# HELP: way to mount 16' canoe top of my truck



## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

My new truck has a Leer cap on the back, and I ordered it with the Thule tracks and bars, and also bought the Thule canoe rack things that mount on the bars. Last night I tried putting my 16' canoe on top the bars and two crappy things happened that I'm looking for advice on the best way to avoid:

(1) the screws on my gunwales scratched and gouged the coating on my bars (apparently they're not designed for very rough use); and 

(2) the bow of my canoe scratched the top of my truck's cab because it is curved up too far for how high the bars sit on top my cab. I either need to raise the height of how the canoe sits on top the truck cab on the bars, or need padding of some sort. 

Any input on what I can do? Thanks.


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

No longer made, but I have a Thule Slipstream that extends with a roller for my yaks. 

Must place the boat right-side up


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

Shoeman said:


> No longer made, but I have a Thule Slipstream that extends with a roller for my yaks.
> 
> Must place the boat right-side up


Thanks. I was hoping to avoid hull down transportation, but might have to. This is much more of a pain than I thought!


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## Shoeman (Aug 26, 2000)

It sucks!

I took the chock out of my MC trailer and started using it. Just the thought of the yak sliding down my Yukon...


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## burntcabin (Feb 23, 2013)

I've been dragging around lots of long boats for years and the best and simplest method is to have them in the back of your bed, gate down, with a bed extender. If you can get by losing the storage space in the bed, it is cheapest, easiest all around solution. IMHO.


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

A pick up truck should have a ladder rack.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

-Axiom- said:


> A pick up truck should have a ladder rack.


My new truck has a capper on it, so cannot have the type of ladder rack I think you are thinking of, but the bars on top of my capper are supposed to serve essentially the same purpose


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

Lamarsh said:


> My new truck has a capper on it, so cannot have the type of ladder rack I think you are thinking of, but the bars on top of my capper are supposed to serve essentially the same purpose


You can get full size/capacity racks that mount around your cap.


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## tito (Apr 27, 2012)

burntcabin said:


> I've been dragging around lots of long boats for years and the best and simplest method is to have them in the back of your bed, gate down, with a bed extender. If you can get by losing the storage space in the bed, it is cheapest, easiest all around solution. IMHO.


 By far the easiest your in and parked before others can even get the straps off a top load. In reality though 14 ft is about the max in a short bed. With a 16ft should have to run a light on the end at night. Long bed might be OK depending on the cop


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## burntcabin (Feb 23, 2013)

tito said:


> By far the easiest your in and parked before others can even get the straps off a top load. In reality though 14 ft is about the max in a short bed. With a 16ft should have to run a light on the end at night. Long bed might be OK depending on the cop


No way. I've been dragging 17' and longer boats in the back of my extended cab Silverado 1500 with the short bed and bed extender for years. 16 years. 6 aluminum 16.9 footers is my record. Usually two, sometimes three. I do this every month all year long - old boy scout schedule. Never been stopped, never been questioned. Always use flags... Thats 4000 river miles I've paddled and I live in SE michigan, typically driving 3-4 hours on the weekend each way every month. Never had an issue. Those are just the facts.

I'm not saying I'm breaking the law - I'm just saying I've been all over the midwest paddling and never had an issue.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

burntcabin said:


> I've been dragging around lots of long boats for years and the best and simplest method is to have them in the back of your bed, gate down, with a bed extender. If you can get by losing the storage space in the bed, it is cheapest, easiest all around solution. IMHO.





tito said:


> By far the easiest your in and parked before others can even get the straps off a top load. In reality though 14 ft is about the max in a short bed. With a 16ft should have to run a light on the end at night. Long bed might be OK depending on the cop





burntcabin said:


> No way. I've been dragging 17' and longer boats in the back of my extended cab Silverado 1500 with the short bed and bed extender for years.


I do it this way too, and it is the easiest, but sometimes I need my bed space on certain trips, which is why I got the bars on top of my capper. Agreed though, loading in the bed is the easiest, even with a 16' canoe.


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## Scadsobees (Sep 21, 2006)

I got a little fold-up trailer from Harbor Freight. Two straps and that canoe isn't moving. $3-$400 (and an afternoon of puzzle assembly)
Saves on vehicle scratches, not to mention back and arm pain, just drop it on, versus the clean and jerk needed to get the beast up above head level. 
It takes about 5 minutes to tighten down the straps, slap it on the hitch, and away we go.

Nice thing is that it's expandable...I can get 4 kayaks on it, or 3 yaks and the canoe.


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## tito (Apr 27, 2012)

burntcabin said:


> No way. I've been dragging 17' and longer boats in the back of my extended cab Silverado 1500 with the short bed and bed extender for years. 16 years. 6 aluminum 16.9 footers is my record. Usually two, sometimes three. I do this every month all year long - old boy scout schedule. Never been stopped, never been questioned. Always use flags... Thats 4000 river miles I've paddled and I live in SE michigan, typically driving 3-4 hours on the weekend each way every month. Never had an issue. Those are just the facts.
> 
> I'm not saying I'm breaking the law - I'm just saying I've been all over the midwest paddling and never had an issue.
> 
> View attachment 329077


 Flag in the day any length put a 30 ft in there. At night if your 4 meters past the bed need a light at night


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