Kayak carrier for vehicle hitch

1. A kayak carrier for a vehicle hitch, said kayak carrier comprising:

an elongated support having a lower portion configured to engage a vehicle hitch, the elongated support having a forward-facing surface directed toward the vehicle and a rearward-facing surface directed away from the vehicle when the vehicle hitch is engaged;

a tip receiver pivotally coupled with the lower portion of the elongated support and pivotable between an initial loading and supporting position in which the tip receiver is oriented to partially support the kayak in a generally horizontal orientation, and a loaded position in which the kayak is supported in a generally upright orientation;

wherein the tip receiver includes an engagement portion that faces rearwardly in the initial loading and supporting position, and that faces upwardly in the loaded position, wherein the tip receiver is configured to insertably receive a tip section of the kayak with the kayak in a lateral orientation when the tip receiver is in the initial loading and supporting position;

wherein, when the tip section of the kayak is received in the tip receiver, the tip receiver is pivotable to the loaded position with the tip section of the kayak remaining in the tip receiver to position the kayak in the upright orientation; and

wherein an upper portion of the elongated support is configured to support to an intermediate section of the kayak held by the kayak carrier in the upright orientation.

2. The kayak carrier of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion includes a laterally arranged member configured to provide rearward support to the intermediate section of the kayak held by the kayak carrier.

3. The kayak carrier of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the elongated support includes a retaining member that protrudes forward from an end portion of the laterally arranged member to provide lateral support to the intermediate section of the kayak held by the kayak carrier.

4. The kayak carrier of claim 1 , wherein an attachment strap is detachably secured at the upper portion of the elongated support to secure the intermediate section of the kayak at the elongated support when in the upright orientation.

5. The kayak carrier of claim 1 , wherein the tip receiver includes a first engagement portion and a second engagement portion on opposing lateral sides of the elongated support for engaging tip sections of two separate kayaks that can be simultaneous supported by the kayak carrier in a side-by-side, upright orientation.

6. The kayak carrier of claim 1 , wherein two tip receivers are pivotally coupled with the lower portion of the elongated support, and wherein the tip receivers are independently pivotable relative to each other, such that two kayaks may be separately loaded onto the kayak carrier.

7. A water vessel carrier for a vehicle hitch, said vessel carrier comprising:

an elongated support having a lower portion configured to engage a vehicle hitch and an upper portion that is configured to support an intermediate section of a vessel held by the vessel carrier;

a rigid tip receiver pivotally coupled with the lower portion of the elongated support and defining an opening sized and shaped to insertably receive a tip section of the vessel with the tip section extending through the tip receiver; and

the elongated support having an upper portion configured to support an intermediate section of the vessel in an upright orientation;

wherein the tip receiver is pivotable from an initial tip-receiving orientation with the vessel in a lateral orientation, to a transport-ready orientation with the vessel supported in the upright orientation, in response to raising the vessel from the lateral orientation to the upright orientation with the tip section of the vessel inserted into the opening of the tip receiver.

8. The vessel carrier of claim 7 , wherein the tip receiver comprises a continuous loop of material extending around the opening.

9. The vessel carrier of claim 7 , comprising two of the rigid tip receivers independently pivotally coupled to opposite sides of the lower portion of the elongated support.

10. The vessel carrier of claim 7 , wherein the upper portion comprises:

a rearward protruding section configured to provide inboard lateral support for the intermediate section of the vessel in the upright orientation;

a laterally arranged member extending outboard from rearward protruding section and configured to provide rearward support to the intermediate section of the vessel in the upright orientation; and

a forward protruding section configured to provide outboard lateral support for the intermediate section of the vessel in the upright orientation.

11. The vessel carrier of claim 10 , wherein the rearward protruding section extends above the laterally arranged member and the forward protruding section.