We have an extra long 18" wide piece of carpet that we roll out before taking our Pamlico 13.5 tandem off our pickup. I lay it out and then put the stern onto it as I slide it off the truck. The stern drags on the carpet instead of concrete, gravel, rocks or asphalt. When I load, I just reverse the process. Works great and saves the bottom of our kayak. See attached photos.
3 Likes
Carpet needs to be RED
2 Likes
Really nice! You are an Honorary Cajun Engineer!
Or just pick it up. The way to save your kayak is to beach it parallel to shore, so that the whole hull is supported when it is loaded.
Well, My wife and I are 71 years old and the kayak weighs 73 pounds so, “picking it up” is not an option. I just drag it up onto the first cross beam, then shove until the weight is more on the front beam, then climb up and anchor.
5 Likes
You know, I really did not get it until I went to tell my wife what you wrote…THEN it dawned on me…The Red Carpet ! Good one!
2 Likes
That’s a familiar story. I’m 70 plus and the new truck was 7 ft just to the old bars. Qruiser got tired of climbing up in bed of truck. We switched to adjustable Thule racks and Hulivators. We don’t have to get in /on the bed. Our boats weigh in at 62 and 65 pounds.
1 Like
My friend used to say there is more than one way to skin an armadillo.
I love all the different ideas I have found here using the search tool for loading and unloading paddleboats.
I’m 65 and if I would have seen how I do things now when I was 25 I wouldn’t have thought that was future me. But then again I used to see my dad rigging things up so I guess I got it from him.
I say whatever works and the more ideas I see I tuck them away for future use. 
1 Like
Well done with creative thinking!
1 Like
Think like an Egyptian building pyramids. 68.5 years dumb loading a 22’ Libra XT at 100 lb. on an Ford Excursion.
with a rubber backed bath mat.I had a leftover rubber floor tile, the kind they put in gym workout rooms, 24" x 24". I drilled a couple holes in it and threw a short bungee in them. When loading my boat alone, I hang it on the stern; the bungee makes it form a “U” under the boat. Like a taco with my boat’s stern as the filling. Then I don’t have to worry about the boat sliding off the protective surface as I load it because the protective surface comes WITH the boat when it moves.
3 Likes