Yea my doctors ordered me to get rid of all the kayaks last fall because they were making my back worse, (sucks). I had no issues peddling the kayaks, I can do that all day long, (but I can't paddle at all). Just lifting the kayaks onto the car is what did me in.
I see those racks with the side loaders that angle down to the ground, however there is no way I can lift the kayak at all, but I would love to watch it rising up to car top level.
This is what I had envisioned in my mind when I mentioned it earlier... What if you tied a 2 ft rope to the ends of the two rods sitting on the ground, on one of those side loader rack systems, then tied the rope to the bottom end of an 80-85 inch long pvc pipe. At the top of each outer PVC pipe you would run a rope to the far side of the roof rack, this should keep everything safe. Lay the air mattress on the ground next to the car all scrunched down, (one of those 22" thick inflatable queen airbeds, (like $49 bucks at Walmart, if you don't have a couple layin around the house)). Slide the boat on top of the air mattress and start inflating, (the air mattress's are good to 600 lbs). Most of the air mattress's have a built in inflator pump, just plug an inverter into the cigarette lighter for AC power. You probably need to mind and help guide everything as it inflates, but it sure beats lifting the crap.
On the outer poles running a rope at the top between the two poles, then a couple ropes angled down and staked into the ground might make you feel safer, but then again you got nothing to do while it's inflating, you could just guide everything as it's rising.
I don't advise just getting an 8" coleman air mattress tossing it on the ground, and trying to raise the boat, It won't end well.
Basically the whole works would work like an elevator.
I suppose you could also blow the mattress up like you would a balloon with your mouth, but you might get dizzy, (lol).
Just trying to figure out how I can get back on the water that's all. I'm getting bored with basket weaving, (lol).
I don't use any commercial cradles at all, they all just end up denting the hulls. I just lay all our boats on the car roof racks, (the racks that come with the car, (we had several Yukon Denali's), always hull side down, and just slide a couple 8 ft closet poles under the boat, (on 11" centers) then strap it all down, maybe stuff a couple pool noodles in there for additional support. I always tie the bow and stern with safety ropes in a V.
We travel a lot and have seen many kayaks ripped of car roofs on the highways.
None of this has been tried, I no longer even own a boat, so I can't try it. try at your own risk....
FE
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