How are you mounting your kayaks?

New kayak mount for my truck. Its some 2x4 covered in carpet then bolted to my cross bars. Im going to try to build a better version of it soon that has less random bolts sticking out. But now I can either carry 2 kayaks easy, or I can take just one and actually be able to close my tailgate.

 

I didn't get specific mounts, but i was able to lay them in the bed and secure them over the tailgate. I was also pulling a boat and they never touched the bow. I think i used ratchet straps with a bungee combo.

 

loving this setup so far.

 

Love that, details?

 

Yakima Overhaul HD racks. 68” bars. Retrax tonneau cover.

 

Switched out the pads to the Yakima BigCatch cradles.

 

I’ve got the same Yakima setup with the BigCatch cradles. They’re great! Super easy to load up from the rear too

 

I built a simple rack that can be removed quickly and still allowed the tonneau to be fully utilized. Not super pretty but has worked great so far!

 

Realistically how hard is it to get that pa14 on the bed rack? I'm considering this method of transport for my pa12 when towing a small camper.

 

Do you put two boats up there?

 

Here is my current setup. I have two 9 footers with an 8 1/2foot one sandwiched between them, all three are sit-on-top. I run a strap through the tail grabs and attach to the hooks closest to the cab. The other two visible straps are to mainly keep them stable while on the road. For the most part, this serves my purpose and has never given me any issues.

 

Threw it in the bed last year, got a roof rack for this year.

 

Clever!

 

Shits getting silly over here. We got one more pelican on the next day...

 

I will make sure to watch this thread. How does the vehicle ride differ between putting the kayak over the top of the cab and putting it behind the cab? I like the Yamika bed rails, but my wallet says I need to take a closer look at Kyle's version. Also, I have a cover on my bed that I don't want to have to lose.

 

I am glad to see this thread though. I thought it was going to be more difficult to get my kayak around with the smaller truck.

 

Details and part numbers! Please! That is fabulous.

 

Thanks! Both sets of mounts are Yakima. In the front are basic saddles and in the rear are Hully Rollers. Neither are currently available, however, there are newer versions.

Avoid buying used Hully Rollers because the rubber rollers degrade in the sun and become gummy. If you’re able to replace the rollers, I’m sure it won’t be cheap.

In order to secure the mounts to the Front Runner rack, I had to make adapters. Wood was the obvious choice because it allowed me to recess the nuts. With the mounting hardware out of the way, I could then secure the wood to the rack using 5/16” bolts.

The roller hanging off the end of my rack is something I made to guide the nose of the kayak until the main rollers made contact with the underside of the kayak. The bracket holding the roller came from an old fishfinder. The roller assembly is made from 1/2” PVC, 5/16” SS threaded rod, and a couple of small rollers sourced from a marine store.