Don't Read this unless you want a home made Cheap Roof Rack

I live in Tamworth NH 14 miles from the east entrance to the Kanc . Take another look at the boats . This one too . Maybe we will see you on the water ??? Same boat, it still sails, but looks like birch bark, not black anymore

 

these orange kayaks have rather a lot of rocker. It is best to support these by the bow and sterns and leave the center hanging in mid air . The forward blocks are 3/4 inch taller than the rear blocks. The ladder racks I have seen are a trad short for that as these are 14' 6 " kayaks. Straight keeled kayaks would be ok on a flat rack . I still have less than 100 into the rack including the blocks I made this year.

 

LOL Nope but they are not marketed as boat anything. They are marketed as motorcycle tries down straps intended to keep hardware off the bike when trailering. I could have made them but for the cost, it wasn't worth my time to hand sew these. Mne are black . I do have 2 bikes too and a trailer .

https://www.uscargocontrol.com/Moto...TXAtQFYWpstI9DiInlJBvM6F1GWruInQaAgmWEALw_wcB

 

Sure mine are made as a strap turned back and sewn in the center. I simply place then on the frame rails over the headlights. These are made to be soft on paint. I had these same ones on a 2nd Gen Tacoma for years and that taco had a weak hood pop up spring and so made getting the hood open easier.

Each kayak gets its own tie downs at the stern and center, and shares a light line at the bow. The bow line just keeps the boats pointed, and nothing is very tight at all. I do use the ratchet type straps, but not so tight as to crush the boats. They do not budge. The ratchet tie downs in the center are woodlands camo, but only because the red straps are a little short . They are there but hard to see.

In this case to install the straps, I do hand the ratchets on the eye bolts to start at my eye level (the top eye bolts). I pass the straps under the top rails and toss them over. In the center section I toss away from the rear window. I grasp the strap and even it to very close to the center cross rail, and again toss the strap away from the rear window. This encircles the boat completely. It also leaves the strap once adjusted loose to reach the lower eye bolts on the far inside lower rails in the truck bed. Once that hook is in that far side eye bolt the one at the top on my side for that boat boat is lowered to the inside eyebolt on my side. I tension the strap, and turn the ratchet a few clicks. This is repeated at the stern on this side and repeated completely again for the other boat. Last the bow lines are installed.

Since this photo was taken I have reversed the line to be on the passenger side boat, so the the view is better for the driver. The way I do this has a few other bennies too . I ain't no spring chicken So with the simple loop on the hand carry kayak handle for the passenger side boat On the kayak when I push it up on the racks I don't have to reach and climb all over the place to get that loop on the carry handle. I tuck that line to the safety line on the boat pushing it up there. Once the boat is up in the blocks I take that line forwards. Then push the other boat into place. Once the ratchets straps are in place I can simply toss it over the bow of the 2nd kayak from the ground. Pulling that line forward it catches on the that boats carry handle. From there it's easy to use a truckers hitch and a couple of half hitches to tie the line off nice a d snug leaving little loose tail of the line to flap in the winds driving.

When it is unloading time I undo all the straps and that line and carry the line back laying it on the V Blocks and can pull the kayaks about 1/2 off where I can balance the boat and slide it down to set the stern on the ground. From there I can lift the entire boat and set it a few steps away from the truck. At that point I remove the loop from the hand carry handle, and climb on the bumper and place the loop on the other boats stern carry handle, and drag it back in the same way .

Sorry for How Long this is

 

I sent a message of the town, but here here my Taco with my Canoe. I picked up the older Thule rack at a Church yard sale in Peterborough, NH for $100.00. It is in perfect almost new condition and I use a few clamps to hold the rack bed. I strap the canoe directly to the bed and not the rack just for peace of mind.

 

If I were you, I would toss the straps over the canoe and once more grab the straps and toss them over a 2nd time to encircle the entire canoe one full time, then tighten the straps. Probably and I can't see in this photo one more strap needs to be there from something forwards of the rear rack, a thwart or the seat, so the line / strap passes over the rear crossbar and down to the trailer hitch. This will prevent the canoe from sliding forwards in a panic stop or a steep downhill road to a launch site . The canoe can not move back due to the rear strap.

Like I said maybe it's there and just out of my view . I have never lost anything off a roof rack in my life and never plan too . Will see the PM now.

On Edit: Unfortunately the 4th weekend wasn't a boat weekend, but I sure wish it had been. Central Maine was Hot and buggy. We did a little shooting though. I git to try out and .50 cal bolt action Barrett ! WOW not much kick like I expected either .

I got to try out 3 sub machines guns too All nice and Legal . Plus run of the mill everything else and .22s at night for a candle shoot. ( I lost )

 

I don't want a cheap homemade roof rack, and I read this anyway. You're not the boss of me!

 

Ok LOL

 

Sorry, wasn’t questioning your rack. It looks good and suits your need.

I quoted the guy saying bed racks are expensive, but to haul kayaks a ladder rack will do for the majority of applications.

With that said, i always typically travel with my kayaks upside to avoid the issues with the keel making the kayak unlevel.

 

Nice work.

 

I carry a canoe upside down, but put it up there upside down. These kayaks go up there easier up right, and I do less lifting. less lifting at 67 years old is a big deal I have cockpit covers that stay put with a carabiner if and when there are times I meed them. With the blocks there is plenty of room to stand in the middle if they are up there and the weather should turn towards ugly .

There is almost enough room to put the yellow 16 foot canoe up there with them if I placed it on a side ... I am working on that idea, but it has to be easy.

I just got that canoe in a yard sale unexpectedly on Memorial Day Weekend and have jot had it wet yet .

 

Props on the creativity, I probably wouldn't have thought of this.

 

You can't buy things I like... I made this canoe sail years ago . I still have it, and it still sails . The steering wheel comes from an old wicker baby buggy, modified a little . There have been other mods to as in a wooden mast from a tree I cut, and others things I can't even remember. I re did the rudder last year . In this shot the pieces I cut off to lighten it and make it look better are back in their places for a How it was shot. The last one is how it is Doing this was common years ago with everything .