Why hasn't this been invented yet, or has it?

I would find it useful to have some sort of rod, oriented vertically like an antenna, affixed to the front of my bumper to the same height (maybe an inch more) as my kayak when it is on top of my pickup. I am just a bit worried about scraping my kayak on a low parking deck ceiling. My girlfriend lightly scratched my kayak doing this, and I have been in a couple of decks without my kayak where my saddles got twisted backwards by hitting something. Maybe there is some sort of DIY thing I could do, but it would be nice to have some sort of obvious thing I could look at when I am worried that would tell me whether the clearance is not sufficient.

It’s already been invented. Just look at the pilot vehicle leading most of the tall, oversize loads being transported on major highways. Theirs are a little more sophisticated (using electronic alarms to alert the driver), but I used to see exactly the device you are talking about attached to the front bumpers of pickup trucks carrying extra-tall campers or trailers, but that was back in the days when pickup trucks had bumpers that you could easily attach stuff to.

I’m not doing a search to see if such a thing is still commercially available for your application, on the assumption that you already have. With today’s truck bumpers being so “refined” in shape, you won’t be able to simply bolt something with lots of contact surface to the top of the bumper, like people did in the old days, and you will need lots of contact surface since today’s truck bumpers are made of such flimsy material (there will be a lot of leverage for the wind to use to deform the mounting location, otherwise). To get decent contact area, you’ll need something with a very customized fit. A welding shop can come up with something for that, if you can’t yourself, but it will probably be many times easier to attach it to the frame instead (again, talk to a welding shop). For the upright section, an old-style two-meter-band mobile ham radio antenna, trimmed to length, would probably be perfect, but I have no idea if those are still available (and if they are, you certainly wouldn’t want to pay full price for a new one). Maybe just use a piece of conduit or light pipe, or make use of the telescoping handle of a roof rake. Finally, I’d make the top couple of feet from thinner, flexible material (basically it would be very thick wire, 1/8th to 3/16ths of an inch or so in thickness), so nothing gets stressed if you do make contact with an overhead obstruction.

One other thing: I think you want well over an inch of leeway between the height of your contact indicator and the top surface of your boats. On a slightly uneven driving surface, your overall height could easily change an inch or so as you drive the little bit of distance it takes to put your boats where the indicator has already been. Except on a perfectly smooth and level driving surface, one inch of leeway is probably cutting it too close.

My solution was to take an accurate measurement of the maximum height of my kayaks on top of my SUV then add a couple of inches. I then made up a plastic label with the height in a bright colour with a P-touch machine and affixed it to the back of my driver sunshade. If I am approaching a low bridge or a parking garage (I’ve never taken my kayaks into a parking garage but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that isn’t marked for height clearance) I can flip down the sunshade to check if I can fit under. I’d never remember the height without the label.

It’s not as good a solution as yours but it’s easier and far less intrusive.

In your case you might look into CB Radio antennas. Some of them mount magnetically and telescope so you could deploy it only when you have boats on the truck.

@kfbrady said:
My solution was to take an accurate measurement of the maximum height of my kayaks on top of my SUV then add a couple of inches. I then made up a plastic label with the height in a bright colour with a P-touch machine and affixed it to the back of my driver sunshade. If I am approaching a low bridge or a parking garage (I’ve never taken my kayaks into a parking garage but I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that isn’t marked for height clearance) I can flip down the sunshade to check if I can fit under. I’d never remember the height without the label.

It’s not as good a solution as yours but it’s easier and far less intrusive.

In your case you might look into CB Radio antennas. Some of them mount magnetically and telescope so you could deploy it only when you have boats on the truck.

What an awesome idea. I don’t go into garages or through a drive-thru with my kayak on top, but my Yakima rack stays on all the time and definitely adds height to my SUV. I have measured before, but never wrote it down. Now I will, and attach the measurement to my visor. Thanks for the tip?

Don’t always believe the heights you see. The parking ramp at the airport says 6’2" It has been repaved. Now it is closer to 6’. Can’t take my truck in there at all

The height limiter bar (usually a horizontal pipe) at the parking garage entrance is supposed to hit the kayak and let you know. Just like the height limiter bar at drive thru.

Know your exact height like a trucker but don’t leave an inch clearance. Don’t forget about speed bumps.

Overstreet - I’m pretty sure that the max height of my kayak is the coaming, so it wouldn’t be of much use until I was halfway into the garage. On more than one occasion, without my kayak, I didn’t even know I hit one of those things until later in the day when I saw my saddle has twisted around the bar its mounted on, or until I look into my rearview to see the limiter bar swinging from it’s chains.

I do like the idea of putting the height on my visor. I got halfway into a garage this year, with a car behind me, and then had to awkwardly extricate myself.

Well if you must look at escort vehicle supplies, google. Then look at “high pole” sticks, mounts, flags, etc.
Here is one company…(don’t know 'em)… http://pilotcarsuperstore.com/high-poles-and-acc

Friend of a friend just hit a height bar at a garage. Bow went over bar and bent the composite kayak fairly good. Brand new expensive 5-6 grand with shipping composite kayak. From pictures I see it is repairable and not that bad popped back to form from buckling but bad if you know what I mean. Anyone ever have insurance on car pick up the tab for something on the roof or homeowners policy. Long shot be hey worth looking at.

@PaddleDog52 said:
Friend of a friend just hit a height bar at a garage. Bow went over bar and bent the composite kayak fairly good. Brand new expensive 5-6 grand with shipping composite kayak. From pictures I see it is repairable and not that bad popped back to form from buckling but bad if you know what I mean. Anyone ever have insurance on car pick up the tab for something on the roof or homeowners policy. Long shot be hey worth looking at.

When i checked into it, there was something like a $2k limit for claims. You can usually pay a small amount for a rider that covers you entirely against loss and damage. All insurance companies will differ, so speak with yours.

thanks