Carrying a canoe while towing a TT?

I built a ladder/pipe type rack using unistrut, so I can dismantle it quickly, I use the foam blocks on the rack and carry my 13.5ft kayak right side up along with a motorcycle in the bed of the truck.


If I was going to haul it across the country I would build some V blocks rather than using the foam blocks.

I just bought a TracRac ($300 at Home Depot) for my Silverado so we can haul our kayaks on our next trip. I've tested it out with two #60, 11' kayaks on top and they seem to ride nicely. Getting up there is a bit of a challenge if I'm doing it alone, but still manageable.

I use the Reese hitch mount for my Scanoe. I mounted the pivot post to my trailer hitch under the sway control ball. This made it easy for me to load/unload without my wife's involvement. I found the wind would move the canoe to much at highway speeds so I added the Malone Big Foot Pro to my Expeditions roof racks and that took care of all the sway. I can provide pics if you PM me your address.

Reese one man hitch mount

Malone Big Foot

I use to carry my Mad River 16 on my Silverado 1500 using the foam blocks. Like in this picture.




But this only worked for short trips because after a while the foam block would compress down and the canoe would end up on the cab and the camper shell and that resulted in scratches on both. The canoe also slide around in high winds no matter how tight I strapped it down. I don't what to use that system on my new truck. I need a much better system.

First Travel Trailer with our Suburban:







First duly pick-up truck with foam supports under the canoe on the roof of the cab:



First duly pick-up truck with my own home made ladder rack, made out of chain link fence pipes, a few long screws, 2x4 wood planks, and wire:



Then we got a real shell, but it did not have a ladder rack. So I made one myself out of chain-link pipe, lots of flattening, and lots of drilling holes for self-tapping metal screws and such. I found lots of uses for those pipe too, but it did carry the canoe just fine!



Then we got a different truck and we got a different construction style shell with the ladder rack already installed. Now we finally arrived:



This shell has been on the last 2 trucks we've had. Unfortunately, I had to take the ladder rack off the shell, because the newest truck bed is over an inch and a half higher that the previous truck. With the ladder rack on, it's now too tall to fit inside my garage door. So I've removed the ladder rack.

We're also getting older and have not used the canoe in the last couple years. It's getting too heavy for me to left now. We've had it 13 years now!

Carry your canoes on the roof of your tow vehicle.

I mount my 17' Grumman standard on roof racks similar to bobndot. For us the biggest problem was raising the 75 lb canoe to the height of the truck roof. I solved the problem by constructing a roller system for the rear roof rack using a length of metal electrical conduit inside a length of PVC pipe. Before hitching the trailer we support the front of the canoe on the raised tail gate while DW supports the back. Then I climb into the truck bed, lift the front of the canoe to the roller. Then we walk the canoe forward until it is centered over the roof racks. Then I remove the roller and secure the canoe to the rack. Centered on the roof, the canoe does not overhang the rear of the truck so hitching the trailer is no problem.

justALnow wrote:
You can see a photo in my profile.

x2

I bought a ladder rack for $100 on Amazon Prime. Just drill 4 holes in the bed rails and you are good to go.

I carry 4 kayaks on it, and it works great.

If money were no object, I would have done what BizmarksMom did. However, funds were limited so I went with a removable ladder rack. I use it successfully with a kayak, but it would work with a canoe.

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