How do you get a a canoe on your truck?

[ADK_Camper]

I already have a cartop carrier that will fit on my Toyota Tundra, but I can't see a practcal way to get a 17 foot 75 pound Grumman Standard canoe up there, I'm only 5' 10" and my wife is even shorter; the cab roof is considearably higher. Any suggestions to easily and safely get the job done?

[EcoBullet]

I have struggled with that one until recently. I have Yakima 78" bars on the cab and an 80 lb 16 foot canoe. I always tried to center the canoe on the bars from front or back and end up beating up the hood or the top of the cab, plus being in a strain. I recently discovered that if I "portage" the canoe up to the rear of the truck slightly off to the side, I can slide the bow of the canoe onto the part of the rear rack that extends past the side of the cab. Then I set the stern down on the ground, with the canoe touching the side of the truck bed. Then I walk around to the stern, pick it up, and walk up the "old man steps" while sliding the canoe forward onto both bars.

[PapaJim]

Look into Malone Roof Racks. Works for us.

[Downwindtracke1]

I don't see the problem. If it's a canoe you have had to portage, even if it's just from the parking lot to the water. Instead of leaning against a tree branch, lean it on the roof rack and push. It would help if there was some sort of roller. You will need a 3stepper to tie down, though.

I have a boatloader for the tinny, but when I take one of the canoes, that is how it gets up there. Mind you, when I bought the freighter, I got a Kelvar 60#.The salesman asked "How else can you feel 20years younger?"

[forthefunofit94]

Get a Hullavator by Thule. It is a piston assist system that you load on the side of your truck and lift with one hand to get on your roof. Works like a charm. After my stroke, I got this for my kayaks.

[dave54]

Mine is 16' 60 lbs.

I have a Yakima rack.

I can put it up and take it down myself, but is a real struggle. DW helping makes a lot easier.

[_1nobby]

westend wrote:
#1nobby,
How much flat area do you have on the back of the Tango? Is there a ladder back there?
There are a few on the Forum that have used the back of the trailer for rackage.

The back is ALL flat....no windows or anything...including a ladder.

But my canoe is heavy and 16 ft. long.

[mbopp]

lakeside013104 wrote:

camp-n-family wrote:
I had a generic rack on my Tundra (one at each end of bed) and was always able to mount the canoe myself. Actually found it easier to do with one person. I would lift one end of the canoe up and walk it up until the end sat on the rear rack, other end of canoe stayed on the ground. Then I would lift the other end and push it to slide it on enough that the far end of the canoe was over the front rack. Then I could get in the bed and slide it around as needed.

I use the same rack and method for my even taller Ram.

This method works for me. Have loaded canoes on my truck this way for years. One of my canoes was a homemade 20' cedar strip that weighed just over 100 pounds. Lifting one end at a time is manageable and easy enough to control even in slightly windy conditions.

Lakeside

+2 on this method. It works for me to get a 16' Royalex canoe on my F150 w/ Yakima Outdoorsman racks.

[lakeside013104]

camp-n-family wrote:
I had a generic rack on my Tundra (one at each end of bed) and was always able to mount the canoe myself. Actually found it easier to do with one person. I would lift one end of the canoe up and walk it up until the end sat on the rear rack, other end of canoe stayed on the ground. Then I would lift the other end and push it to slide it on enough that the far end of the canoe was over the front rack. Then I could get in the bed and slide it around as needed.

I use the same rack and method for my even taller Ram.

This method works for me. Have loaded canoes on my truck this way for years. One of my canoes was a homemade 20' cedar strip that weighed just over 100 pounds. Lifting one end at a time is manageable and easy enough to control even in slightly windy conditions.

Lakeside

[tatest]

Used to put a 200 pound 14 foot aluminum boat onto the top of a Suburban by leaning the bow of it on the rear rack and pushing. I'm only 5'5" so I needed to climb on a milk crate to deal with tie downs. Spacing of roof racks, location of rear rack are critical if you want to do one man loading.

Kind of how campnfamily describes it, though I had to do it all from rear and sides of vehicle, no bed to climb into.

But that was almost 50 years ago, don't do that stuff today, though I'm pretty sure I could still get your canoe onto racks on the top of my van.

Somebody used to make a swinging arm device for a trailer ball to load boats to the racks atop a vehicle. I bet somebody still does.

[westend]

#1nobby,
How much flat area do you have on the back of the Tango? Is there a ladder back there?
There are a few on the Forum that have used the back of the trailer for rackage.

[_1nobby]

Timely thread.

I want to put my 90lb cedar / canvas canoe onto the roof of my RAM.

I'm thinking a Thule roof rack for the crew cab and then I'm going to "portage" the canoe into the box, using a 2 step ladder to get up and in, and then slide it onto the rack.

Sounds great, eh?

I'm sure it will be a disaster after I pay $400 for the rack. 🙂

[camperfamily]

We have a 17' Old Town which is darn heavy. It goes on the roof of our F350, yakima rack at the back of the cab and a T/ goal post off the front hitch. My DW and I flip it over, set on end over the side of the bed. Wife get in the truck and lifts to roof height wile I lift the other end over my head and walk it around to set down on the T rack. Secure with straps, done. We also carry 3 or 4 bikes on a pin box mounted bike rack on the 5ver. Canoe tail clears the bikes by about 8-10". It all fits, but now I need to add a kayak to the mix. We sure look interesting going down the road! Did I mention the canoe is bright red?

[camp-n-family]

I had a generic rack on my Tundra (one at each end of bed) and was always able to mount the canoe myself. Actually found it easier to do with one person. I would lift one end of the canoe up and walk it up until the end sat on the rear rack, other end of canoe stayed on the ground. Then I would lift the other end and push it to slide it on enough that the far end of the canoe was over the front rack. Then I could get in the bed and slide it around as needed.

I use the same rack and method for my even taller Ram.

[Seamutt]

Check out Innova inflatables, very tough, easy set up and take down and easy to store. I have the Sunny and have great fun with it.