Help! How to load 2018 Outback onto 2018 Toyota 4Runner

Hello,

I'm having a tough time loading my Outback onto my 4Runner by myself. I purchased the Boonedox Yak-Bone (the hefty orange metal t-bar). You're supposed to tilt up one end on this back t-bar and then strap the kayak down on this t-bar and then lift the other end of the kayak and swing it 180 degrees and put it on top of the vehicle. Jeesh, no way. Just a ton of difficulties trying to do this. Does anyone here own an Outback or PA and tops it on their 4Runner by themselves? Thanks for any help! (4Runner has a funky rear antenna that gets in the way of the sliding technique).

Right now, I'm wishing I bought the inflatable.

I have a VW Jetta Sportwagen that I use to car top my Revo 13. It also has the rear antenna that I broke off the first time I loaded my yak. I tried glueing it back on but kept hitting it each time. I finally left it off and never have had any reception problems.

As far as loading I always protect the back of the vehicle with a rubber backed bath mat then lift the bow unto the roof and then pick up the stern and slide it up. Once it is on the top rack I turn it over unto its gunwales then strap it down. I know the Revo is a bit lighter than the Outback but not much. If you are in reasonable shape this method should work.

There are other ways to load your yak try searching YouTube for more info. I looked up the Yak Bone on YouTube and that looks pretty easy to me.
~JOE~

For many years I loaded my 13' Revolution onto a 4-Runner by putting a towel over the rear wind deflector, setting the bow of the kayak on the towel, pushing the kayak forward onto the roof rack, flipping the kayak over onto its gunwales, and strapping it down. Then I bought a vehicle which has a thin weak wind deflector with a fragile red tail light on its rear edge, and could no longer slide my kayak up over the wind deflector. So I started getting the Revolution onto my new vehicle from the side, in the manner shown in https://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/i ... #msg204958. This works very well, and is safer than sliding your kayak over the rear wind deflector, because the roof rack prevents your kayak from accidentally sliding sideways off your roof while you're pushing it up onto your vehicle. If using a towel to pad the side of your vehicle doesn't work with your vehicle, there are various other ways to protect the area between your roof racks when sliding your kayak onto the roof of your vehicle, such as strapping a boat strap between the bars of your roof rack, or making a padded board which sits between and/or attaches to the bars of your roof rack.

I'm a scrawny old guy, definitely not a weight lifter, and I have no trouble getting my kayak on my vehicle using this technique.

This is how I load my outback.