Parts Needed to Carry 2 Kayaks with a 2013 Santa Fe Sport with Panoramic Sunroof

Question:

The end goal is to carry 2 kayaks on a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with Panoramic Sunroof. There are no factory installed flush side rails. It has a naked roof. I guess the first thing is to get side rails of some sort. Are such rails available to prevent damage to the sunroof when carrying the kayaks? Can the sunroof be opened when the rails are installed? I am guessing that when the kayaks are on the roof the sunroof could not be opened. Correct? Help is needed and much appreciated. Trying to get to the end goal.

asked by: Maria J

Expert Reply:

You are correct that the first step in carrying 2 kayaks on the roof of your 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with the Panoramic Sunroof is a roof rack. I recommend using the Thule WingBar Evo roof rack system because it looks sleek, has an easy mounting system for accessories, and is simple to install on your vehicle. For this you will need the following parts:

53" WingBer Evo Crossbars - # TH711420 Black or # TH711400 Silver
Evo Clamp Feet - # TH710501
Fit Kit - # TH145059
Lock Core Kit - # TH450400 (optional)

Then for a carrier I recommend the Yakima JayLow Kayak Carrier w/ Tie-Downs # Y04073 because it can carry up to 2 kayaks and has weight capacities of 80 lbs for 1 kayak and 110 lbs for 2 kayaks. Since the weight capacity of the Thule roof rack for your vehicle is 110 lbs and the JayLow weighs in at about 10 lbs this leaves you with about 100 lbs total for both kayaks.

The JayLow comes with straps but for your application you need additional straps # Y04031. I also recommend the etrailer tie-down kit # e36ZR that comes with soft anchors that go in your hood or trunk to easily secure your tie-downs and the Yakima Same Key System # Y07202 to lock the JayLow to your roof rack.

I spoke with my contact at thule who said that the Evo feet sit about 5" tall once the fit kit are underneath them. You may be able to open your sunroof if it lifts above your roof but you will need to do some testing first. One thing to note is that even though the WingBar Evo bars produce less wind noise than square or round bars, you will get some extra noise which will just be louder when your sunroof is open.