RTT and Kayaks

Hi All,

Hoping someone can help me out. I am looking at getting my rig setup. I'd like to get a RTT setup put together that will work with two kayaks on the roof. My wife and I run a sea kayaking business so our truck is our home on the road. Essentially Id like to put a RTT on my roof with two Sea Kayaks on their side attached to a stacker. Currently I have a ARE Topper on my 2017 DCSB with 50inch Yakima Bars, I would obviously upgrade to 78in bars, was thinking the Yakima HD bars. Also would prefer a hard shell RTT like the Tepui HyBox.

Any thoughts? Is this realistic?

 

You'd have to get a hardshell. Look at the He's Baroud or Alu-Cab they are rated for a load on top of them. May not be enough for 2 yaks though

 

I had the Roofnest Sparrow X which had its own rack built in, capable of carrying 100lbs. Not sure if that helps

 

Thanks gentleman, do you think it would be possible to offset the RTT on one side (passenger) and the two boats on the stacker (Driver Side)?

 

@fatfurious2 Do you have the FreeSpirit Adventure Hardtop? Wondering if I can fit it on the passenger side and the boats on the driver side.

 

Yes I have the automatic M49 hard top.

The top IMO is not strong enough to hold a kayak.
https://youtu.be/NJ_ToeJ-huI

I have a folding kayak, so i am not so worried anymore, as I can store it inside my access cab

 

My question is I am planning on keeping my kayaks on the driver side and the tent on the passenger side. Is this possible?

 

I would think that would depend on the strength of your rack

 

With an RTT, you can't really put it on the driver side or passenger side. It's the same width as the entire truck. You truck would be severely off balance if you offset the RTT enough to fit boats on one side.

Seems like the thing that makes the most sense for this application is a trailer.

Option A) A simple utility trailer for the boats, maybe upgrade the suspension and hitch for off-road, depending on the type of driving you do

or

Option B) An "overlander" type off-road camper trailer, that leaves the space on the truck rack for the boats. This would be better if you are doing harder or tighter trails since the boats would be better protected on the truck rather than sticking way out on a trailer.

or

Option C) A custom rack that fits OVER the RTT (opens up the use of any RTT type). Depending on which way the RTT opens (front, back or side), you could make the rack so it hinges and opens to one side, or make the rack wide enough that the support bars are in front of and behind the RTT. Either way, you'd still need to take the boats off to put the RTT up.

 

Why cant you put the RTT off center?

 

You CAN do anything you want.

I'm just saying that I wouldn't recommend it.

Even with the RTT perfectly centered, you've still done a number on the balance and center of gravity of the truck. Not only is the RTT heavy, but it's also the highest thing on the truck.

 

Unless you have a low rack and high kayak mount (like on a ladder rack).. ?

 

All that would do is effect the vertical change of the center of gravity, the side to side change is still just as off-center.

But that's actually what I'm talking about, more or less. A rack that mounts the boats above the rack in such a way where the rack supports the weight of the boats, not the RTT. If you make a rack where the boats are above the kayaks, what's the point of setting the tent off to one side?

 

My kayak fits under my rtt/in my cab. But it doesn't help OP

 

I think Option B is going to be your best bet since sea kayaks are generally pretty long with a deeper hull. The longest bars that Yakima makes are 78" and I dont think that will give you the room for the tent and two boats on a stacker.

 

I've seen those, they're pretty cool