Can A Kayak Fit In A Minivan? (Which Ones Will?)

Kayaking is a great way to spend time out on the water enjoying a great day. It is an activity that will relax you as well as let you have fun and it is a great thing to do while you are on a trip with your friends and family. 

Kayaking is a fun experience for all.

But if you are planning to take a kayak out while going on a trip, then you need to figure out how to transport it to the place you are going. Most of the time, we choose to travel in a minivan or a car if we are going to a place nearby. 

So here is where the question of transporting the kayak arises. You might wonder if a kayak can fit inside a minivan. Or if it can, then you might want to know how to go about the process. Well if those are your questions, then you have come to the right place.

The smaller kayaks are typically 10-12 feet in length so they will not fit inside of a minivan. The interior of most minivans are about 8 foot long behind the two front seats but you could move them forward and stick the front of the kayak in between the front seats to fit a kayak that is a maximum of 8 ½ to 9 feet long. 

Assuming you want or need a kayak that is longer than 8-9 feet and you absolutely don’t want to attach it to the roof then you will want to look at either inflatable or foldable kayaks. These will allow you to fit them inside your minivan without having to buy a short kayak. 

Transporting a kayak can be a really difficult task if you do not have any prior experience. One of the easiest things you could do is tie the kayak on to the roof of the minivan and drive off to your vacation destination. You can get roof racks that will help you in transporting a kayak, but there is a chance you might not have or get the perfect roof rack.

Say you have just bought a new kayak. Chances are you have not been able to find the perfect rack as of now. But suddenly the road trip planning has now put you in a spot and you are hoping to fit your kayak into your minivan.

If the kayak you own is an inflatable one, then you have an easy task at hand and it will fit inside of your minivan without any problem. All you have to do is fold the kayak, put it in your minivan and drive away! Once you have reached the destination, you can inflate it and voila! You have successfully gotten your kayak to your desired place.

So if you are thinking of buying a kayak that you might have to transport often, it is better to choose an inflatable one. This is the easiest one to transport no matter where you are going.

It also should be noted that some kayaks can fit inside your minivan. You will have to push down the seats to fit it inside and it will have to be no longer than 8-9 feet to be able to fit. When buying a kayak you will have to keep an eye on the length of the kayak if you are planning to take it with you often while travelling.

It is better to buy kayaks of a smaller size if you plan to take it around with you. Also, keep in mind that if you are taking a kayak in your minivan, people might not be able to travel in it along with the kayak. But if you choose an inflatable one, you can just fold it up, making space for people to travel inside the minivan too.

Now that we know you can fit some kayaks inside a minivan easily, especially if it is inflatable, let us discuss other methods of transporting kayaks and more.

What are a few kayaks that will easily fit inside a minivan or car?

When you are looking to take a kayak inside a vehicle you first choice, in that case, should be inflatable ones. These are the best to carry around with you as they are very portable. Innova kayaks are also perfect to be taken inside a car while travelling. There are also other kayaks like the Jackson all-star that could fit in your minivan, provided all the seats are pushed down.

A six-foot kayak could fit inside a medium-sized car or a minivan as well but these are usually play boats. If you are looking at a bigger sized kayak, then you might have to look for another way to transport them to your desired location such as on the roof of the vehicle. 

Can a kayak be transported on the roof even without a roof rack?

Even though transporting a kayak is often done with a roof rack on your minivan or car, surprisingly you can do it without a roof rack too. You will need a few extra supplies that are pretty easy to obtain for this process.

Here are the things you will need for this: soft polyurethane tube or pool noodles and ratchet straps or cam buckle. These are all you need! Once you have these items, you can start with securing your kayak to the roof of your car.

The first step is to make sure you secure the kayak to the roof. For this, make sure your pool noodles are of the right size for your vehicle.

Next, through the hole in the centre of your pool noodles run one of the ratchet straps. Then run it through the inside of your car through the open doors and later, secure it properly.

Now put your kayak on top of the pool noodles. The pool noodles will make sure your vehicle doesn’t get damaged and that the kayak stays in place. Now all you have to do strap the kayak to the car as well using additional ratchet straps and you are done!

How can you tow a kayak with a car/minivan?

To tow a kayak with your vehicle, you will need a few things, one of them being a hitch. You will need to install a hitch and an electric hookup that is used for lights from your minivan or car to the kayak trailer. 

Make sure you check with your manufacturer about the size of the hitch that should be used for the kayak trailer. Then just simply attach the trailer to your vehicle, strap the kayaks to the trailer, and hit the road. 

Can you transport more than one kayak using a car or a minivan?

Yes, it is indeed possible to transport multiple kayaks if you have a good and sturdy roof rack for the job. There are multiple ways to do this and there are so many videos online regarding this such as the one below. 

Conclusion 

So there you go! I hope you now know what to do if you are planning to go kayaking on your next vacation or weekend getaway. Remember, inflatable and foldable kayaks are the best options if you are planning to travel with your kayak inside your minivan. 

Otherwise, you can always use a roof rack and put your kayak on the roof. So, happy kayaking!