After methodical searches and reading of all the forums about "Best ways to load kayaks in trucks" I still have not found or read very many opinions on specifically loading in a truck with a CLOSED tailgate. I have a 6 foot truck bed and want the Jackson Big Tuna 14ft kayak. I DO NOT want racks, rails, bed extenders or mods to my truck. What I DO want is to load the 14.1 foot kayak into the truck and prop it up onto the closed tailgate with flag and lights of course. What I am asking is for opinions or experiences doing this and will the unsupported weight cause damage or oil canning to the kayak?

You're talking about 6' in the bed and 8' out of it, with no support on the outside of the bed.

It's a terrible idea that will eventually bite you (probably sooner). If it doesn't come loose and fall out on the road, the constant bouncing will cause it to bend in the middle, eventually doing permanent damage.

If you decide to go ahead with this, make sure you take before and after pics.

not sure what you have against a bed extender? Costs $50, is easily removed or placed and keeps the kayak in a more natural position. I think Artie is on with his assessment. Will definitely do damage. At least put the tailgate down.

Why are you tied to those particular criteria for transporting a 14' kayak? They aren't very realistic.

i think its a fair question. I have a very similar question. Is it SAFE to LOAD my pro angler which is 12' long onto a Acura TSX. I DO NOT want it anywhere near the roof. That means I DO NOT want to add roof rack or noodles. I don't want any modifications to my car, so NO to trailer. And most importantly and definitely, I DO NOT want the kayak touching my car. So basically, im going to tie a rope from my muffler to the scupper hole or handle bar of the PA and drag it down central expwy to Texoma. IS IT SAFE?

will take pictures before and after.

btw, just to make sure it will be SAFE, i will have the tackle boxes in the trunk of my car (those .5oz lead weights can be heavy). However, the seat, mirage drive mounted (i will have the pedals position so the fins are flat duh!) and fish finder will stay on the kayak while im dragging it.

So basically, im going to tie a rope from my muffler to the scupper hole or handle bar of the PA and drag it down central expwy to Texoma.

I would not recommend transporting a 14+ foot kayak that way. I've done it with 12 foot kayaks, but only as a temporary option.

I don't understand why you would invest $1,700 + tax for just the kayak and then transport it in the least practical/safe way possible. With about 60% of the kayak unsupported and sticking up in the air you're applying a lot of stress to a very small fulcrum point (where the kayak is touching the tailgate) when you're traveling down the highway. I just can't see how you won't damage the kayak that way.

Okay my opinion is no you can not do it. If you open the tail gate , no problem I haul my Cuda14 that way and I hauled my Tuna like that. Just don't put anything in the back of the kayak and load whatever you can in the front. If you try to do it with tail gate up it will oil can a little, just before it falls out.

15 footer in a 6 foot bed with the tailgate down.

I love your kayak, just wish i had the skills to build one like you. Your kayak i assume is much lighter than a big tuna. your kayak is also sitting on a flat surface and the tailgate is down giving it an additional 18" or so of support beyond the 6' bed. The OP wants to load his kayak with the tailgate up. Unless he has a box the height of the tailgate running the length of the bed of his truck, the entire weight of the kayak is resting all on the tailgate. Its not a good idea. It will definitely leave a dent in his kayak.

Hull weight is 40 lbs. I made a mistake or it would have been 35. Next one is going to be under 30 lbs and 16 feet long. Not that hard to build. Much easier than wood.

I've read your build report several times now, and I believe I'm going to build one next winter. Mine will be 15-16' long and 31" wide. I may buy a Mirage drive or Propel drive for it, but I will have to have an elevated seat to make it work for me. I figure at 16' and 31" wide, it should move out pretty well. I may even build it with a trolling motor in it. I have played around with a few pieces of insulation board that I picked up a houses being built in the area. I believe I can work with it just fine.

I haven't read all the replies yet but why would you not want a $70 bed extender that is easily removable when you aren't hauling your kayak? It's not really a mod to your truck...

Crossbar in the bed and a bed extender if you want to leave the tailgate up.

But I think the original poster is just trying to develop some type of "on the tailgate" holder. He posted and then deleted.

the pic provided by realbigreel poses a question; I have recently acquired a 14.5 ultimate, which is a foot longer than my old prowler; I also have a 6 foot bed.
Question(s):
can my ultimate be legally transported in a 6 foot bed with appropriate red flag? Will a bed extender make it legal? Will lights have to be extended to the rear of the craft? bed extender?This may need to be a separate thread and if so I apologize, but the picture certainly caused me to assess my own situation, as one ticket would pay for bed extender and light attachment-p-

I have been hauling mine around for more than a year now just like that. I used to haul around a Cobra navigator 12'6" the same way. The kayak in the picture is Styrofoam and Fiberglass which is much stronger and tougher than the polyethylene that most kayaks are made out of. Still I do put a 2 foot square foam pad over the tailgate when I am hauling and I am careful over the bumps.

