Roof racks

I need to carry a canoe on my truck roof. From what I understand, I need a basic roof rack as well as a canoe rack. Is this right? What is a good roof rack to buy that does not require drilling and what canoe rack do you recommend.

 

You should not have to drill anything
Under the weatherstripping are the mounting holes
Now you asked a loaded question. Lol
You will get many replies on this I think
Personally I use an OEM roof rack $$$
Holds about 80 pounds
But others out there are maybe a little better than OEM for you

 

There is additional information that would help in providing an answer to your question. What sized cab do you have?; Do you have any sort of rear rack or cap; How long is the canoe and what is it's approximate weight?; How far are you gonna travel with the vessel on top?; Over what type of terrain will you be transporting it?; Will two people be unloading it or just one?; Do you have tie down points near the front bumper?; Do you want a chump rig or the cat's ass variety?

Here is a photo of my neighbor. As a kid he was a short-busser. This is the 10th canoe he has purchased. The rest have been violently scattered across the highways of the North East. Despite all this, he is convinced his hauling technique is the best.

 

What length canoe is it? And does your truck have a topper or open bed?

 

Only the double cab has rack mounting holes under the weather stripping.

Since you don't want to drill, find your closest canoe and kayak specialty place (i.e. not Cabela's, Sportsman's Warehouse, etc.) and go talk to them about racks. The major manufacturers all make various setups that clamp on. Another option that would provide more support to the boat would be some sort of rack in the bed (if you don't have a shell on the back). We used to build them out of wood before all of the fancy systems came out; before the price of wood got retarded you could build a simple rack that slid in and out for cheap. The cheap way is foam gunwale blocks and then strapping the boat however you can figure out to keep it from moving.

Whatever you do, make sure that you learn how to properly strap down the boat so that it doesn't get damaged, or worse, come off and cause injury or damage to others.

 

I went with a ladder rack from Harbor freight. Yes I know i'm a 3rd gen but close enough

 

Haven't bought a canoe yet. Looking at a 16 footer. Will weigh about 60 lbs. There is no topper but I have a tonneau cover. The canoe will have to go on the roof. My truck is a double cab.

 

If I can make a suggestion, if you plan to use it a lot look at the lighter canoes. They handle better (make sure you get appropriate hull style for your use), are less tiring to paddle and they're easier to portage and load at the end of a paddle.

 

I just use the foam pads, but I only transport my canoe a couple times a year

 

So with roof mounted options, I see 2 basic methods that could work:

1 - Foam blocks / pool noodles like Bajatacoma mentioned. With this system you would essentially just rest the canoe directly on the blocks and strap it down. This method is cheap but isn't the most stable option and leaves you at risk of denting your roof. I wouldn't recommend this for highway or long distance travel either.

2 - Install towers and crossbars on your roof then add a canoe specific mount to strap it to the crossbars. With the towers, you could either attach them to your roof using the screw holes under your weatherstripping or there are towers that attach to your door jambs using only clips. For example using Yakima, the SkyLine system would screw into the existing holes under weatherstripping, or the BaseLine system will attach using clips. I've used both of these options with my kayaks and have never had any issues. For the canoe mount, I would recommend the Yakima KeelOver mount or something similar. While this method is a bit more expensive it is much more dependable than option #1.

Whatever you choose to do, definitely pick up a set of quality NRS straps and be sure to research best practices for bow and stern tie downs.

 

Don't be afraid of drilling. Adjustable Rhino Rack.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/install-rhino-rack-vortex-rlt600-roof-rack.624050/

 

Almost all of my straps are NRS, because they're awesome and last if you take care of them so I have an ammo can full of them in various lengths , but if I were buying new today I'd jump to Rollercam straps. Nothing wrong with the NRS straps, the Rollercams are just easier to use. https://www.rollercam.com/

 

I find the factory rack works well.