Yakima Racks EZ Loader Roof Rack Delays Debut Date

Yakima Racks announced that it has decided to delay and revise the public launch date of the Yakima E Z Loader Roof Rack to the fall of 2005. Keeping in line with the company's long-standing commitment to providing the highest standards in car rack engineering, Yakima Racks is revising the delivery date of the E-Z Load side-loading roof rack system from this spring to the fall.

Company spokesmen explained that the decision was based on the need to have Steve Rodden, vice president of product development, to have ample time for design input and ensure top performance of the end product that consumers will see and purchase. Mr. Rodden will be reviewing all products in the WaterMark family, which includes Perception Kayaks, Dagger Kayaks and Yakima Car Racks, as part of the reorganization of the product design and development process.

“The E-Z Load is a great new addition to our Yakima family of car racks, but we have a chance to make significant enhancements to its design and performance,” president of WaterMark, Jim Clark stated. “Steve Rodden and our product development team are going to put a few extra months of work into optimizing the E-Z Load to ensure that the product we ship in Fall 2005 exceeds their high standards and those of our valued retailers and their customers.”

In September 2004, Yakima Racks purchased all trademarks, patents and intellectual property relating to the E-Z Load in September of 2004. The new product design team and the recent development of operational improvements, Yakima has decided to postpone shipment of the slightly modified product and instead offer a fully redesigned, next generation E-Z Load this fall. Retailers that have already placed orders for E-Z load will receive first delivery when the product is delivered this fall.

The EZ Loader is designed to aid users who have trouble reaching the car roof rack of current taller cars and SUV's. It allows the user to lower the roof rack along the side of the car, continuing to keep the load in a horizontal position. The E-Z Load will allow the attachment of a cargo box, two kayak racks or two bike racks, as well as combinations of boats, bikes and cargo boxes.

The company has offices in Easley, South Carolina and is headquartered in Portand, Oregon. Yakima's complete line of carriers includes bike racks, canoe racks, kayak racks, ski & snowboard racks, roof baskets and cargo boxes. Its parent company, Watermark, also manufactures and distributes a complete line of whitewater, touring and recreation kayaks under the kayak brand names Dagger, Perception, Mainstream, Harmony paddlesports accessories & AT Canoe-Kayak Paddles. Rhode Gear also designs a line of trunk mount bicycle carriers.