So I will be getting a kayak in a week or so and was wonder how to haul it around. My truck bed is 8 feet with tailgate down and I'm looking for at least a 12 foot yak. I dont want a trailer. Thought about a ladder rack or just hual it around sticking out the back with a red flag on it. What do you use? Show us what you purchased or build to hual yours. Include photos if you got them.

What truck do you have?

I have a 14' 3 panel kayak and I just throw it in the back of the Chevy S10 with a pad under the part that sits on the tailgaight. S10 bed is about 6' but over 7' with the tailgait down. Tie it up, put a flag on and I am good to go.
When I had a Cobra Navigator (12'6") I hauled it the same way.
I know a guy that hauls a Hobie Revolution the same way I do.
If your truck bed is 8' with the tailgait down you don't need anything but a red flag for most any kayak under 14', except maybe a pad to keep from point loading the hull.

http://www.harborfreight.com/250-lb-truck-ladder-rack-66187.html




I got it on sale for $79 as well.


It doubles as a shelter to sleep under with a tarp thrown over it.

I drive a Kia Spectra 5, which is pretty much a small 4 cylinder 4 door hatchback and i am able to put my Hobie Outback on top of it with no issues. Even though my kayak is about the same length of my car is still works out great.

I use the Yakima Mounting racks, (http://www.yakima.com/) and they have i think pretty much any type of mounting system for any type of vehicle i can think of for pretty much any kayak/canoe or anything like camping gear.

Only down side is they are a tad expensive but i am very satisfied with mine. A plus side to them is, at least on the car, once you have them installed initally they pop on and off in about a minute each, so you can conserve some gas when you dont need them.

bed extenders are nice too. i still use a red flag (plastic)





or just leave the yak n truck in the water

I built mine out of 2x4's that bolt into the stake slots on the bedrail cap. Cheap, simple, easy to remove AND it works.

F150 and I just drop the tailgate down load it in the back and tie down with rope. I also have heavy duty cable and lock for long trips. Sticks out about 3'. Bright yellow OK Drifter. If I put a red flag on it the red would mute the yellow! My yak has about 30k miles on it riding in the back! Been to Florida 3 times and never had a problem.

2005 GMC Canyon extended cab.

This is what I was thinking.

i recently switched to these. called quick draws i think?
got mine at ACADEMY. like em because they are tuff, fast, SECURE & easy to undo. think most hardware stores have them now. maybe Walmart as well

LOL! I think I will leave my truck on the bank. This looks great. Where do you get these.

cheapest i found was harbor freight. got mine for under $30

+1

Thanks guys You're awesome! Can't wait to join the club!

you'll want to get somthing like this for when your away from the truck. run it threw your scupper hole then to the bed. got mine at walmart.

"LOW LIFE Deterant"

LOL FZ, you really like posting pics.

I use the Python lock from Master lock. But honestly, if they want to steal the kayak, they'll steal it.

I have a Tacoma and right now I just throw mine in the back with the tail gate down. I tie it down good and it doesn't move at all. It sticks out 4 ft but I just tie a red flag on. My main concern carrying the yak like this is idiots who may slam into the back of my kayak.

However, in a perfect world, I think getting it up and out of the way is the best solution. Neumie's self made rack looked pretty good IMO. I have a few 2x4's laying around and might have to make one myself.

I have a 5.5' bed and I can transport my 12' kayak with the tailgate down just fine. I normally just use a bed extender I got at harbor freight though.

On the roof of my 95 pathfinder, or in the bed of my truck.

My son's F-150 has a camper so we set up the yakima bars on top of the camper. When I had my Ford Ranger I used the bed extender thing. Now I have a Tundra and just slide it in the back. Tarpon 120. My concerns early on for the proper way to transport a kayak added up to more expense and hassle which for the most part were unneccessary.

Yeah I'll back Zombie on these. I use them on the bow and aft of my kayak and they are beyond worth there weight in gold for transporting my kayak on top of my car. They take about 10 seconds to hook up and secure and you can hang off them, they are some tough stuff.

93 F150 with an 8 foot bed. 14 foot Heritage Osprey. When I get ready to go I carry the yak out to the truck and slide it in the bed with the tailgate down, I lift the yak with one hand and close the tailgate. Then I put two bungees in a cross pattern from the yak to the bumper. I toss whatever else I'm using that day in the bed along with the paddle and I'm loaded and gone in about 10 minutes...See ya..

throw my minix x in back of my suv and done gone in 1 minute, takes a minute to unload