottawa, or come out of a bar in Morgantown to find your rack and canoe being stolen by townies. Yakima is putting those golden moments and others into the pages of history with a new line of boat mounts.
BowDown
The BowDown ($169) is a J-shaped cradle that folds down flat when not in use. If you only need to carry one boat and want to do so easily and without taking up much-needed roof space then the BowDown is the answer. Yakima’s new SKS security system locks the rack directly to your vehicle, keeping it safe from thieves.
BigStack
Some people can’t bring just one boat. That’s why there’s the BigStack ($129) allowing you to pack four boats on your roof , and that’s a conservative estimate, especially if you’re taking playboats. The BigStack is an improvement on Yakima’s tried-and-true Stacker, with way more padding, a redesigned head for better strap retention, and the SKS system. Notably, this product incorporates a universal attachment feature that fits more bar shapes, and a hinge on the uprights means you can swing them down without loosening the attachment to the crossbars—an issue we noticed on the original Stacker.
ShowBoat
The ShowBoat ($100.00 + 66” cross bars ($65.00)) takes Yakima’s HullyRollers concept to the next level with a roller bar that moves when you need it to. The roller slides aft to protect the rear of your vehicle when loading and unloading boats as well as side-to-side when loading more than one. When you’re done with it, it slides back towards your carrying saddles, which allow you to haul any craft, including canoes. This product is ideal for younger, older, and smaller boaters requiring assistance, making loading onto high and low vehicles easy.
Check out Yakima.com for more information.
