Length of bars for Hullavator

[Hawk]

I'm seriously considering getting a Thule Hullavator but it seems I may also need new, longer roofbars. Will be fitting to Skoda Octavia, anyone got any experience? Thanks

[leighv]

To be honest, I’m not sure the Hullavator would suit your car, because it’s quite a low roof. I have a Corsa and I bought a Hullavator, and after trying it out, I repackaged it and sent it right back. Unless your car is a big SUV or van, the Hullavator arms come down really low, which is super awkward for loading boats. You end up having to do an awkward squat to load or unload them.

If I were you, I’d try one out before buying. I had to pay £50 to ship it back to the place I bought it from, and I wish I’d tried one first.

Having said that, if you want to just go ahead, I believe it needed something like 8 inches of clearance space to use it, so your bars need to be long enough to allow for that.

[mcnamado]

Hi Hawk,
There is a lot in the manual about having sufficient overhang with the bars, but when I installed it, all was ok with standard roof bars. Just make sure the 'system' does not hit the body of the car when lowered. As regards installing on a Skoda Octavia, my roof is high enough for me to use it with the low profile tyres. However your milage may vary as my Hullavator is over 15+ years old (and has been on many model cars) and newer models may 'go down' lower.

[CWP]

I use a couple of sets on a Volvo V70 P3 with the recommended bars. I use 1/8" steel shims on top of the outer ends of the fixed brackets. This gives a little more width clearance for the body when lowered. This also has the additional benefits of the kayak being more stable in the saddles whilst strapping/unstrapping and makes the handles easier to reach when 'squatting'.

[mcnamado]

Hi Leighv,
Just did some background checking on your Corsa/ Hullavator issue. Looking on DoneDeal and all Corsa's seem to have recessed fittings in the roof for a roof rack to be attached directly. The Skoda Octavia has rails that are 6 cm above the roof. Add another 10 cm of height for the generic Thule attachment from the car rail to roof bars. So the base of my Hullavator is 16 cm above the roof of the car, and probably why it works on a car with roof rails. Never appreciated that subtlety as all the cars I have used with the Hullavator have had rails.

[leighv]

Hi Leighv,
Just did some background checking on your Corsa/ Hullavator issue. Looking on DoneDeal and all Corsa's seem to have recessed fittings in the roof for a roof rack to be attached directly. The Skoda Octavia has rails that are 6 cm above the roof. Add another 10 cm of height for the generic Thule attachment from the car rail to roof bars. So the base of my Hullavator is 16 cm above the roof of the car, and probably why it works on a car with roof rails. Never appreciated that subtlety as all the cars I have used with the Hullavator have had rails.

That's an interesting point! Yeah on the Corsa it was so awkward. Not impossible to use, mind you, but I just found it more uncomfortable than other methods (I've since been using an Eckla load assist bar with Thule K-Guard racks which works really well)! If I was to buy a van (which my next car will likely be some form of), then a Hullavator or Karitek would absolutely be my preferred accessory, but for my Corsa it just didn't work for me personally.

[AllanC]

I helped my friend fit a Hullavator to his Skoda Yeti about 18 months ago. I recall us being uncertain about the overhang needed for it to clear the car, it seemed huge and the Yeti is slab sided compared to a saloon, but once it was fitted per the instructions it was a remarkably neat fit, although there wasn't enough flex to allow it to bump the car.

As Leigh and others have said, I was surprised how low the Hullavator dropped, I'm average height and found it awkward to get down and use both handles simultaneously, but that was one of the first tries when it was brand new, and I've not tried it since.
We fitted it on a driveway, if you were parked next a kerb with another 3-4 inches of difference, I'd find it really annoying. I think the Yeti is quite a bit taller than an Octavia, and it had rails, and although the Octavia's a bigger car than a Corsa I'm not sure the roofline would be much different between a saloon or a hatchback, I've saloon myself and it's not taller than any hatchbacks when I'm parked at supermarket. I agree with the above to try thoroughly before you commit.

I happened to ask him in the past month what he thought now he's had it for a while and he admitted he didn't think it suits his needs more than the Karitek he was replacing, the nub for him being the awkwardness and coordination needed to get the boat up onto the roof. He bought it after serious hip problems, so wanted the lift assistance, but he's over also over 6 foot and his mobility's a bit limited, so lots of caveats about personal experience.

[mcnamado]

You are right Allan.
The Yeti is 162 cm high measured up to the top of the Skoda supplied roof rail while the equivalent Octavia measurement is only 147 cm to the top of the rail. That is partly accounted by the 22 cm ground clearance on the Octavia compared with 28 cm on the Yeti (which is classed as a crossover SUV). Great on a motorway but don't drive an Octavia with low profile tyres on rough forest tracks! I am 5 ft 9 inch in height. So as others have suggested, it is looks to be a very personal preference if the system will ever work for you with your vehicle combination.

[Hawk]

Thanks for comments. Nothing to do but try and see I think.

[on the rocks]

I’m thinking of getting Thule Hullevators for my Volvo V60, but put off a little by reading this thread. The roof rails on my V60 are the same height as those on a Skoda Octavia. I am quite short at 5’4” . Does anyone else have experience or advice? Many thanks

[LRB125]

Hi

I fitted bars to suit the Hullavator to my X5 and it works a treat for me (reasonably fit and agile but struggle to reach that extra height by myself due to old age and wear & tear on the shoulders). Yes the X5 will be a little higher than non suv vehicles but none the less its very slick, quick and effortless. Expensive, but for me ease of use outweighs that