load from teh side
I have an F-150 which I put Quick N’ Easy racks on.
I don’t do the load at the back and slide the boat forward trick.
I pick up the boat and get it on my shoulders, usually starting with boat next to and parrallel to the truck so I don’t rave to walk far, then I just set the bow in place on the front rack, gunnel walk my hands to the stern, and move the stern onto the rear rack. Though I’ll admit I don’t do that with an 80lb boat, mostly just solos that max at 60 lbs.
That works well with a canoe - never tried it with a kayak.
On my Hi Top Conversion Van I Use
a set of 66" yakima round bars, insert a loading bar in one side of the back rack and slide on a swim noodle or pipe insulation. Yak sells them but 1/2" galvanized pipe slides into my Yak bars tight too. Just use one long enough to enter the bar at least 12" and leave enough out (±4’) for the boat. Then rest one end of my yaks or noes on the loading bar and the other on a piece of carpet pad to protect and hold the the nose in place. Using a flat folding, 3step kitchen stool, I lift the other end up, swing it onto the front bar. Then slide the back end off the loading bar onto the rear rack, tie it all down and go. Can store the loading bar inside the Yak bar if you attach the Yak endcap to the pipe (or a pipe cap) so you can get it out. Sounds a bit complex but actually pretty easy and have many miles on it. I also insert 1/2" pipe sections into my Yak rack ends to extend their width for 3-boat wide loads. R
I do it the same way
"I pick up the boat and get it on my shoulders, usually starting with boat next to and parrallel to the truck so I don’t rave to walk far, then I just set the bow in place on the front rack, gunnel walk my hands to the stern, and move the stern onto the rear rack. "
I load 16 and 17-foot sea kayaks with this method with no problems.
Yakima Boat Loader Bar
I use the slide out Yakima BoatLoader on my truck. It works really well for me. You slide the bar out when you want to load the canoe and then back in when you’re ready to go. With the bar, I portage the canoe up along the side of the truck, set the one end of the canoe on the loader bar, well away from the side of the truck and any risk of scratching the paint. Then I set the other end down on the ground, step out from under the canoe and walk around to pick up the end comfortably.
______________________________
Rob
www.loonislandoutdoors.com
Sounds good
Well it sounds like its not as big of a problem as I thought it may be. Ive been used to loading the boats on my Cherokee. I can just lift them over my head and lay them in the cradles and saddles. Ive been truck shopping and trying to decide if I want a fullsized truck or a smaller one. A fullsize will fit the rest of my lifestyle better, the only reason I was shying away from a fullsize is I wasnt sure how hard it would be to load and unload the boats. I feel better now that I know people are doing it. Ive got all Thule stuff now, I think I’ll try to stay with that. Im thinking about mounting artificial gutters on the cap when I get it. I already have everything to do that although I may have to get longer load bars.
Any thoughts on the use of artificial rain gutters on a fiberglass cap?
I don’t have any problem with
my 18ft canoe on my RAM 3500.
Artifical rain gutters
Yakima sells a piece that substitutes for a rain gutter…put one in each corner. Like drilling a hole in the canoe, it’s always the first hole that hurts the most. They attach with bolts and silicone sealant.
When I owned my Rangers, that is what I used. Never had a problem, and was able to carry a lot of boats.
-rs
gutter mounts
You can get two types of gutter mounts. One that goes on the top of your cap and one that goes on the side of your cap. The advantage of the side mounted type is that you can mount them so that the rack will set lower over the cap then the top mounted style will allow for. Only a couple of inches difference but might be a consideration for getting in and out of some gargage door openings. Make sure that when you mount them that you leave enough room under the bar so that attachements will still fit on the bars. Hope this makes sense.
Thule gutter mounts
Ive already got a set of Thule artificial gutters, they can be mounted horizontally or vertically. Everything else I need I can move over from my Cherokee system (except maybe the load bars)
Or get the tracks for adjustable span
If you have not bought the topper, you can order an option with some brands for two T-slot tracks running almost the full length of the topper roof. Buy the appropriate “landing pads” from Yakima (and probably Thule) and you can adjust the crossbar spread.
On my 6-ft bed, the topper roof provides a span of almost 5 ft. It’s an A.R.E. topper, and I’m almost positive that Leer offers the same option.
Kari-Tek
Check out the Kari-Tek “ELRR” (Easy Load Roof Rack). Its very popular in the European market and will soon be available here in the U.S.
http://www.karitek.co.uk/ELRRIntroMulti.html
We’ve got 2 demo units on our vehicles and will be at ECCKF next month
(VirginiaSeaKayakCenter.com)
I keep looking at those artificial
gutters that have been on my truck cap since 1999 and they look awful but they are solid.
As I sleep inside the back of the truck and have weathered lots of rain, I would have noticed any leakage. Not yet.
But the pistons that hold the glass on the cap up wore out…Ouch.
Invest in a three step ladder
and keep it in the truck. Rollers and loading from the back would be the easiest option.
I load mine
on a compact pickup cab…woks great. Throw em on top and strap them down till the roof buckles ever so slightly
Maybe two
I ran over my ladder after loading my boat…forgot it was there after I tied all the straps.
Bummer.
Loading that 'yak
I have a S-10 4x4 and my preference is load from the side standing on a heavy duty milk crate, my santee 116 is only 36#'s,and using my foam v-pads because I can slide them closer to the loading edge–while in Florida I use a regular kayak rack because I try to go out every other day while i’m here and load from behind by just throwing my front floor mat on the fiberglass top and lifting it up and sliding it on—I’ve seen some outfits down here in the keys come from New York State that are as tall as an 18 wheeler road tractor. I just cant see how they could possibly load and unload them in a safe manner and I never ask either how they do it–
Tail dragger
Load from the back. Place the kayak at an angle to the rear of the truck. Use a tag line from the truck to the stern so the kayak cant slip back and some padding or a tail dragger at the stern. Lift the bow onto the rear saddle then lift the stern and shove forward. Reverse for unloading. If you are on a ramp or hill park the truck facing down slope. That will shorten the angle and make it safer and easier to load. You are never lifting more than half the kayak at one time. The rear saddle needs to be very close to the back of the truck. A tail dragger is a set of wheels that attaches to the stern of the kayak.
Ok, Im convinced
Now that I see others who make it easy to load on top, I went ahead and bought it this morning. An 06 F150 4X4 with 8’bed. Now to go cap shopping.
– Last Updated: Mar-15-09 9:59 AM EST –
http://www.amagansettbeachco.com/indexrl.asp?Type=RL
rayh, click the button at the link to read Sea Kayaker magazine review--the reviewer uses it with a truck canopy, i.e. topper. He tells how.
You might be able to make somthing like this from axle and suction cups, esp if using atop the canopy/cap/topper.
G'luck.
ANOTHER WAY
Check out Harbor freight, and mabe Northern Tools.
I bought a bolt on, under bumper receiver hitch, and a bed extender.
I’ve carried 14, 12, and 10 footers using it.
This is with a 6 foot truck bed and a bed tool box also.
Luckily, I have a harbor Freight at the end of my street, so there was no shipping, and I could wait until they went on sale.