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Home > Thule 854 Water Slide Kayak Carrier Accessory Mat
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Thule 854 Water Slide Kayak Carrier Accessory Mat
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Show more by Thule
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Average Rating:  (13 Reviews)
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List Price: $39.95
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Our Price: $35.95
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You Save: $4.00 (10%)
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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- Covers vehicle below rear kayak saddles to protect your paint jobs when loading a canoe or kayak onto a roof rack
- Non-skid underside and two bar straps hold mat in place while loading and unloading
- Smooth top surface protects the boat and vehicle in case of contact
- Universal straps wrap around any and all styles of roof rack bars
- Dimensions: 36" L x 24" W; Thule Racks Lifetime Warranty
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Product Description:
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The Thule 854 Water Slide Mat is an ingeniously simple way to protect your vehicle?s finish when you?re loading and unloading a boat from a canoe rack or kayak rack. The Thule 854 Water Slide Mat has a non-skid underside and two bar straps that hold the mat in place while the smooth top surface allows your canoe or kayak to slide easily onto a car rooftop canoe rack or kayak rack. When you?re finished, the Thule Water Slide quickly rolls and stows away
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The Thule 854 Water Slide Kayak Carrier Accessory Mat is a simple, yet important accessory to any kayak roof mount carrier. Designed to cover the exterior vehicle panels and/or windows directly below the rear saddle of your kayak roof mount carrier, this accessory mat both protects against scrapes and scratches and allows you to safely rest kayaks to be loaded against vehicles, using them as leverage as you push your boat onto its saddles. Additional features include: a nonskid underside, two bar straps to hold the mat in place while loading and unloading, and easy roll up storage.  Protection from scrapes and scratches during kayak loading. View larger.  Makes loading by a single person easy and quick as you safely use your vehicle as leverage. View larger.  Nonskid underside allows for extra traction to get boats onto the saddles. View larger. Protect Vehicles from Scrapes When Loading As well-designed as many rear loading kayak carriers are, the fact that a kayak must be lifted up to the level of a vehicle roof rack to reach the kayak saddles can lead to dropped boats or boats rested against vehicles, which can cause scratches and scrapes. This possibility is magnified further when kayaks are loaded by a single paddler. The Thule Water Slide Kayak Carrier Accessory Mat does away with this by negating the need to keep kayaks from physically touching the car transporting it. The Thule Water Slide Kayak Carrier Accessory Mat is a technical mat that protects your vehicle while you load your kayak. Designed to drape over the upper rear of your vehicle, it utilizes two universal straps that wrap around any and all styles of roof rack bars. Its underside is covered with a nonskid coating that gently sticks to the smooth surface of your vehicle. These two features combined with a slick top coat allows for safe contact between boat and vehicle as the bow is pushed forward to move onto rear saddles. This creates easy, non-straining leverage that allows a single person to get their boat quickly into its saddles and secured for transport. The Water Slide is also quick-drying, easy to roll and stow and is the perfect complement to your Thule boat carrier. Features and Specifications- Ingeniously simple and very affordable way to protect your vehicle's paint job when loading a canoe or kayak onto a roof rack
- Nonskid underside and two bar straps hold mat in place while loading and unloading
- Smooth top surface protects the boat and vehicle in case of contact
- Universal straps wrap around any and all styles of roof rack bars etc.
- Dimensions: 36" L x 24" W
- Thule Racks Lifetime Warranty
What's in the Box Thule 854 Water Slide Kayak Carrier accessory mat, use and warranty information. Limited Lifetime Warranty Thule will warranty all Thule brand car rack systems and its accessories manufactured by Thule during the time that an original retail purchaser owns the product. This warranty terminates if a purchaser transfers the product to any other person. No warranty is given for defects caused by normal wear and tear, cosmetic rust, scratches, accidents, unlawful vehicle operation, or modification of, or any types of repair of a load carrier system other than those authorized by Thule. About Thule Thule was founded in 1942 by the Thulin family, when Eric Thulin, a true lover of the outdoors, put the Thule name on a pike trap he designed and began to sell in Scandinavia. It wasn't long before he added other practical items to the company's portfolio. By the 1960s, the company began to concentrate on car-related products, including its first roof rack. The Thulin family sold Thule to the publicly listed company Eldon in 1979, and it has continued to grow both organically and through acquisitions ever since. The Thule Group is a world leader in providing transport solutions for an active life.
