Canoe Carrying

[volkinator]

Hey gang, Question RE canoes and strapping to the roof rack. For those that have done it, what's your best practice?

The roof rack sits so far back I feel like I put too much weight towards the front, and the direction of pull keeps pulling it forward (both front and back)

If I center the weight of the canoe on the bars, it hangs off the back, and there's not many good places to get a rear pull on the front of the boat...

I tried both these ways last time; first pushing weight forward to get straps to the loops under the front bumper and to the tow hitch (still put straps around the belly on the crossbars)

Second centering the weight over the bars and strapping the belly to the bars and a strap to the rear hitch.

The first trip the boat was much more secure, but just sat so far forward I wasn't super comfortable. The second trip the boat wobbled around since it didn't have as much support to the front.

I've seen the "under the hood" loops, but got to thinking would ditch light brackets be sturdy enough to get some tension on? What am I missing, or am I just being paranoid...

 

[CO-Cygnus]

Have the crossbars as far forward as you can then just make sure the canoe is balanced on the cross bars, you can have it biased a bit farther forward to the nose of the car if you want. Then tie down the bow and stern to the front and back of the car, don't just rely on straps over the hull.

 

[Googy]

maybe considering putting it on a trailer?

 

[Transient]

What is the length and construction of the canoe in question? Does it have cross members?

-Make sure your roof rack bars are spaced apart as far as possible, this will give you the most stable platform. I usually center the canoe on the roof rack, except for long trips.

-Use 4 straps: 2 over the top at the front and rear of the roof rack, these hold the canoe down. The other 2 connecting the front/back of the canoe to front/back of the vehicle. For the rear connection point I like to loop the strap around a hitch pin. The reason I asked about canoe members is they are usually what you’ll need to connect to in order to attain the rearward pull. The front you may need to get creative if you don’t have an aftermarket bumper/recovery points. Put towels between the strap and paint to prevent damage.

I’ve portaged my canoe thousands of times using the above method, albeit not on my 4R.

 

[Piney]

Solved our problem with a few thousand bucks and bought an Ally canoe. Handles great, maybe even better in rough water than our old canoe. Certainly is better on the ocean.
Importer is in Seattle or Portland or something.
Now we can even take the bus........
It is a full size canoe (skin boat) you knock together on the beach and you stretch over a rigid frame. Whole thing packs in a couple duffle bags. No roof racks needed. No inflating. Strong enough to cartop if you really want to.

 

[Jetboy]

Center the boat on the bars. Strap it down well. Should be good to go.

The other option that works well is a hitch support. This is mine that I use on occasion for carrying long items. In the winter I have a front one that fits in my snow plow mount on the front. That might be ideal for a canoe to add a front hitch and then use a front goal post carrier.

 

[pDubs]

For hood tie downs, you could pop the hood and mount straps that come up through the sides.

They also have straps that you can just put in the channel, and close hood.

https://www.amazon.com/Shoreline-Ma...ocphy=9008156&hvtargid=pla-352338593937&psc=1

 

[Transient]

For hood tie downs, you could pop the hood and mount straps that come up through the sides.

They also have straps that you can just put in the channel, and close hood.

Amazon.com : Propel by Shoreline Marine Hood and Trunk Loop Kayak Tie Down Straps : Sports & Outdoors

Awesome, will be adding some of those.

IMO unless you are just driving down the street to a local spot there should always be a front and rear tie point. Just two straps over the top is kind of sketchy.

 

[Jimmyasheville]

Yakima now makes a clip that will allow you to run a bar (round or Jetstream aero) on the front if your 4 Runner 5th generation. If you get two Baseline Towers and a set of base clips number 175, you can mount a bar 10 inches behind the top of your windshield. It’s the sort of rack that clips over the top of the front doors, and it works way better than the old styles of those. I was carrying a 20 foot kayak nearly every day and this system worked well. Have a set if two Yakima Timberline mounts for the other bar, at the rear of the fixed rack. My space between bars was about 7 feet as I recall. Way better than a trailer hitch support etc. depends on how often you transport your canoe and how far. I did a couple of 1000 mile freeway trips like this with no issues.

