Hullavator and Outfitter question

I searched and found a couple posts but wanted to see if anyone has updated info. on this. Due to some severe injuries (plates screws etc.) in my left collarbone and some nerve damage in my left arm I am a little handicapped on my left side. My bicep has come back close to 50% but my shoulder is still healing. I am planning on buying a Hobia Mirage Outfitter for fishing and the occasional cruise with my son but when I looked at it today and tried to lift it I knew there would be no way I could get it on the roof of our Xterra. The Hullavator looks pretty good. I can lift well up to my waist, especially if I can place on end on at a time. Also, the Hullavator is suppose to help a little lifting with the gas shocks.

I am concerned because some of the older posts said they had trouble with the Hellavator when loading the Outfitter. Does anyone have recent info on this? I want to avoid a trailer since I will be parking in places that won't always accomodate a trailer. Much appreciated! I am hoping to make kayak fishing my "replacement hobby" for DH mountain biking!

Thanks!

I have the Hullavator for my Outfitter and there are a couple of things that you might want to consider.

1. I have a VW Eurovan (6 1/2ft tall) and the Hullavator comes down to just below chest level. It's still a heavy beast to lift to that awkward height
2. To get it on the roof I have to squat underneath it and use my shoulders to push it up. I read somewhere that the Hullavator helps lift about 40lbs...? Doesn't feel like it
3. Lastly, when you tip it over to rest on the roof you need to carefully plan this as it can come down quick and may not always catch the latches on each side
4. The Hullavator is set to the maximum width and the Outfitter is just a tad too big. I'm see what I can do to expand it about another inch and a half.

Although not perfect I really like the Hullavator. Our Eurovan is quite tall and it would be challenging to say the least without it.

Good luck.

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Cheers,
Adam
http://www.yakfisher.net

I originally started out with a Thule roof rack which I placed on my Dodge 1500 Quadcab. Thank God, I sold the truck. That was a tremendous lift (I have a 2010 Oasis). Next I used the same rack on a 2004 Buick LeSabre with the arm that telescopes out (like Hobie shows in their Video manual). That was much better but was still a lot of work for an old guy. Finally I bit the bullet and bought the Trailex 200-S aluminum trailer from Castlecraft as a mail order purchase. That was the best move I made as it is an absolute snap for loading and launching. I'll try to take some pictures tomorrow, drop them on this site and show you how easy it is to load and unload. I can do it in a few minutes and never have to lift the boat higher than my waist. I flip the boat over on the trailer for storage so it doesn't warp the hull and I take extra care during transport to only tighten the straps to the snug level to prevent any damage. Overall this has been a great way for me to enjoy the kayak even more without it becoming such a chore to load/unload that I refrain from the activity altogether. The trailer is a little pricey at $914 and it does require putting it together when it arrives but it came with free shipping, free bearing buddies and a spare tire and tire rack. The only sales tax I paid was when I registered the trailer for its' road license. Anyway, I found it was a worthy purchase and makes getting on the water way easier than before. - Roger

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Roger
2010 Oasis
Lucie Belle

Thanks guys for the advice. I actually bought an oasis today and a Thule slipstream . Although it isn't perfect since my suv is so high, I can manage. I am considering a trailer down the line but for some of the places I am going there isn't enough parking. So far I have loaded and unloaded solo and hopefully I will get even better with practice. Thanks again! Ed