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Customer Reviews:
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 Loading my 12 foot Kayak became easy, September 13, 2009
By Wally (Orange County, CA)
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I have a Toyota Sienna Minivan with a Factory roof rack. The roof rack far enough away from the rear of the van that when I stand up the kayak on the back of the van and lean it at a 45 degree angle, the Kayak is a good 3 feet away from the rack. The only way to load my Kayak on to the roof rack is if I were to slide the kayak on the rear roof edge of the car and use that as a fulcrum.
The problem with sliding a 50 pound 12 foot long Kayak on the edge of the roof is that it will destroy the paint. So you will need to cover the paint with something so that there is not contact with the Car roof and the Kayak. It has to have a low coefficient of friction so that it will not scratch the underside of the kayak. It also must be able to stay in place as you slide the kayak. So the top part must be super smooth for the bottom of the kayak, and the underside must be extremely grippy that it will not slide off the roof, with the kayak. I tried the following:
1. Small Rug - I was going to use it, but I could see how, although it may help slide the Kayak, it will scratch the paint of my car.
2. Towel - A kayakers best friend. Towels have so many uses in roof loading kayaks. It will protect your paint, if it doesnt slide off. I have had an experience when it did slide off and my kayak came craching to the ground. It was a good thing I had rubber mats all over the ground in case it happened. That was when I decided to buy this Thule Water Slide.
This is all you need to do to use the Water Slide.
1. Attach or place the Water Slide on the back of your car as seen in the picture of the product.
2. Put a carpet or rubber mat on the ground behind your car.
3. Put your Kayak on the carpet or mat on the ground behind you car so that it is parallel to your car.
4. Lift up the nose of your kayak and lean it against the back of your car, reating on the Thule Water slide.
5. Go to the rear of your Kayak and just slide it onto your roof rack.
That is it. Very easy. I used to have my family help load my kayak, but now, I can do it myself. Another excellent product from the best Kayak racking system, Thule. Enjoy your life, GO KAYAKING! See you on the water.
20 of 22 people found the above review helpful.
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So much help for so little money..., June 25, 2010
By Honest John (Falls Church, VA United States)
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As the other reviewers say, the Thule Waterslide really does work much better than a towel or rug, and it costs no more. It's a good size and well made with cushioning to protect your car. Your kayak easily slides on it and the velcro straps make it quick to attach with a sure grip. Unlike other Thule and Yakima rack products, the Waterslide is also fairly priced for what it is. It's an essential part of my system to raise and gently lower my Delta 12-10 kayak onto my Volvo XC70 roof using the Thule Roll Model roller with the glide and set saddles.
Because the Waterslide is so slippery, your boat can unexpectedly slide off the back of your car at the wrong time in the wrong direction when you can't catch it. One drop of my boat on the ramp tarmac taught me that lesson. So I now use my bow line rolled over the front roof rack as a guide and a brace to hold my kayak in place while raising and lowering it. I hold the line in my right hand to steady the bow, and then gently pull or slowly release the line to prevent the boat from sliding too quickly off the car. I keep my left hand on the boat hull to guide and support its weight. From my experience, I also highly recommend the Stowaway Kayak Cart for $59 at LLBean to complete a sensible loading system that can be used by one person. This well-built cart easily attaches to the stern of my kayak to support much of its weight during loading, unloading, and rolling my boat to the ramp. I'm a guy aged 62 with tendonitis who isn't planning to get any stronger at lifting boats, but I have used some extra thought to devise an affordable and portable loading/moving system that works for me...
10 of 10 people found the above review helpful.