 

[deanmosh]

Is that your grey 4runner? Can you tell me how you strapped that down, what kind of straps you used?

 

[GhostRing]

Is that your grey 4runner? Can you tell me how you strapped that down, what kind of straps you used?

5 years old, but I'll give it a shot...

Looks like he may have an older set of Yakima Railgrab towers/round bars
using Yakima's padded version of a cam buckle strap. Those are the
strap types to be using. Ratchets or bungee types are a huge no-no.

Works great as long as you follow the:
"under the bar, over the boat, under the bar, over the boat"
loop technique with the straps.

To make it more secure, I would strongly recommend
using bow & stern tie downs and perhaps using a cradle
such as Yak's KeelOver or Thule Portage to keep things
from squirming around on the bars.

 

[ArthurKotb]

Not a canoe, but a long kayak

pDubs tie down solution is what I use. I had an old life jacket and I cut the straps off and used a grommet kit from Harbor Freight to put some grommets in them and used the bolts in the fenders to secure them. You just fold them under the hood out of sight when not in use.

The front tie down it just to keep the nose of the canoe or kayak from catching air. It's aerodynamic enough to stay down but a gust can pop it up. The rear tie down is just for balance on the cross members. I use slip knots on both so I can easily adjust the tension. I slide the rear loop over the hitch so I can remove it to open the rear hatch.

My 2004 rack has about a 130 lb. capacity (it's in the owner's manual) and my kayak is 92 lbs. I got the cross straps from Walmart. I use a wire cable through a scupper and lock it to the left rail. The 13' tandem kayak sits in Malone saddles. (Put a twist in the tie down straps to keep them from vibrating in the wind.)

I've carried it from central KY to central FL, across the panhandle to AL, LA, MS and over to TX. Then from TX back to central KY. I never had a problem.

 

[Offroad Alliance]

Opposed to a rack that can adequaltely hold them? The OEM bars will likely be very unstable and being that theyre "rounded" and not flat, it likely will move on you. There are plenty of 3/4 racks and no drill options that will hold them appropriately and safely in place. let me know if I can be of assistance!

Front Runner - KRTF050T | Racks | Offroad Alliance

 

[GhostRing]

While they certainly have a legit purpose, there is no reason to add the weight and expense of a full-on platform to hold a kayak or canoe.
2 bars - OEM or otherwise, will support that boat no problem. The saddles are near the edges and as long as they are not neglected, will support the weight and stay put.
I do however, solidly recommend utilizing a better way of routing the straps around the boat. I know - everyone's own version works great. until it doesn't.

 

[ArthurKotb]

I do however, solidly recommend utilizing a better way of routing the straps around the boat. I know - everyone's own version works great. until it doesn't.

That's the routing I use, except at the end I have a buckle that draws it tight and I knot the tag end in a couple of half hitches on/near the buckle. I don't have a current pic. The one I provided in my earlier post is how I was doing it the first time, which wasn't correct. You also want to put twists in the strap to prevent the wind from vibrating it.

 

[MN_Pat]

I second getting the under hood straps. had them a few years back when I owned a canoe. Totally worth it. hear they don't last long but at $6 it's an easy replacement Secure and no paint damage https://www.rei.com/product/818318/seattle-sports-hood-loops

As for cross bars, yes you can use the factory. did it last year up in Atikokan.
downside is there's not much clearance. Pretty easy to scratch the roof when loading/unloading.

if you're going to do this regularly get a set of Yakima Timberline or equivalent mounts. Then fb marketplace or craigslist some cross bars. Round will do and cheap on the used market. strap it to both cross bars plus the bow to the under hood straps. done in a couple minutes and all good heading up I35 (Nissan Sentra, Altima, & Sonata) when i owned a canoe. I typically didn't tie the stern to the back of the car but for bonus points run a line to the hitch.