glbenfld
NC
New Member
Joined: 05/10/2008
View Profile
 Offline
|
My wife & I currently have a 26' R-Vision Trail-Lite 8263s light weight travel trailer. We have thought about moving up to a 5th wheel, but we haven't figured out a way to transport our 2 14' kayaks.
We really don't want to transport our boats on the roof of a 5th wheel. Too much trouble getting up & down all the time, plus once we set up camp we don't want to have to break camp to transport the kayaks to a boat landing.
We have looked at toy haulers, but not many have length enough for 14' kayaks. We tow with a 1500 Chevy & really don't want to move to a larger truck that most toy haulers would require.
Currently we transport the kayaks on a rack in the truck bed which isn't a problem with the travel trailer.
I thought I would throw this out to some of you 5th wheelers to see if any of you have seen or thought of a way around our dilemma.
|
billandcap
Heading to Yellowstone!
New Member
Joined: 11/30/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
We fulltime in a 5th wheel and have 2 10' kayaks. We are able to carry them on the roof of the truck. We bring the kayaks forward enough so they don't interfere with the fifth wheel. I don't know if 14' would be too long, but it might be something you can look at.
2004 Arctic Fox 29-5E
2006 Ford F350 4x4 Dually
Visit our Fulltime RVer Web Page
|
SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/14/2003
View Profile
|
They make boat racks that position the boat over the hood and cab of the truck and leave most of the bed clear, for pulling a fifth wheeler. I was on a website recently that had every differnt kind of boat/canoe carrier one could imagine. Now if I could just remember the name of the website... Something like boatloader.com or some sorta name like that.
As for the toyhaulers, the 18' bumper-pull models with front kitchen and bath usually have enough floor space to fit your kayacks.
92F350 CrewCab 4x4 351/C6
LoadNGo service body
69Bronco ATC250R CR500
20' BigTex flatbed carhauler
B&W TurnoverBall g-neck Curt Magnum rr DrawTite ft
HD springs Rancho9000s Bilsteins poly sway bushings
285/75-16E BFG AT on 16x8 Stocktons
4.56's & Lock-Rite rear
|
shutdown
In The Dog House
Full Member
Joined: 03/13/2008
View Profile
|
I have seen setups where one end of the kayaks are supported on a roof rack of the truck and the front of them is supported by a Tbar via a front receiver hitch.
|
sue.t
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 08/05/2004
View Profile
|
For the F-250, the factory racks meant removing the fog lamps, which DH wasn't keen about. He also didn't like how the roof racks attached to the truck (the rubber door seal is pushed out a bit).
So he made his own rack, which uses existing holes and also meant he didn't need to remove his tow hooks or fog lamps. The front rack is much more stable than the T-racks too. This setup works well with our shortbox too.
sue t.
Pictures from Our RV Adventures to Yukon & Alaska
|
|
|
glbenfld
NC
New Member
Joined: 05/10/2008
View Profile
Offline
|
Great suggestion
Sue t., like the saying goes, one picture is worth a thousand words. Thanks for the photos. I will have to do some measuring to determine if that type of set up might work for my application. Sue, couple of follow up questions please.
Here in the states we're beginning to feel the gas/fuel crunch that our neighbors to the north like you have felt for many years. Have you been able to tell if transporting your canoe that far forward decreases your fuel efficiency much differently than if you were transporting your canoe with it being more aft in the "normal" area over the bed?
Secondly, has transporting the canoe that far forwarded created any issues with: wind noise, visabiity, or any other handling issues?
Thanks again to everyone who has posted. SoCalDesertRider, I will try to find that site. If you run across it agian, please let me know.
|
sue.t
Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 08/05/2004
View Profile
|
On the trip we took to Yukon with the canoe mounted we had good gas mileage ... probably a little better than usual. Maybe because of the aerodynamics? Certainly there wasn't any decrease in gas mileage. The canoe will be going with us again this year on our trip to Yukon.
No wind noise. Only issue with visability was for me ... I like to stick my camera out the passenger side window and snap pictures as we go ... I had to be more careful on the position of the camera.
The canoe made a great sun shade. Kept the truck cooler, especially when parked. Also helped a bit in hard rains ... not so much rain pelting on the windshield.
People we saw with the T-racks all had strapping from the top ends of the rack to their bumpers. And most indicated there was still flex on the front end. We had no flex. Which was a good thing as we do a lot of backroads and gravel. Ended up doing some 4-wheel driving on an abandoned road (fiver was back at camp) with the canoe on top ... the truck jolted around and the canoe rack remained solid.
The rack is also built to dismantle into pieces so it stores away easy. Also goes on and comes off in about 15 minutes.
Note we put PVC pipe around the aluminum tube where the canoe rests. Made rolling the canoe off the front or back very easy. Also protected the canoe gunnels.
|
SoCalDesertRider
SanDiego, CA, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/14/2003
View Profile
|
Here it is-
www.boatloader.com
5th wheel racks
|
AntiqFreq
Sunny South Florida USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/20/2003
View Profile
|
We have the Thule goal post and racks on the roof of the truck.
Our canoe is 15'6" and we have no problems at all.
We are going this weekend camping and taking two canoes, ours
and another which is 16'6".......
We may hang in front of the truck 3 feet, but so what!
Jo
2007 Keystone Cougar, 291 RLS
2003 Ford F250, 7.3L, Lariat, CC, SB, 4x4
Isspro Gauges-overhead mount, 14K Pullrite Superglide
Firestone RideRite airbags & pressure gauge
Two Honda eu2000i generators, parallel kit
Bell Morningstar Canoe, bent shaft paddles
|
partsman01
Poco British Columbia
Senior Member
Joined: 07/22/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
sue.t wrote:For the F-250, the factory racks meant removing the fog lamps, which DH wasn't keen about. He also didn't like how the roof racks attached to the truck (the rubber door seal is pushed out a bit).
So he made his own rack, which uses existing holes and also meant he didn't need to remove his tow hooks or fog lamps. The front rack is much more stable than the T-racks too. This setup works well with our shortbox too.
That is a great idea, might have to do that on my truck.
I have relatives on the Island, uncle used to be an optometrist in Courtenay and lives in comox.
And one of their sons runs a whale watching service.
Island is a great place to visit.
|
|
|