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kayak confidence, June 3, 2010
By graceful kayaks (Wellington, OH)
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Both my niece and I are short and I have a Town & Country van she has a Rav4, which makes it hard to load our kayaks. The Thule 854 water slide has made things very simple for us and we now do not worry about scratching the paint on either vehicle. We can even load the kayaks by ourselves if we have to. what a great little product with a great price.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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 Really Works, June 26, 2009
By 'grey mom (Maine)
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Does not slide off much as the towel I used to use, don't know how it will perform long term, but right now it seems like the perfect answer.
4 of 4 people found the above review helpful.
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Protects the paint!, August 14, 2010
By DK (Solon, OH)
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I have a 13 foot long Necky Manitou that I carry on the top of my van with a Thule Glide and Set. This handy little device allows me to load a kayak myself without scratching the paint. I couldn't load by myself without this product. My only complaint is that in even relatively slow breezes the whole thing can catch the wind and stop protecting the van. I now clip my jumper cables to the bottom of the mat in order to prevent it from flipping up in a breeze.
3 of 3 people found the above review helpful.
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 too short, September 28, 2010
By Ann Davis (Hot Springs Village, AR, US)
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The idea is great but whoever designed it didn't take into consideration hatchback cars with the rear end a long way from crossbars on top of the car. The mat only protects 3/4ths of the back of my car. If i can get some some velcro strips I may be able to make the straps longer,thereby extending the mat to cover a longer area.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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No worries any more, September 22, 2010
By mybirdzz
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This works great! I have a small SUV and I need to put a sit-on-top kayak on the racks on top of it. Cannot put it top side down because the seat back hits the car rack in the wrong place so it wants to lay directly on the roof top. This results in scratches to the roof plus I cannot transport safely because I cannot tie securely. Decided to load it top side up but how to get it up there, especially by myself? Enter this pad. I connect it to the car top rack and in no time I have slid the kayak up. Inexpensive investment which keeps my car from getting scratched and saves my back.
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Nice quality, September 8, 2010
By Kristin (clinton)
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I bought this and have used it several times I like it, it stays on the window well but I didn't give it 5 stars because I felt it could be slightly longer but it works well for what it was designed for but don't leave it on your window & drive off with it on there! I did because it blends in with the window and you forget it's there they should have made it a bright color . But it did stay on even when I left it on the back of the window on my suv . I got home and was like uh oh coulda lost that on the highway !
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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Thule Water Slide Kayak Mat, August 21, 2010
By Janet
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Inexpensive, easy to use, easy to clean, does a great job protecting the car. What more can you ask for?
2 of 2 people found the above review helpful.
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 Good idea, but..., April 25, 2011
By ayn
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I bought this to help me load my 13 foot plastic yak onto my hatch-back coupe. It seemed like a great idea for a product, one that would protect both my car and my boat. Unfortunately, the mat will not stay in place. The slightest breeze, or even hint of a breeze, will send this thing flying. A mat is worthless if it doesn't hold, and this mat will not hold. Nice try, Thule. But I'm just as well using a towel or blanket. Too bad I didn't know that sooner. Could have saved thirty bucks.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Great Idea, October 26, 2010
By Joel Goldberg
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This is a great idea; I have been covering the back of my wagon with a towel that always falls of when I am putting my boat on the top. This holds fast and the boat slides very nicely into place on the rack with out scratching the top of the tailgate
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Versatile product, October 6, 2010
By Charles Agius
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This mat works as advertised, even when loading my kayak from the rear of my VW GTI hatchback. I have to be careful to avoid the satellite antenna in the rear center of my roof. I had scratched the spoiler before I got this mat, but the mat protects the spoiler and allows me to push the kayak onto the rack.
1 of 1 people found the above review helpful.
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Better Than A Blanket, July 14, 2011
By Tom (Portland Area)
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Throwing an old car blanket over the rear of my hatchback worked OK but when I saw this on Amazon I knew I had to have one. Because of my roofrail configuration I don't have a distance problem and I've never had to use it in a strong crosswind (breezes have never been a problem). I've also chosen to not put a rear spoiler on the car because of the kayak.
I do take the rear center roof antenna off when loading or unloading but that only takes a few seconds.
If I ever lose this or wear it out (unlikely) I'll buy another immediately.
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