Taveling with Canoes and Kayaks with your 5'er

[FireRob]

The short and sweet question is:

Anyone ever mounted a canoe or kayak anywhere on or inside your FW?

The long question for those who like to know the details:

One of these days we are going to upgrade from our TT to a FW. I have a 15 foot long canoe I like to take with us on our trips to fish out of. One day I plan on adding a second canoe and/or kayak or two to the fleet. I currently have been using a big full length ladder rack on my truck that I mount the canoe on. Problem is obviously if and when we upgrade to a FW I cant use the rack any more. We (Mostly me) would love a Toy Hauler and that would solve all the problems but we (mostly my wife) just are not fond of the floor plans (or price) of most of the TH we have looked at. Anyone ever mounted a canoe or kayak anywhere on or inside your FW? On the roof, would be my first thought.... Got any pictures and details on how you did it? Or would do it?

The canoe gets dirty and wet and would prefer not to find a way to store it inside the FW assuming I could find a way to get it in there.

Thanks,
Robert

[rickeoni]

Cummins12V98 wrote:
Advanced Elements makes one and two person inflatable QUALITY kayaks.

Had those, keep em for guest now. Went with proper kayaks, so much better.

Rick

[Bowti]

This works for us. We get a lot of campers that check it out and ask questions.

[Cummins12V98]

Advanced Elements makes one and two person inflatable QUALITY kayaks.

[dewey02]

avvidclif1 wrote:

dewey02 wrote:
I don't mount a canoe or kayak on my trailer, but I do mount a 12 foot rowboat.

That could work if your trailer is not already at the legal max width of 8 1/2'

It does work for me, as my trailer is just under the legal width when the boat is attached.

[avvidclif1]

dewey02 wrote:
I don't mount a canoe or kayak on my trailer, but I do mount a 12 foot rowboat.

That could work if your trailer is not already at the legal max width of 8 1/2'

[rickeoni]

Halmfamily wrote:
We use a Yakima roof rack on the truck and 2 sets of J cradles to carry our 12' kayaks. Keep on an eye on Craigslist and you might get a great deal. I paid $75 for a 1 year old set.

Am thinking of doing the same thing, can you post pictures?

Rick

[Halmfamily]

We use a Yakima roof rack on the truck and 2 sets of J cradles to carry our 12' kayaks. Keep on an eye on Craigslist and you might get a great deal. I paid $75 for a 1 year old set.

[dewey02]

I don't mount a canoe or kayak on my trailer, but I do mount a 12 foot rowboat.

[WE_CAMP2]

I carry 2 10' kayaks on the roof of my crew cab on a pair of Yakima cross bars, if I went with any longer kayaks I would have to go with a front goalpost set up.

[schlep1967]

We have 2 kayaks in the 10 foot range. The design of our 5th wheel allows me to get them in the door and up the steps to the bedroom. I put towels across the bed and a ratchet strap under the plywood that the mattress sits on. Lay one kayak on the bed and the other on top of it and strap them in. Storing them inside on the bed does require me cleaning them up after use.

[csamayfield55x]

I am in this dilemma right now. We borrowed some kayaks last summer and really enjoyed them but how do I get them anywhere with the 5er? My buddy just stuffs his inside but they won't fit inside of mine.

I am looking at 2 different solutions. One is a front receiver with a custom forward rack off my flatbed. This seems pretty easy but just loos kinda tacky. My other solution is a rear mounted vertical kayak rack. I have seen pictures and this looks like the direction I am leaning. Probably won't work for a canoe though

Chris

[Padlin]

I don't have a picture but I put one of the canoes on the roof of the truck. I use the Thule roof rack with the optional canoe rack. You would have to measure from the front of the trailer to the center of the cab to see how much room you have. Obviously it needs to be about half the canoes length. I couldn't do it with anything other then the long bed. The canoe I have been using is a solo boat at 14'6", been leaving roughly 6-12"s between the canoe and the trailer. I could certainly do a 15'er, it would just hang out front a bit more.

The only issue I have is lifting it up there, I've got a 16' fiberglass that I would not be able to handle, at least not by myself.

Unfortunately, I do not see one available for your truck.

[rjsurfer]

I have a front hitch on my Dodge Cummins and put a "T" mount up front to carry one or two kayaks. I also have a single bar going across the cab roof.

No problem with visibility.

Putting them up on rack is easy for two and doable for one.

RON W