Rear T Bar Kayak Support

The roof racks on the Subaru Forester are not spaced as wide as I'd like, so I built a rear T bar rack to provide greater support for the kayak. The T bar is galvanized square tubing welded to a tow bar insert. It also acts as a loading bar, such that the kayak can be loaded and unloaded single handed.

Since the above photo, I've added some small 'wings' to prevent the kayak from sliding off sideways when loading/unloading (see below photo). Loading the kayak is a process of lifting the front onto the rack and then sliding it forward by holding the back of the kayak. Then the rear is lifted and the kayak pushed the full way onto the racks.

DIY Kayak Cart in action

The kayak cart has been finished for a while, but has only just been tested out. It worked well and is fixed in place with a strap. With some soft rubber strips on the contact points I don't think it would move around, but the strap ensures the kayak doesn't bounce around when being pulled along.