Canoe's And Trucks

[Chief Grey Bear]

The two straps on the sides just keeps that rack from wobbling back and forth...pretty poorly designed. But you can't beat free...thanks KC! It's better than nothing, and keeps a lot of the pressure off the roof. The third strap down the middle holds the canoe to the rack. Two more straps in front to the tow hooks. Rock solid.

Ron's canoe is a beauty. I'd be too worried about damaging it to use it. I like plastic bathtubs that I don't think twice about beating the hell out of.

Remember this one? Whatever works! LOL

Yes I remember that very well. Good times!!

[Al Agnew]

Eric, if there had only been racks on that truck you could have carried FIVE canoes!

Even if you have to build your own, racks are the way to go because it keeps the truck bed open to carry all your other stuff. I always hate having to carry a canoe with the tailgate down because you can't set anything in the bed outside of the canoe or it will be in danger of sliding right out the back. I kinda like the idea of building your own to fit inside the bed, so that you can just take the rack system out of the bed when you're not using it.

I actually miss using a pickup to carry canoes. With the rack system I had, I could set up the racks in two minutes, pile on one or two canoes, and tie them down securely in about five minutes. Now with an SUV, putting on the Yakima racks takes a good ten minutes, and the canoes are up there high enough that a vertically challenged person like me has to climb up and balance on the inside door handle twice, once on each side of the car, to tie them down. The whole thing seems to take 20 minutes.

[KCRIVERRAT]

Eric, if there had only been racks on that truck you could have carried FIVE canoes!

Even if you have to build your own, racks are the way to go because it keeps the truck bed open to carry all your other stuff. I always hate having to carry a canoe with the tailgate down because you can't set anything in the bed outside of the canoe or it will be in danger of sliding right out the back. I kinda like the idea of building your own to fit inside the bed, so that you can just take the rack system out of the bed when you're not using it.

I actually miss using a pickup to carry canoes. With the rack system I had, I could set up the racks in two minutes, pile on one or two canoes, and tie them down securely in about five minutes. Now with an SUV, putting on the Yakima racks takes a good ten minutes, and the canoes are up there high enough that a vertically challenged person like me has to climb up and balance on the inside door handle twice, once on each side of the car, to tie them down. The whole thing seems to take 20 minutes.

That hitch extender in the pic's perfect for me. It takes seconds, not minutes to put on or take off. Heck... any of you guys who are much more ambitious than me could make an extender your self but I bought mine from Cabela's for just over $100 at the time. I'm a "keystone cop" kinda guy anyway, but my wife and I certainly played the part the first time we loaded the canoe useing the rig that Eric now has. I've got a rubber mat in the bed of the truck and nothing slides around. And of course, a bunch of gear can be stored inside the canoe while traveling as well as outside of it (in the bed).

[Chief Grey Bear]

Eric, if there had only been racks on that truck you could have carried FIVE canoes! Even if you have to build your own, racks are the way to go because it keeps the truck bed open to carry all your other stuff. I always hate having to carry a canoe with the tailgate down because you can't set anything in the bed outside of the canoe or it will be in danger of sliding right out the back.

I have always done it that way and haven't lost anything. That I know of.

[Mark]

My permanent rack is similar to the homemade model shown. Yeah, sure easy unloading and especially loading after a long day. Throw it on top, strap it down, and you're on the road in 5 minutes. I paid a welding shop $250 to outfit my truck and no regrets. I plan on keeping the truck until it dies.

Al, you may be vertically challenged but still have good hang time!

[mic]

"I get compliments everwhere I haul it."

Teacher's Pet...

[et84]

Just echoing others, but a rack is the way to go. We built our wooden rack last year, this thing is a TANK, will easily hold 4 boats. Holes were drilled for aerodynamic purposes- it caught a lot of wind the first trip out. *Watch out for drive thru's, though.

[mic]

How are feet attached to the bed?

[et84]

How are feet attached to the bed?

The yellow strap in the pic is a huge ratcheting tie-down. It runs under the bed, comes up between the bed and cab. Not the prettiest, but no holes were drilled and the rack can be removed fairly easily. The rack has to be "dropped" in at an angle, and the feet wedge very tightly against the inside of the bed, the strap is just for extra security. There's another frame around the bottom of the rack similar to the top, not just four legs.

[mic]

Thanks