F-150 Kayak Rack

Just upgraded my kayak hauler from a Ranger to a 2012 F-150. Needless to say the height difference is substantial. I used an Oak Orchards #2 rear rack on the Ranger and it worked well. Any reccomendation on a kayak rack setup for a large pickup?

Thanks

trac rac
And maybe a stool.



Ryan L.

Combination
Single Thule/Yakima bar on the cab with a surf pad (add a fairing so you have space for cool stickers - like The-River-Connection.com reflective oval). On the rear of the bed either a full size Yakima Sportsman or Thule makes a tailgate riding surf pad/strap arrangement of which the name is escaping me at the moment. This’ll provide about 9’ of bar spread. Carry the kayak cockpit down. Definitely use a bow tie down if you are using the tailgate pad arrangement.



See you on the water,

Marshall

The River Connection, Inc.

Hyde Park, NY

www.the-river-connection.com

Hudsonriverpaddler.org

Malone Telos loading system
I use this with a full size pickup 4x4 (quite high). Works quite well.

Or tailgate it
A customer of mine uses a full size Chevy Silverado and she puts down the tailgate, plops a shaggy bathmat over the tailgate to slide the kayak up while hauling it from standing in the bed up to and over the front bar and then slides the kayak back over the rear. She has the dance worked out quite well.



See you on the water,

Marshall

The River Connection, Inc.

Hyde Park, NY

www.the-river-connection.com

hudsonriverpaddler.org

I made my own from 2"x6" cut to fit
the stake pockets. Held together by house hurricane anchors, It served for years.

When using hubby’s F150 Super
Crew with a short box, we install his “Extend-a-truck” and have hauled up to 14’ kayaks.

Works for us when needed.

Slide up tailgate
I have a Frontier crew cab which is not as big as the 150. I have big heavy rec tandem and do the “slide it up tailgate” method to get it up and into the saddles. Thule “water slide” is a pad that I use to protect the tailgate edge or you could rig up something homemade like bath mat. Rest front of boat on edge of tailgate, go to back and push it up into saddles. Mine goes right up no problem. Could also use a 2nd person acting as guide with rope off front end of boat.



I keep a 2 foot alum. step ladder to help get to some spots on tie downs.

I Have Yakima Outdoorsman on F-150
Some folks like a rack on bed, one on cab. I drive a lot of bumpy gravel roads and feel you get more hull twist that way. It’s a bit tall for shorter folks, so I bring a stool just in case a shorter person helps me. Most of the time, though, I just carry it to rack, place bow on rack, then slide it on.



http://www.pbase.com/ozarkpaddler/image/141247728

Me 150 wit a coompleecation…
a cap…



http://tinyurl.com/829enqg



FE

Racks for a truck can be tough to get
I use the bed of the truck to haul stuff most of the time , so I made a rack out of 1 1/2" X 1" aluminum tube attached to the roof with bolts thru the roof sheet metal in the factory holes that are located in the caulk seams on the roof. This is a bad photo, not showing how it was built, but it gives you a different idea than is what is usually found thru commercial vendors.

if your interested
I have a trac rack set for sale thats like new… they are heavy duty racks

Yakima front

– Last Updated: Dec-23-12 9:44 AM EST –

and this TT-2 Castle Craft rack for the bed of my Tundra and I like it a lot. The back rack is very adjustable - width and height and includes slide out loading assist bars that are helpful. Mine has held up extremely well to heavy use and lots of weather exposure. Highly recommended. You do have to pay attention to the mounting situation on your particular truck and whether mounting will work given your particular rail and bedliner situation.

http://www.castlecraft.com/truck_racks.htm