Does anyone out there transport a 14' long kayak on their 4Runner roof rack? Thinking of getting a Jackson Big Tuna and considering the Thule Slipstream roof rack mount to mount to my factory roof rack & factory cross bars. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or pics for me in terms of other ideas. A couple concerns I have:

1). I pull a travel trailer, so I can't have too much of the boat hanging off the back. At 14', I'll have to have a good portion of the boat length forward of center on the roof rack. I figured 7' of the 14' would be from front cross bar of roof rack to rear of vehicle, while the remaining 7' would be forward of the front roof rack cross bar and dangling over the hood.

2) The back of the boat can be tied down and secured to the hitch, but where do others tie down the front of the boat to secure it?

Thanks!

I car top my 17' Necky sea kayak and tow my camper, but it is not a travel trailer, which may cause a clearance issue. I would suggest doing some measurements and see where your at. I use a Yakima system (Saddles and Rollers) and I use the tow hooks for my tie in for the bow and stern lines.
Just by looking at my picture it appears you may have the clearance you need.

Good choice of kayaks!

I have a Jackson Cuda 12 that I put on my factory rack with rack pads. I'm putting it on tonight, and I'll take some pics. The BT is only 14' so it's not terribly larger than my 12'6" Cuda.

Nevermind, have a pic already:

mrvandelay,

It is a bit hard to tell from your picture, but it looks to me as if you have a good, overall balance ... 4' ahead of the roof rack, 4' on the roof rack, and 4' behind the roof rack. (Give or take a few inches here or there) I guess my concern is that I'd have to have 7' ahead x 4' roof rack x 3' behind. In your opinion, do you think a 14' kayak would still ride nicely like that or do you think that would be shifting too much weight towards the front?

My other option is to just forgo the Big Tuna and get two smaller Coosa kayaks instead. I ask for help here because I've been going back and forth with myself on what is the best route to go.

I regularly transport a 16' Current Designs Altura and a 16.5' Nautiraid Greenlander.

For the bow tie-downs, a have a couple of pieces of webbing that I looped and tied into a thick knot on one end. I open the hood, place these loops along the edges on each side near the front, and then close it. Run the bow lines through the bow of the boat and secure to each loop. Top pic on the left is a commercially-available version, but you can easily make it yourself. Other pics are some of my boats.

Attached Images

           

I'm not a kayak guy, but I've carried lots of big stuff in and on my 4runner. I say you will be fine with the long kayak, even pushed pretty far forward. Put a pad between the kayak and the forward roof, and pull it down tight with a strap or rope from the bow to the front bumper/tow hook. That will support the front half and not put so much strain on the rack.

JD

Thanks for your response, Mike. My travel trailer is actually a hard-sided pop up ... Trailmanor 2720. Expanded out, it is the size of a 27' long travel trailer with a height of 101.5". In the tow position, it collapses down to 20' length and height of 67.25". I just might (emphasis on might) not have a clearance issue if the kayak can extend over top of the trailer altogether. If that is indeed the case, the ONLY thing getting me the height clearance I need is the 20" tires on the 4Runner! Unfortunately, the travel trailer is in storage for the winter so I can't measure things out for certain at this time. Guess the best thing for me to do is wait until I have the trailer actually hooked up to the 4Runner and see what sort of dimensions I have to work with at that time.

As for the bow & stern tie downs, I don't see where I actually have any tow hooks on the 2012 4Runner Limited. I couldn't believe that there weren't any tow hooks under the front of the engine compartment, but there isn't.

Thanks TONS, Randy! I never knew about the bow tie-down option for under the hood. That would solve a major problem ... greatly appreciated!

You could use Thule feet in the front door openings to put a Thule bar above front doors. On this web page, you can ask Thule's technical support team if they know which foot pack and fit kit would work:

Thule*-*Customer Service Center


Getting the front Thule bar to match the height of the rear factory cross bar might be a problem.

A similar thread, it could be helpful although it about canoe, but has a long kayak picture as well: Canoe Setup?

I've just gone through this process for my 2013 T4R and my first canoe. I've just purchased a 14' Mad River Adventure 14 canoe (~75lb). After a lot of research, I decided on Thule AeroBlades to raise the boat above the shark fin antenna while keeping the bars relatively quiet. In order to have load assist over the rear spoiler, I bought the Yakima ShowBoat with 66" bars. It gives a nice roller that extends back to protect the spoiler while loading the boat. I also looked at the Thule Slipstream, but I want to carry the canoe inverted, which is not what the Slipstream is designed for.

Sorry I don't have any pics of it all installed yet. I've just acquired all the gear, and only have the AeroBlades up so far. Will have the ShowBoat and canoe mounted in the next month for the first outing.

-BK

I've used the Yakima "even keel" saddles for a couple years now and they work great with my Tarpon 100 and a smaller boat I had before. I wouldn't have any reservations about hauling a 14' kayak with the same setup.
I also wouldn't worry about extending the boat more forward. Just space your crossbars far apart. It's those center straps that really hold the boat on your roof. If you really crank down the bow/stern lines you can bend the boat.
Crazy you have no tow points in front.

I carry a couple of 20-22' outrigger canoes (20 lbs each) on the top on my 5th gen. I use a Yakima crossbar over the front doors. It is the same set up (Q Towers, feet, and clips) as the 3rd gen 4Runner. Yakima does not show this fit on their site, but it has worked well for me in 50 mph head and cross winds.

+1. I live in canoe country and see it all the time: bow and stern tie-downs tightened to almost guitar string-like tautness.

People tend to forget that the bow and stern tie-downs don't "hold" or secure the the boat so much as they serve to reduce nose/tail wobbling in the wind (and allow you to see when the nose and tail are moving, like if they actually come off).

Quick update ... I actually did find the front tow hooks today!! They are hidden behind two plastic covers on the lower front spoiler. Thank God for the owner's manual, as I would have never found the tow hooks without it.