Kayak truck rack

[Overstreet]

Originally Posted by Leilanisteve

D44: Looking at your side view picture the tip of your kayaks seem close to the trailer. Do you happen to know the spacing distance? Do you have any clearance problems when maneuvering? Getting my yak on top of my truck bed cap into the j cradles is a pain but I can live with that. I can’t live with potential clearance issues that could cause damage to everything attached.

That is a problem for us. Our 17ft sea kayaks worked great with the old Salem Cruise Light but the Airstream rides closer. We also put Hulivators on the racks and they ride outside the center line. The problem is in turns and driveway dips.

1. You can improve things by moving the kayak close to the center line of the truck.

2. Raising the aft bed rack so the boat stern is higher.

3. Reversing the boat to get bow rise, rocker, working to raise the conflict point up.

4. Move the front support of the rack to the cab and move the back rack forward some. Limiting projection. As seen in the picture. This boat needs to move more forward for the AS. Thus the front rack would move too.

5. no matter what you do someone won't like it.

[steverino]

Originally Posted by Overstreet

4. Move the front support of the rack to the cab and move the back rack forward some. Limiting projection. As seen in the picture. This boat needs to move more forward for the AS. Thus the front rack would move too.

.

Yes. This. Moving the rack forward on the box, and centering the kayaks on the rack, kept the projection of my 14’ kayaks about 18” past the tailgate.

I drew a scale drawing of the truck, with kayaks positioned on racks, hitched to the Airstream, and then drew an arc, centered on the hitch ball, which represented the front of the Airstream as the rig turns. Seeing that there was clearance between the kayaks and that arc proved that the position would work.

Making another drawing of the horizontal view would prove the case of an incline, but I had so much clearance I didn’t feel the need.

[D44]

Originally Posted by Leilanisteve

D44: Looking at your side view picture the tip of your kayaks seem close to the trailer. Do you happen to know the spacing distance? Do you have any clearance problems when maneuvering? Getting my yak on top of my truck bed cap into the j cradles is a pain but I can live with that. I can’t live with potential clearance issues that could cause damage to everything attached.

Here is a somewhat better detail of the hitch are a - we don’t have any interference issues - but these are Necky Manitou kayaks and the longer one is the orange one at 14’. The angle of the photo makes the clearance look closer than it actually is.

[D44]

Originally Posted by D44

Here is a somewhat better detail of the hitch are a - we don’t have any interference issues - but these are Necky Manitou kayaks and the longer one is the orange one at 14’. The angle of the photo makes the clearance look closer than it actually is.Attachment 314650

and this photo with our 4 kayaks, albeit with the previous FC 19, may help show the distances.

[Leilanisteve]

Many thanks! I just hitched and did the tightest right turn I could do with no clearance issues. I feel more reassurance now. Thanks for all the pics. Airstream is now sitting in front of the house ready roll Friday am.

[Overstreet]

Originally Posted by D44

Here is a somewhat better detail of the hitch are a - we don’t have any interference issues - but these are Necky Manitou kayaks and the longer one is the orange one at 14’. The angle of the photo makes the clearance look closer than it actually is.Attachment 314650

Look at the inboard position of the kayaks. They are more center line. So in a turn they point to the center of the trailer and to the outside of the turn.

[thehandyman]

Two 13.5 footers. Cross bars on shell and made some saddles that fit the contour of the hulls. Those are attached to cross bars.

[Overstreet]

Here is the new rig. Note we went to three racks. Two Thule adjustable bed racks with Hulivators and one cab mount Yakima with cradles. Thus far kayaks ride nice with no movement and no AS dents. I may move the aft rack inward to balance the force on the Hulivators.

Ps....these racks can be used in different configurations. The Yakima rack in the picture is on its fourth vehicle. It just required a different "Q clip".

[Overstreet]

Originally Posted by Overstreet

Here is the new rig. Note we went to three racks. Two Thule adjustable bed racks with Hulivators and one cab mount Yakima with cradles. Thus far kayaks ride nice with no movement and no AS dents. I may move the aft rack inward to balance the force on the Hulivators.

Ps....these racks can be used in different configurations. The Yakima rack in the picture is on its fourth vehicle. It just required a different "Q clip".

Without the trailer we drove the kayaks up to Wiseman Overlook up a really rutted up gravel road, in 4x4, and the kayaks stayed put.

[steverino]

Here’s my setup - a Thule bed rack and kayak cradles. The felt-lined rear cradle makes it easy to slide my 14’ kayaks up onto the rack from the rear.

Stern of kayaks extend only slightly beyond the ball, so no clearance problems even during tightest of turns.

[Leilanisteve]

Never thought of simply tucking excess rope inside the cab. I’ll try that this weekend.

[dmbecke]

Originally Posted by steverino

Here’s my setup - a Thule bed rack and kayak cradles. The felt-lined rear cradle makes it easy to slide my 14’ kayaks up onto the rack from the rear.Attachment 316373Attachment 316374

Stern of kayaks extend only slightly beyond the ball, so no clearance problems even during tightest of turns.

Nice set up
Can you still use a tonneau cover with this?

[steverino]

No - the rack clamps to the bed rails.