ShowBoat 66

I had this rack professionally installed on my van which maybe helped avoid all the bar binding problems others mention. In 7 years of use the bars still slide effortlessly. However, the roller material is deteriorating and leaves horrible black smudges on my kayak that are a bear to get off. Love my rack, but hate the hour of scrubbing afterwards.

On my 2016 Subaru Outback I have the Yakima SweetRoll roof carrier for my recreational and fishing kayak. To load the kayak by myself, I was using a suction cup mounted roller on the rear window. However, if I forgot the roller, I had to get help to load the kayak. I just installed the ShowBoat 66 and it works great for single person loading of a kayak ! Its well made and simple to install though the instructions were so so. For the Outback with the factory cross bars, I had to change the orientation of the bar mounts 180 degs from the instruction illustration. Due to the airfoil shape of the crossbar, when tightening the clamp, the support would tilt downward. It needs to be about parallel to the roof line. Rotation the support resolved that concern. Also, I installed the supports on the crossbars without the Showboat rail installed. I found it easier to install that way. The rail operates smoothly and makes no noise while driving. I love this thing !

Installed the Showboat 66 to new Timberline towers and Jetstream crossbars for loading the canoe on my 2017 4Runner and discovered there is not enough room between the satellite shark-fin antenna and the raised back hatch - the raised hatch jams the roller assembly against the shark-fin before it is fully opened. The kayak install would be higher and allow enough room, but this won't work because the canoe would then rest on the Showboat roller instead of the crossbars. This is a real bummer since the Yakima fit guide said it was a fit, and I ordered the system through a local retailer who won't take a return on a special order.

I have used this product going on four years. Follow the instructions and you will have zero issues. I use this on my Explorer for transporting around an unwieldy 17 ft., 80 lb. monster of a canoe at only 5'6''. At the boat launch people are like, "you need some help?" Not with the Showboat 66.

I have used this product going on four years. Follow the instructions and you will have zero issues. I use this on my Explorer for transporting around an unwieldy 17 ft., 80 lb. monster of a canoe at only 5'6''. At the boat launch people are like, "you need some help?" Not with the Showboat 66.

I use this to load a 15' SOT kayak onto a 2014 Subaru Outback. The round bars bind making it difficult to extend. Also, the roller clamp affixing the roller to the round bars won't tighten enough to keep the roller from pulling off. A poor design that can be remedied by drilling an appropriate hole and installing a bolt on each side. Being short, I have to use a step stool to lift the kayak's bow up to the roller and then it's just load and go.

Bought this to load kayaks on my Chevy Tahoe. Works great. Keeps from scratching the car finish and makes loading easier. As an earlier reviewer mentioned, I did through bolt the roller attachment to the round bars. I would also through bolt the stopers as one of those and an end cap were pulled off and lost when I pulled back on the roller. I had to mount the roller upside down to get it in the garage but it works ok in that position.

Using this with factory Audi crossbars, 2015 SQ5. carrying a 14' kayak, 40# before fishing gear. Components are durable, well thought out seem durable. Variable crossbar clamp styles, etc. One exception, the "red lever" tighter, both have blown off. Which becomes meaningless as the round bars require HUGE effort to move through clamps. Lithium grease, readjustment & alignment, no matter. Bad tolerances & clearances betweeen the components, they don't play well together. The potential opposite problem, round bars which slide too much, could easily be countered with stop collars and/or a meaningful "red lever" mechanism, or by using additional stop collars. The rails are extended by pulling the roller. With the tolerance issue noted above, it is a leverage chore, and I am 6'2". With anything other than perfect alignment and zero sliding resistance, the round bars pull unevenly and bind. In my case, one side of the roller pulls off. It is mounted by clamping a sleeve on the roller over the round rail. A better solution would be a "through pin" through the center of the outer sleeve going through the round bar. Once installed, the angles are fixed, and the three parts: round rails & roller, are an integrated unit. So, the pieces are well made, built for the task, a fine, tough, product. They just don't fit together well. Great concept, bad execution.

We loaded our first canoe on the roof of our 2006 Explorer (with factory rails/cross bars) thinking "How hard could it be?" Following this experience I found the Showboat 66. This product makes loading an unloading our 80lb canoe a breeze! My wife and I can get the canoe on and off the vehicle with minimal effort! I am not mechanically inclined but was able to install the Showboat 66 successfully. This is an exceptional product! Thanks Yakima!

I purchase this item for my 18 foot tandem kayak.I needed something easier to load the kayak without scratch or damage to vehicle.It is so much easier to load my kayak now. I would highly recommend Showboat 66.