Critique my kayak setup.

I’ll be traveling from Tn to Fl in a couple of weeks and want to haul a few kayaks. I don’t want to pull a trailer and don’t have an overhead rack. I do have a Bakflip and a bike rack. I’ve put bars on the rack to hold the majority of the weight of the boats and straps and noodles to old the front secure. It feels like very little weight on the Bakflip. What do you think. Would you do it? I’ll have the bed full of luggage so I don’t have the option to use that.

 

Looks sturdy enough, only thought would be to center it on the bed in the event you get rear ended and it comes into the cab.

 

That’s a good point but I’ll be hauling two of them.

 

It's certainly better on mileage than having it on the roof, but like the earlier poster said, a minor rear ender can be fatal in that configuration. Is it possible to get a headache rack or fab up a bar to stop it from coming forward?

 

I have a bakflip too. What type of bars are on there?

 

That’s just a pool noodle with a strap going through it. The strap is attached to the hooks in the bed.

 

I find the blue on red clashes....

 

JK, looks fine.

 

I think you're going to kill your BakFlip seals with that setup. Definitely creative, though!

 

Alright I had a margarita and a thought about it. You can make one for cheap with a 2x8 board and a mitre saw. Cut a board the width of the cab, then angle in supports along the bedrails so that each side can be secured by straps in the same manner as your noodles.

That way, if Billy Big Rig crunches your ass end, the kayaks will collapse and fold up against the board, the board slaps your c-pillars, and nothing goes through the window and your noggin.

 

Thought about that to but it doesn’t seem to be weathertight anyway.

 

I may try to aim the front of the boat towards the curve of the cab. That way if something was to happen hopefully they would be pushed out instead of straight forward.

Thanks for all the ideas.

 

You should attach orange flags to the rear of the kayaks, and red marker lights if you will be traveling at night, to both be a little safer, and to avoid hefty tickets. I think most states require flagging / lights if the load extends 4' or more.

I learned this the expensive way several years ago.

That looks close enough to 4'. Barney Fife would say it was anyways.

 

Very good point.

 

I feel it accentuates the shortness of your short bed. It may not be the best for its self esteem. Don't underestimate the power of a printed out "participation award"...

 

Definitely need red flags on the back. You'll need lights on the back if it's dark or in a rainstorm. Use cam buckle straps and not ratchet straps.

 

Headache rack

 

Towel between the rear glass and bow of the kayaks, in case the kayaks decides to move forward; that back glass isn't cheap to replaced.

 

Put a red flag on the end of it.