New PA / Subaru Outback Wagon transport Question

Hi, just replaced my Hobie Outback with a Pro Angler and my Jeep Cherokee with a Subaru Outback wagon. The Subaru has factory rack and crossbar and was considering the Yakima Hully roller for rear and Aero Mako for front combo. The Areo Makos appera to fit the factory flat bar but the rollers look like they only fit round?Is there an adapter?

Any advice/experience/other recomendations for my Subaru/Pro Angler combo would be greatly appreciated.

Shawn

Hi Troutbum,
I too have a Subie Outback ('07) and a 2010 Hobie Outback......I did not trust the Subie factory crossbars so I bought a Yakima rail grab 4 pack, 2 ea 48" crossbars, 4 locks, 2 sets of Mako saddles, 1 showboat rear loader and 2 ea 66" Yakima bars for the showboat.
In case you did not notice, the Subie factory rails taper in about 2", so your very wide Pro Angler might have a "fit issue" in the rear Mako saddles.....maybe they need to attach to the cross bars outside the rails??
I bought the Yakima "Show Boat" loader because my Subie has a built in rear factory spoiler + 3 stop light.....I did not want to run the risk of breaking this part on the car, so to me, the $100 was a good investment.
I can easily load my Hobie Outback onto the Yakima rack via the show boat....it pulls back/extends about 14" for loading and then you push it back into the lock position in order to open the rear hatch....can't open fully the rear hatch due to the boat above.
The Pro Angler is HEAVY, so don't skimp on the rack and use a bow line secured to the Subie front tow hook.
I have a hitch on my Subie, so I tie a stern line to the hitch........you don't want the Hobie to come off the rack!
Good luck.

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR

I just picked up my PA two weeks ago and loaded it on top of my Toyota Highlander. I used the Yakima Mako Aero Saddles on the front bar, Hulley Rollers on the back bar and the Showboat to clear my spoiler on the back. The Toyota factory rack is rated for 165 pounds, so I'm close to capacity, but I think OK. The Mako Aero will definitely work with the factory crossbars. You'll need some Mighty Mount adapters to mount the Hulley Rollers to the factory crossbars, but they are a breeze to install. The Showboat using the 66 inch bars was a great investment. It makes loading very easy. I do have the the Showboat fully extended (maybe slightly overextended ) to clear the spoiler and it does flex a bit and contact the spoiler just slightly when the max weight is on the Showboat for a few seconds, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. I might get some heavy foam pieces to wedge between the Showboat bars and the vehicle roof, just behind the spoiler, to provide a bit of support and prevent contact with the spoiler when loading. The PA is a big wide boat, so the Saddles and Rollers will have to be set fairly far apart. Once I made adjustments to get the best fit and strapped the boat down, the PA was completely solid on the car. A good rack that makes the PA easy to load and use is a great investment. It would be a shame to let loading difficulty keep me and my PA off the water. I can't wait to get started. Go away snow!

Great, thanks guys.

I'm going to pick her up tomorrow (YAAAAAYYYY!!!). I think I'll take my trailer and bring it home that way then I can take my time and evaluate what type of rack I need/want once on site.

Shawn

BTW, Steelheader, that sounds like a very nice system! Do you recall roughly what it cost you? As the PA was a insurance replacement for my Outback, I don't want to get into major $$$ for a rack system or I may just swap the PA for an upgraded Outback or Revo!

I must admit tho, looking at the PA sitting in the garage, it is one AMAZING fishing tool! Incredible boat with tons of features. Can't see it being nearly as fast as my Outback was? It is a HEAVY beast! Wouldn't be suprised to see someone come out with a 3rd party alluminum framed seat, hopefully one that adjusts fore and aft maybe some tilt too (That thing must weigh 25-30 lbs alone!) Also, surprised it didn't come with an anchor?

Can't wait to get this thing into the water, if I had a dry suit, there are some open stretches in my local lake ;^)

Troutbum

Troutbum,

I think I paid around $325.00.....my Hobie dealer gave me a nice break on the Yakima rack system since I bought the Outback and accessories from him.
I must say the Yakima system is well engineered and very sturdy....not cheap, but a good investment you can carry over to another vehicle or sell later if desired.

My theory is you spend $$$$ for the Hobie, so don't skimp on the rack for fear of trashing the yak.
Dr.Steelhead catcher

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Dr.SteelheadCatcher
Warrenton, OR