Have truck, have canoe - how to put canoe on truck?

[RobertN]

I have a Dodge pick em up truck, long bed extra cab 4x4.
I have canoe, 16'.
I have some pads for canoe

Any of you guys haul a canoe on a truck without a rack?

I have hauled this one a number of times before, but I used a utility trailer. I put the canoe on the trailer. I want to use the canoe, but not take the utility trailer. My thought was to rest the canoe on the cab, using the pads. Then use straps from front of canoe to front bumper and another set from back of canoe to tie points in the bed.

I can't lift it on top of the cab by myself. It is too high to lift, and heavy, for my wife to help. A rack for the truck is not an option at the moment, although eventually I would like some kind of rack so I could take the canoe when we use the 5th wheel.

Here is a pic of the truck. Note I do NOT have the 5th wheel hooked up; just best picture I have at the moment.

 

[bcp]

Crossbar on roof, another up from front bumper, and a short canoe.

Truck-5th wheel-canoe

Bruce

 

[RobertN]

That is something I want eventually. For right now though, I do not have the 5th wheel hooked up; it is only picture I have at the moment.

 

[HHR]

Drop tailgate, pull front of canoe into the front left corner of bed. Secure front and put a strap around canoe towards rear cinched to the right side near bumper. Add a flag to the far end of the canoe and you are done. As long as you have an 8 foot bed you will be fine.

 

[bcp]

Put the front bumper post rack on the rear bumper when the 5th wheel isn't going along.

https://www.usrack.com/extend_a_truck.php

Bruce

 

[bcp]

You can use a side mount ladder rack.

Cross Tread Moonlighter Series Ladder Rack | VehicleFx.com

Ladder Rack - 250 Lb. Capacity Truck Ladder Rack

Bruce

 

[MossRoad]

As mentioned, if the bed is 8' long and the canoe is 16', just drop the tailgate down and your bed is over 9' long, or more than 1/2 the canoe length. Slide it into the bed corner, strap the front down good against that corner. Put your gear in the front of the canoe for more front weight, and strap the back of the canoe with two straps, one to each rear corner of your bed and you're good to go. The front of the canoe can't move because its wedged and strapped into the corner of the bed. The rear of the canoe can't move because its secured to both sides of the bed. I do a similar thing with my canoe in my Suburban.... remove the rear seat, fold down the middle seat, slide it in up between the two front seats and strap it to the seat mounts. Run two straps to each door frame, put a bungee between the doors so they stay snug against the canoe, throw my gear in the front of the canoe and off I go! :thumbsup:

 

[KevT]

What you want to do is a true PIA! You say you have pads, are they the V-shaped ones? You strap them to the front and rear of the cab (open the doors and run it all the way around). Drop the tail gate and place a large towel or piece of carpet on the back of the cab, load the canoe into the bed, lift the front of the boat up to the towel and slide it into place. The towel keeps the boat from scratching the truck. Once on the pads, secure the boat the same way you did the pads and add front and rear ties to the bumpers. IMPORTANT!!! YOU MUST USE ALL 3 POINTS OF STRAPPING. This will still take 2 people to do. One to guide, and one to push.

Even with a roof rack it will take 2 people. Unless you invest big money into a "Thule Hullavator", and if you are going to do that, you might as well invest into a lift system to mount it on top of the 5th wheel ( I have seen a couple of them). Personally I have 18' kayaks that are much lighter, a one person lift rack out of England, and have a bumper pull camping trailer. Warning, both my system or the Thule will cost you about $1200 - $1500.

My suggestions are to trade the canoe in for smaller kayaks, rent boats where you go camping saving the canoe to use closer to home.

 

[sixdogs]

I've had the best luck with dropping the tailgate and putting the canoe on an angle. Works great.

The roof thing without a bracket can either scratch or dent the roof (I've done both) or the pad you put down can whip in the wind and damage the paint. A roof rack makes sense. You could also build a 2x4 framework off the bed sockets and toss canoe on top of that.


In a pinch you could try the "water ready" method below and still have the fifth wheel.

 

[HCJtractor]

I wouldn't put mine in my bed. A roof rack is ideal. But without that I would buy the readily available canoe pads, thick foam with grooves , that clip to the gunwales and protect your roof. They are very cheap and available most anywhere that sell canoes. Then I would buy or weld the simple trailer hitch extension that would support the rear. This may even be available at harbor freight, or if not, they sell the parts that could be welded or even bolted together pretty easily. This method would be more secure and leave your bed free, and not hang off the back 8 feet. I have a tool box in my long bed. My canoe is 17 feet long. No way would I try to carry it in the bed when the pads and rear trailer hitch post is so easy. And it's easy to load it by yourself. I do it all the time.