suggestions for a vehicle to go kayaking

So many factors to consider.
#1 always being bank roll.
What can you afford and how much are you willing to spend on gas?
Are you day tripping or staying overnight and how many people and how much gear are you taking?
How far is your drive?
My round trip commute to work is 8 miles a day, so my gas budget allows me to spend a little more when I go fishing.
I've always had a truck with a shell, until I got the motorhome. I still use the former when I can but it too is a gas pig.
If my gas budget were a little tighter I'd consider a mini van then after that probably a Subaru.
Also Hullavators for me are a must.

What's a budget? 

Oh, and Toyota 4Runner is the only vehicle I've ever owned and probably the only vehicle I ever will own.

Love my 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan ,
Lots of room for gear and sleeping plenty of room for two yaks on top (or one yak and cargo box). More than enough power to haul a$$ fully loaded with two yaks, full inside and pulling a loaded trailer from fresno to the cove and still able to pass slower vehicles up hills.
Gas mileage is decent,
Fresno to Santa Rosa = 23 mpg
Santa Rosa to Garberville = 20 mpg
Garberville to Shelter Cove = 17 mpg
This is avarage over the dozen trips I have made since moving two years ago.
Only thing better would be if it were a 4x4.
;0)


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...
Edit: with one guy you could fold the back seats and sleep in it as long as you didn't fill it with gear.

I can remove the back seat in my CRV and fit a mattress in there (just barely). Fairly comfortable...

I use my 2003 f150 with a bed extender to transport my PA14. I did however car top it from SD to my house using a mini van. It was a dodge caravan.

Any darned thing that gets you to the water.  You can put a 9-foot kayak in or on nearly anything.  I've seen a PA 14 hauled around mostly inside an Astro mini van and an Outback hauled mostly inside a Subaru.

I use a pickup with a lumber rack but id rather rock it with a camper shell. I like using the truck because Its quick to load/unload, I can throw all my gear in the bed and not worry about getting an interior dirty, and there is no odor afterwards. Also a lot more room for stuff in the bed of a truck than in a car or van.

I vote for a pickup with camper shell, too. It keeps the smelly gear away from inside the passenger area.
Only downside is the gas mileage. LSBH is right about plus the other uses of the pickup. 

    WAIT A MINUTE ...           My new ride is a 2017 Colorado.  4x4.  4 cyl Diesel ..  Just put a camper shell on it, with Yakima bars.       This baby cruises along at 70 mph  getting 30 - 32 mpg !!!       28 around town...             Killer mileage..  a bit over 600 mile range on a tank of fuel.
      Lovin It ! 

Nice, congrats!  'been thinking about one with a diesel, but wife said my next car had to be family friendly     When are you visiting to the coast?

I like my 2009 Subaru Outback. I am not a fan of what they did with the roof racks on the 2010+ model year Outbacks. As far as I can tell, you're stuck using their factory crossbars, which have limited adjustability and a narrow width. I prefer my 58" Yakima crossbars that stick out a bit. Makes it easier to load/unload, and I can easily carry other bulky things like full sheets of plywood.


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If you do a decent amount of saltwater fishing and car top the kayak, you will start to see some rust in 2-5 years. 

If you do a decent amount of saltwater fishing and car top the kayak, you will start to see some rust in 2-5 years.

This is true. I try to fight this by hosing off my car along with all of my gear after each trip, but I still get a little rust here and there.


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Ok guts this how im rolling right now i can get all my camping gear and yak in there with the tailgate down and a couple ratchet straps.  But i woupd like a rack to put on top but thats alot of lifting lol and not sure what rack bars would fit it anyway i may just fabricate some out aluminum in the shop and give it a try  oh crap this int the how i roll thread oh well i typed it already lol

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So many factors to consider.
#1 always being bank roll.
What can you afford and how much are you willing to spend on gas?
Are you day tripping or staying overnight and how many people and how much gear are you taking?
How far is your drive?
My round trip commute to work is 8 miles a day, so my gas budget allows me to spend a little more when I go fishing.
I've always had a truck with a shell, until I got the motorhome. I still use the former when I can but it too is a gas pig.
If my gas budget were a little tighter I'd consider a mini van then after that probably a Subaru.
Also Hullavators for me are a must.

What's a budget? 

The limit on my credit card.

Thanks for the great suggestions.  Never thought of the pickup with camper so will check that out.  I did try and cartop the Adventure Island once.  I definitely won't be doing that again.

Thanks for the great suggestions.  Never thought of the pickup with camper so will check that out.  I did try and cartop the Adventure Island once.  I definitely won't be doing that again.

I cartopped my AI all of last year, so it's do-able with some practice. This year, I got a trailer and that makes things really easy, as long as there's a boat ramp. A pickup with shell would be a good option too---if my CRV ever dies, I'll go that route...

brocoma!