Recommended Roof Rack and Kayak Carrier for 10 Foot Sit-In Kayak on a 2012 Volkswagen Passat SE

Published 06/29/2016

Question:

I am thinking of getting a 10foot sit in kayak. I drive a 2012 VW Passat SE that does not have a roof rack. I do have a hitch to transport my bike with a Yakima 2 bike carrier. Any ideas on something that would work? I believe I bought the hitch through you as well.

asked by: Theresa

Expert Reply:

I do have a solution for you, but I wish there was a way to transport your kayak with a hitch mounted bike rack. Currently, none of our manufactures have come up with a way to do so; which means we will need to outfit your Passat with a roof rack and kayak carrier.

The roof rack for your 4-door 2012 VW Passat SE, I recommend is the Rhino Rack Vortex Aero Roof Rack # RR72MR.

For your 10 Foot Sit in Kayak, I recommend the Rhino Rack J-Style Kayak Carrier # S512. This rack will securely carry your 1 kayak and if you would like to transport 2 it can easily be upgraded with # RRS512X to carry 2. This rack will include all the straps and bow and stern tie downs to secure your kayak to your vehicle. I've personally installed a kayak into a J-Style cradle and have found it is by far the easiest compared to others styles on the market.

For the most economical solution, the Rightline Gear Kayak Carrier with Tie-Downs # RL100K10 can be installed on a naked roof without a roof rack.

I have linked all the above recommended parts to this page for your purchasing convenience.

expert reply by: Jackie C