Hauling kayaks on an unshapely highrise canopy

First thing I did was search threads and Google but my canopy is high rise and an odd shape to boot. I'm planning for the future here but I'd like to get some insight on a kayak or canoe carrying method. Between the bump right after the cab and the tail end of my cap there's a 4" difference in height. I'm considering a roof basket for the cab which will give me some height but that doesn't fix the problem of how to mount rails to the cap itself and the issue of a kayak or canoe being far lower in the front than the back.

Would the height difference be an issue if I slanted the boat downwards over two sets of cross bars? If I kept a kayak on j-racks would the centre of the boat hit the roof with the odd angle? What's your take, or your recommendation?

 

Two ideas- use one of the artificial rain gutter systems then get the appropriately sized towers/foot to level the bars, i.e. taller in the front and shorter in the rear. There are also ladder/roof racks that use a mounting plate that bolts to the side that can be set at whatever height you need. This is an ugly example but it's the first that popped up when i was looking for an example of side mount racks: https://www.cargogear.com/infolib.aspx?lookup=HACAPHD&image=hacaphdbigjpg

 

Side mount rack doesn't look too awful, definitely a good idea to keep around. I'll have to see if I can source anything like that locally. Thanks!

 

I remember seeing a better looking version than that at one of the sites that sells parts for shells but I've looked through my saved bookmarks and can't find the site. If it were me, I'd do some CAD (cardboard aided design) and make up some brackets and bolt them to the shell. Make the bar opening accept whatever bar design you like that works with the accessories you want. Round bars would be easiest but I'll add that when loading kayaks, a non-round bar is kind of nice as it keeps things like saddles/rollers/etc. from slipping on the bar. Example, I have Yakima round bars and unless I have my Mako saddles cranked down, they will sometimes pivot on the round bar while pushing the boat forward. Supposedly the aero bars are quieter as well.

Side note, I would go as wide as you think you may need, you can always cut them down if you don't need the real estate. I've got 66" bars on mine and I like that they extend past the shell as I can put extra boats, a boat a bike and a Space Booster, a canoe and a kayak, etc, up there as well as they give me a place to hang things like solar showers, westsuits I want to dry or sleeping bags I want to air out, etc. Just food for thought.

 

Keeping extra length on the bars is a great idea, hanging my sleeping bag or clothes up to air out is enough to convince me lol. I know there's some pretty heavy motor vehicle regulations up here in BC so I'll check into the issue of overhang. I was eyeing the Yakima Jetstream or Core bars and I like the idea of having a semi-tall walled basket that can connect to those on the cab as well.

 

The 66" Yakima round bars don't really project out past the fender flares, just past the shell since it's sloped inward some. I've seen some really wide bars on vehicles but I'd probably forget about them, snag them on something and damage my truck and gear.

 

acccckkkkk......

Suggest a small 4x8 trailer from a big box store. Modify to haul the kayak or canoes.

The boats and trailer would ride in the slipstream of the truck and not impact fuel mileage too much. Also, you won't need to add additional "stuff" to the top.

 

Definitely an option if it works for you but a trailer isn't practical for a lot of people and it's easier to toss stuff on top of the truck. I've got a utility trailer as well but I have no desire to haul it around unless I need it plus you have to have a place to store it (around here they're a high theft item so they need to be secured) and it's something else to maintain.

That said, the little Harbor Freight trailers are popular as inexpensive starters for a lot of folks, both as camping trailers and boat haulers (when I was into VWs a lot of folks used them because they were small, lightweight and inexpensive). Extend the tongue and build a small rack on it, replace the wheel bearings (or at least repack them well with good grease) and go have fun.

 

That's a tough one (the topper). I would probably try to fit 2 sets of gutter plates on the topper, and live with an uneven height. But make sure a longer canoe wouldn't hit the cab roof.

I do not recommend putting one crossbar on the cab and one on the topper... trucks twist in the middle.
I have a mid rise topper, but it's not as dramatic as yours. Good luck.

 

What about putting them inside the bed with the cap still on? You could fashion up a V-rack out of 2x4's and slide them straight in.

 

Not the worst idea, but as with the comment quoted below theft is an issue here, and I live in a very bad neighbourhood at the moment and would be storing boats at a family member's house. Gotta love cheap rent.

High theft here too, add on the rough neighbourhood and we're a great target.

Very true, I hadn't thought of that potential issue. Definitely don't want to be twisting a fibreglass canoe and realizing 15 meters into a lake that I've sprung a nasty leak. A long rack like yours definitely looks like a decent set up and I was considering a long rack on the canopy. More food for thought.

A 10 foot kayak maybe, but those aren't great for lake touring. I'd be looking at something around the 13' mark, or longer for long lake circuits. Likewise a 14-16' canoe wouldn't do so well in a 6' bed. We have a lot of lake systems in the area and I'd be doing touring trips alongside my fun lake days.

 

On a previous truck/cap setup, I had a canoe with a lot of rake. I had the Yakima artificial rain gutters with lockable 1A towers. Even with those fairly tall towers, the bow still hit my cab. I found that Yakima makes 1A Tower risers. Maybe a pair of these on your front cross bar would level things out? Although not a platform rack, it's a viable solution.

 

Thule made several sizes of legs as well (much cleaner looking than Yakima's spacers);they can still be found on ebay. I used their superhigh feet on my VW campers; they were originally made for the Land Rover Discovery but worked well for the VWs other than you had to remove them to pop the roof. I also had artificial gutters so that I could use a regular rack and pop the top when carrying lighter stuff like my Space Booster but I didn't trust the fiberglass roof and the single front latch with touring kayaks on top, hence the Thule gutter mounts.

 

Yakima rails with round bars and J hooks. It should work even with your roof angle.

 

Jesus how tall are you to be able to put up your bikes that high or do you carry a step ladder? lmk how you do it. I have the same topper and have been wanting to add the tracks to it.

 

Yeah, it’s a reach for this 5’11” guy. I carry a milk crate to stand on in the truck for that purpose.

 

I keep a 5 gallon bucket in the bed. Milk crate sounds like a better step.

 

I used to carry a milk crate but then I picked up one of these Chinese folding stools that works well enough; still use the milk crate at times though. When I bought my sliders I had the kick-out/hoop added so I could stand on it (a little traction tape helps) and I have to stand on the rear tire at times to get get the straps around the kayaks.

My 1st gen Tacoma had a sloped shell like the OP's and I carried a 5gal bucket since it was taller.