Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

I'm always looking for next vehicle to haul my boats & I've noticed a lot of newer vehicles have antennas placed that would really get in the way of hauling boats (center rear & sticking up) & their luggage racks often don't have any airspace under them to which you could install some towers. Any suggestions?

Even Subaru Forresters have an antenna right where a boat might go. Do those things fold down or screw off? I like those low profile antennas better but many cars have those that stick up & look like they'd easily get broken off.

Mike,

You'll have to give us your findings sometime. I do know friend Connie bought a Honda Fit a year or two ago. Her car had an antenna sticking up a foot or so tall, in the top of blooming car..., she broke the thing 'clean off' with a kayak loading operation early on, but was very philosophical later in relating that her radio reception was little affected.
I can imagine though it's still pretty goofy of the manufacturers to blithely place them there, especially in light of the fact so many folks already can't find a car large enough to haul the amount of luggage inside they need to haul, and at the price they can afford, rather they strap it to the roof. Another sign of our times... Boats excluded :)


Best Regards
Jim Moose

I picked up a new CRV a few weeks ago. With the Yakama rack installed the little antenna only sticks up about an inch or so higher & it's wiggly & bends over when bumped. With any Hull Raisers installed, it's really no issue.

Wes

I just bought a Subaru Forrester. I do not have factory roof racks. The Yakima racks I installed seem to make the antenna a non issue. The antenna is also on a swivel and when you fold it down it is just a couple of inches high. You can also unscrew the antenna, but you still have the small receptacle that is a couple inches high. I use a stacker to carry the kayaks and this antenna has just not been in the way at all. I would think the fact that it folds down would keep it from being an obstacle no matter how you load the kayaks. And, I can't find anything I like on the radio anyway.

The antenna on my [wife's] Nissan Versa folds down also and wouldn't be a problem. You can tell the car is my wife's because it does not yet have a rack on it. Oh, well, my '91 Accord should do me just fine for the next twenty years or so. Maybe then I can have the Versa!

Thanks for the info. The antennas I was looking at didn't seem to fold down. Good to know some do!

Beware the dodge journey, jeep patriot, or just about any mid-size chrysler product. Nearly all the new ones I "prep" for sale include installing a thick, stiff, plastic encased antenna about 12 inches long right in the middle of the rear of the roof. These antennas don't give, and aren't meant to come off. It's not a problem on the vans and trucks, they still have laminated bi-metal 28 inchers, mounted on the back of the right front fender. Some of the imports are switching over to the so called "shark fin" antennas because they work well with both analog and digital FM broadcasts, the drawback is they don't work near as well with AM, but with the UMPH AM carries, it doesn't affect it too much. What annoys me is a certain member of the big three is using 2 antennas...one for AM/FM and another for satellite radio. So much for cutting weight and air resistance!

I opted for a Matrix because its antenna bends down and you can rack a boat. Otherwise, frankly, I don't like the car, but it was the best option in terms of mileage/racking.