2005 S40 - hauling a kayak
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From: Pennsylvania
2005 S40 - hauling a kayak
Not long after I purchased my used '05 S40, I decided to get into kayaking (fly fishing from it more specifically). I was a bit distressed in a sense because had I known this, I probably would have bought a vehicle that was a bit more "kayak friendly". I felt as though my S40 was a bit too 'nice' to be tossing a kayak on top of.
After a bit of internet research on how to accomplish this goal, I found very few tips or images for securing a kayak to the top of an S40. Sure, I could come up with some jury-rigged operation, but I wanted to know that it was secure at highway speed and that I wouldn't have to worry about it going airborne.
I decided to purchase the Volvo load bars online from a dealer in NJ. I looked at other manufacturers (Thule, Yakima, etc.), but the Volvo factory bars just seemed to be the best option. I knew they would fit exactly and give me little if any problem. My wife has an XC90 with aero load bars and I had already purchased the kayak cradles that slide in the tracks. Again, while perhaps not the cheapest option, I knew that the cradles would work well with the load bars.
I'm tossing this post up not to brag, but to show others an option for tossing a kayak on top of a newer model Volvo. Below are a few photos with explanation:
Factory load bars with kayak cradles. These load bars fit very nicely on the roof and are quite secure.
Finding a place to secure a bow and stern anchor line was a real challenge being the car has plastic "bumpers". I decided to take advantage of the tow hook eyelet for the anchor points and it worked out well. This eyelet is from my car.
I utilized the tow eyelet from my wife's XC90 for the front bow line. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the eyelet was actually longer than the one in my car. This worked out well because it kept the bow line from rubbing against the hood. My kayak is 12' in length and using the tow eyelets worked out perfectly in keeping the lines off the paint. A kayak any shorter and some type of protection would be required to fend off abrasion.
Loaded and ready to roll. This setup was extremely secure at highway speeds of 75 MPH. In theory, the bow and stern lines would be anchored on each side, but this option worked out well. I would go out on a limb and say that a bow and stern line probably isn't required, however it is certainly better to be safe than boatless!
I hope this post provides some help for those who may be looking at a similar situation!
After a bit of internet research on how to accomplish this goal, I found very few tips or images for securing a kayak to the top of an S40. Sure, I could come up with some jury-rigged operation, but I wanted to know that it was secure at highway speed and that I wouldn't have to worry about it going airborne.
I decided to purchase the Volvo load bars online from a dealer in NJ. I looked at other manufacturers (Thule, Yakima, etc.), but the Volvo factory bars just seemed to be the best option. I knew they would fit exactly and give me little if any problem. My wife has an XC90 with aero load bars and I had already purchased the kayak cradles that slide in the tracks. Again, while perhaps not the cheapest option, I knew that the cradles would work well with the load bars.
I'm tossing this post up not to brag, but to show others an option for tossing a kayak on top of a newer model Volvo. Below are a few photos with explanation:
Factory load bars with kayak cradles. These load bars fit very nicely on the roof and are quite secure.
Finding a place to secure a bow and stern anchor line was a real challenge being the car has plastic "bumpers". I decided to take advantage of the tow hook eyelet for the anchor points and it worked out well. This eyelet is from my car.
I utilized the tow eyelet from my wife's XC90 for the front bow line. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the eyelet was actually longer than the one in my car. This worked out well because it kept the bow line from rubbing against the hood. My kayak is 12' in length and using the tow eyelets worked out perfectly in keeping the lines off the paint. A kayak any shorter and some type of protection would be required to fend off abrasion.
Loaded and ready to roll. This setup was extremely secure at highway speeds of 75 MPH. In theory, the bow and stern lines would be anchored on each side, but this option worked out well. I would go out on a limb and say that a bow and stern line probably isn't required, however it is certainly better to be safe than boatless!
I hope this post provides some help for those who may be looking at a similar situation!
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