Best Way to Carry Two Kayaks on 2019 Mazda CX-5 With Flush Side Rails

Updated 04/27/2020 | Published 04/25/2020

Products Featured in This Question

Yakima Same Key System (SKS) Lock Cores (QTY 4)

(438)

$69.95

Malone DownLoader Kayak Roof Rack w/ Lift Assist and Tie-Downs - J-Style - Clamp On

(140)

$584.90

Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Roof Rack and Lift Assist w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Universal Mount

(107)

$899.95

Yakima JetStream Crossbars - Aluminum - Black - 50" Long - Qty 2

(598)

$269.95

Yakima ShowDown Kayak or SUP Roof Rack and Lift Assist w/ Tie-Downs - Saddle Style - Clamp On

(22)

$648.95

SightClip Fit Kit for Yakima SightLine and RidgeLine Roof Rack Towers

(18)

$143.95

SightLine Towers for Yakima Crossbars - Flush Side Rails - Qty 4

(19)

$274.95

Question:

I am looking for a configuration quote for carrying two kayaks on a 2019 Mazda CX-5 with flush roof rails. I would like to use some combination of Thule Hullavator or Yakima Showdown because I am over 60 and the car is too tall to lift a kayak into a J-type cradle. One kayak weighs 59 lbs and the other 49 lbs. I use the 59 lb kayak all the time and only use the 49 lb kayak occasionally with my wife or son. So I settled on a Thule Wingbar EVO 135 53 rack system with a Hullavator for the 59 lb kayak. But I think I will use the Yakima Showdown for the other kayak, not for expense reasons but for weight reasons. Total weight for this combination Hullavator/Showdown/Kayaks is 167 lbs.=, which is well under the 220 lb capacity of the Wingbar EVO. My concern is the weight capacity of the car roof itself. I find very little information on the roof loading capacity/strength of the Mazda CX-5 roof. What little I can find indicates the capacity is 125 lbs. If that is the true limit I might be stuck with some type of J-cradle holder. The car is too tall to lift a kayak into a J-cradle. Am I missing something? Will my idea of a combo Hullavator/Showdown work with the 53inch Wingbar EVO and not dent my car?

asked by: MARK A

Helpful Expert Reply:

We do have a solution for you, but for your 2019 Mazda CX-5, the issue isn't only actually the weight capacity of the roof, it is that there is no way to fit a combination of the Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Carrier # TH898 with the Yakima ShowDown Kayak Carrier # Y04081 (or two of either carrier) on any roof rack for your 2019 CX-5 because they take up far too much space on your crossbars. Additionally, there isn't enough space on roof rack crossbars for a '19 CX-5 to fit both a Hullavator/ShowDown and a J-style carrier.

And in regards to the roof rack, you mentioned you settled on the 53" WingBar Evo for your 2019 CX-5 with flush-mounted rails, but I checked with Thule, and the crossbars that fit your vehicle are the 47" bars. Since Thule's crossbars do not have a channel that goes all the way underneath the bar, you won't be able to use the longer bars, so I recommend going with 50" Yakima crossbars.

- Yakima JetStream Crossbars # Y00425
- Towers # Y64AR
- Fit Kit # Y39AR
- Same Key System Lock Cores (Optional) # Y07204

I have added a photo that a customer sent in showing this rack on their 2019 Mazda CX-5 with flush rails so you can see how it will look on your Mazda. So the truth is, your 2019 Mazda CX-5 just doesn't have the ability to carry two kayaks if you are using the Thule Hullavator Pro Kayak Carrier # TH898 or Yakima ShowDown Kayak Carrier # Y04081.

The best option truly will be to use the Yakima roof rack along with two of the Malone DownLoader Kayak Carrier and TelosXL Load Assist with Tie-Downs - J-Style - Side Loading # MPG114MD-351XL.