Rack for two yaks

Lee you've got me thinking about my current setup. When Toots and I go out together, it's been a challenge finding good ways to transport my 2 kayaks on the Tahoe. I looked up the manufacturer weight recommendation and it says that for my factory installed GM bars the weight limit is 200lbs. This should be more than enough for both my Outback and my wife's Tarpon 120.
I don't have room to set them upside down side by side on the racks as they aren't the kind that hang out over the side of the truck, the sort of end at the track (see photo)


I was hoping to get some advice on how to transport them together.
I was thinking the following:

Option A: buying the towers that allow me to transport both kayaks on their side sort of like the one in the pic above of the blue Subaru WRX.

Or

Option B: to lay one of the kayaks upside down on the roof rack and then stack another kayak on top of that also upside down like Lee mentioned. However, if I use this method I'm not sure which kayak I should be setting down first? My wider, heavier Outback or the narrower lighter Tarpon 120? Lengthwise they are the same.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


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Lots of different options.  The easiest would be a trailer, but that's also the most expensive.

If you stack them on top of eachother, just figure out which way they fit together best and go with it.

I used to have a trailblazer, which I think had the same roof rack system your ride has.  I picked up Thule feet and crossbars.  They fit right into the factory rail, and have a quick release button so you don't have to keep them up there all the time.  If you do that, you can just get a bar long enough to lay them both upside down.

So nuff! 45 & 74!  I am still within the weight tolerances... Or close enough. As I said above I am convince of the need for the now/stern lines, and I know where I can attach then to the car.

Stacking them... They don't marry well... Do I just throw a noodle between the. And snug them down?

noodles do work.  The only thing is you still want to make sure that they are tied down tight.  When you position them together try to avoid pressing the kayaks together in soft areas, otherwise you may get some dents or warping.   

Please remember to check the base towers for tightness after you have both kayaks up there and strapped in. I noticed when the yaks are on there sometimes the rack gets loose. I cinch up all the straps and check the clamps to make sure I dont lose them.

I'm thinking I want to see how they look laying flat... one on top of the other... would it be bad for the yaks if I had them just overlapping as opposed to straight on top.  As I said earlier, they don't marry very well.  Like the picture show, I can just get them to balance on each other.  I suspect that with any pressure the malibu will shift to one side or the other and I would lose the downward tension.

Maybe try sliding the top yak forward a little bit.  When you strap them, strap the first one down, then the second yak down.  Don't use the same straps for both yaks.