VertiYak kayak carrier

[titanizer]

Have any of you Escape campers had any experience with this kayak carrier? It uses the bike rack hitch on the back of the Escape to hold two kayaks. "VertiYak.com" website has info if you are interested. My neighbors here at the campground have one attached to the bumper on their stickie using a special bumper attachment. I'm thinking the bike rack hitch on the Escape would provide a secure attachment. Any thoughts?

[Ron in BC]

Photos of the persons set-up would be helpful.

I do carry kayaks, but conventionally on a rack on my canopy. Yesterday, on I-5, I saw first hand what happens when a kayak isn't secure when being transported. Fortunately I wasn't the first vehicle behind. The kayak took out the front bumper, the hood, smashed the radiator and the windshield. Strangely the kayak, which ended up on the center line of the two lanes, didn't appear to be damaged.

Because of the length of the kayaks my first thought that just the receiver wouldn't be adequate. I'd think that there would also have to be a second stabilizing bracket also.

Ron

[titanizer]

Hi Ron,
The VertiYak rack is attached to his bumper via this attachment. The rack is made of a 2" square steel vertical tube with one "C" shaped arm on top and one rectangular one on the bottom to hold the kayaks in using rachet straps. He said he has used this setup for approximately 2 yrs without any problems. He has 8 or nine ft. kayaks.

[padlin]

Check out this guys review of it, he has 3 videos on the subject, this link being the 3rd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruIBAvLaQ-0

[gbaglo]

Ouch. I can't get the image of scrubbing off the pointy ends those boats entering a gas station with a less than optimum approach.