Can I carry a 10’ kayak in my 2019 Prius with the hatch open and seats down safely? I am only a few miles from the water and need to figure out how to transport a kayak. A trailer is not an option because I would have no place to store it when not in use. Anyone have experiences with this? Hate to have to trade in my Prius for a truck just for my kayak.
you can get a kayak roof rack. i would lay the front passenger seat back and see how far i could shove it in. i think 4' or less sticking out would be fine.
cargo overhanging the back bumper could be subject to state regulation; I've lived in some states where a 36" overhang was allowed as long as you put a highly visible flag at the end of it. No clue what Florida rules are. Apart from that it's just a matter of tying it in securely. I'm a fan of using a small carabiner clicked into the hatch latch to create a tiedown point for the hatch itself. Get a pool noodle and cut it up to make soft bumpers for where the kayak and car need to meet, it'll make everything last longer.
I do it. There's just an annoying beep because the trunk is open while you're driving and you lose some of the air conditioning back there
I wanted to share ! I purchased a 10 foot Pelican Sit on Top kayak (it actually measures 9’6”), and it fits perfect in my Prius. I placed the front seat all the way back, folded the back seats down, laid a 12’ long tarp over the seats and slide it in. I placed a cushion on the dash and a dense foam on the point where the kayak and windshield meet for protection. I was able to close the hatch too! Having lots of great adventures
There was another guy who put his 10-ft in the Gen2/3 Prius with the hatch tied down, for short trip. At the time, that convinced me to buy a 10-ft fishing Kayak, but I put it inside my minivan with hatch down. One time a read a guy doing that hit a bump and knocked out his windshield, so I usually put a box over the front. Intersting question if I could do that with our RAV4HV, but prob cannot close hatch. I would like to get Sienna hybrid used if a kayak fits but the 2nd row seat are fixed. Maybe Highlander?
You can get cheap foam blocks and straps and throw it on the roof. Protects your paint and keeps your inside available for people and supplies. Heck you probably have cinch straps and rope at home to tie it down. I bet you could find just the foam at a sporting goods store. Or hunting and fishing stores and departments. https://a.co/d/6CbLceq
Guy is asking about fitting a kayak inside the car. Maybe cost is a concern. But the OEM crossbars are reasonably priced. I got mine new for under $300. Still nice to have options.
This guy said he fits 9.5ft inside his but we never got pic https://priuschat.com/threads/can-i-fit-this-in-my-prius.129403/reply?quote=1902736
I've really liked my OEM Toyota roof rack, and other than tie-down points would have no qualms about putting a kayak up there. But, yeah, the front and rear tie-down points... I don't even know what they would be that would not scuff the paint.
I bought a fish feeder about 100 miles from home for a great deal. Got there and it was much larger than I thought it was. It was the lagest size they made and i was thinking it was a mid size. I took the legs off and was able to get it about half way in. Stopped just a few miles into the trip home to see if i could get rid of the annoying alarm that the hatch was not closed. I took a loop of line and pulled it into the latch on the hatch. The reason for the loop was I was i wanted to make sure I could open the latch when I got home. In hindsight, anything like a screwdriver shaft could probably be inserted to open the mechanism when the button was pushed. The light on the dash and the alarm went away. Gas mileage for the return trip was 32 mpg and I took all the back roads to avoid the interstate. Road noise was definitely increased as well. As far as a kayak, give it a try and see if it works. Especially if your close to the water you will be paddling in. Taking the head rest off the passenger back seat and laying it down will give the front seat more room to lay back if it is scooted forward all the way. Enough room for me to bring home 6, 2x8's 12 feet long with the hatch closed. I would be cautious about a kayak or anything that would be loaded in a way that would be pushed into you or a passenger when hit in the back.
I have been carrying these kayaks (12 & 14 feet) my Prius (2004, 2010, 2012, 2017) for years now. No big deal. This photo is from a few hours ago.
