The Ultimate Guide to Kayak Fishing by Joel Spring

Author:Joel Spring
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2017-01-18T05:00:00+00:00

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LOADING YOUR FISHING KAYAK

We’re not going to belabor the specifics of getting your kayak onto your car or truck. There are so many types of cars, racks, trailers, and trucks that we couldn’t begin to cover everything in a few short pages. Also, the size and weight of your kayak, as well as your own personal height, build, and fitness level come into play.

Fishing kayaks, even the light ones, tend to be big and relatively heavy. Getting them onto cartop racks can be a challenge. Obviously, two people can make this much easier, but very often we find ourselves solo kayak angling. Practice getting your kayak on and off your roof, truck, or trailer at home several times before trying it waterside, when conditions will likely be less than ideal. Sloped ground and wet boat ramps (as well as wet hulls!) make what seemed easy at home a bit more difficult. Add to that the arm and back fatigue that may arise from a day of kayak angling, and it’s not going to be as easy as it was in the yard back home.

A good tactic for solo anglers, whether it’s putting the boat on a cartop rack or a trailer, is to lift one end onto the rear rack and slide the boat forward until it engages the front rack. With this method, you aren’t lifting the entire weight of the kayak at any one time, and you have the added benefit of leverage. This method can be aided by hardware such as rollers that mount to the rear of your vehicle and are made for this purpose. There are also commercial lift systems available from some of the better manufacturers. These vary in size and construction but all are relatively costly. If you find it simply too difficult to manhandle the kayak to comfortably get it on the racks yourself, consider exploring one of these options. Remember, the easier it is for you to load your boat, the more you’ll do it, the more you will enjoy it, and the better you’ll get at kayak angling. Solo loading can also be accomplished by lifting the boat on from the side of the vehicle and gently lowering it onto the racks. If the car isn’t too tall (or you aren’t too short!), this is probably the quickest and most controlled method. However, make certain that you’re comfortable with the weight of the kayak before attempting it. Good form, such as lifting with your arms and legs instead of your back, is necessary to prevent strains and other injuries. There’s a point—as you’re lifting the kayak from the ground and trying to turn it over (or angling it)—when most strains and injuries occur. Practice, practice, practice, and if you never get comfortable with lifting your boat, consider one of the commercial lifting aids that are available, or even a simple set of suction-cup-mounted rollers.

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