A number of states require a 12" square red flag for loads extending 4' beyond the truck bed, whether you use a bed extender or not. I also have an Ultimate 14.5. My truck has a 6' bed but I lose some with the toolbox. I fabricated a light bar for driving while it's dark, and always use that with a red flag, even during the day. I can PM you other photos if you want. I also carry a copy of the regulations concerning extended loads in my glove compartment in case an overeager LEO stops me.

Substitute kayak for canoe

Bed extender from harbor frieght or threw it over the cab other end in bed..
Wouldn't recommend any distance for second one

Strap it down good. I am not ashamed to say I have carried a 14 ft and a 12 ft at the same time on top of a saturn...when I had a saturn..

Yes, this will damage your yak, IMHO.

this is how i transport my kayaks. you can easily and legally transport yaks to 15' this way.

http://2flyfish4.blogspot.com/2013/04/kayak-tie-down-tip.html

one of my better post. The OP has a total of 6 post, of which 1 is the original post and 5 were replies in this thread that was deleted by admin. The replies I'm sure were directed at Bass Art, Paynefish, Neumie, B-rod and RBR since they were so hurtful and negative. My post was uplifting and full of encouragement.

However, i think my drive by and sarcasm is going to get my but kicked soon. to be fair, the OP had unrealistic ideas on transporting his kayak. Also he didn't exactly explain his situation thus leaving many of the kayak vets here question his purpose and ideas.

<---- to all my asian brothers and sisters from a different mother and father but from the same planet and all the other folks who hang out with asians but get annoyed when they keep every fish they catch, i question this smilie. is it offensive to you? i have never worn a rice hat before and my eyes are more than just two dashes. i do actually have two eyeballs with retina and the whole works. This reminds me of the movies back in the days when hollywood would portray all asians with the hair parted in the middle, eyes extremely slanted, glasses, buck tooth, extreme accent and the charactor played by white actor.
Im not complaining, so don't take it that way. Just curious thats all. also, when would you ever want to use this smilie? signature maybe?

I would shy away from anyone's opinion that had "experience" putting a 14 foot kayak in a 6 foot bed with tailgate up. Unless your tailgate is stuck in the up position, there are many better options that won't possibly damage your kayak over time.

All of those posts except one was "Thanks" and the other was mentioning an idea to invent something to allow the yak to rest safely on the closed tailgate. Didn't want to clog the posts so I removed them.

The hitch on my truck was stolen causing damage that prevents me from adding another. If it is feasible to just strap Jackson Big Tuna in with gate down then I will finally make the purchase. I would rather get clowned on a fishing forum than put anyones safety or my investments at risk.

Just get you one of these. Edge by Expedite Truck Bed Retainer. http://www.rchuntingstore.com/servlet/the-7117/EDGE-BY-EXPEDITE-TRUCK/Detail this is how I will be carrying mine, but I'm going to add a cushion in the bed for the stern so it won't press against the bed.

Freefall,you do realize in all those pics those tailgates are all DOWN right?

I would take any concern out of the equation and do this:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15125807?wmlsp...990&veh=sem

$30 for receiver hitch
$20 to weld it to your frame (for use with extender only)
$50 for extender

total $100 and peace of mind.

Yeah in his last post he changed his mind and was going to put the tailgate down

Hmm...well, before I got my bed extender, I had fabricated a work-around consisting of a 6' flat board(about 24" across and an inch thick...you need a dense type of wood that won't crack) that I attached a set of foam blocks to(the kind you use typically for roof-top carrying). I drilled holes in the end of the board and looped some para-cord through them and tied them off to the tie-downs in the bed of my truck(the ones closest to the cab), leaving enough slack so that the board could be slid out about 3.5' before the lines got tight with the board sitting directly in the middle of the bed. This allowed me to keep the board in the bed of the truck when not transporting the kayak since it was just short enough to fit in the bed with the gate up, then when needed I could lower the tail-gate and slide the board out until it pulled the lines tight, and I'd put my 12' malibu stealth on the board, then strap down the yak by putting a strap across the tie-downs by the tail-gate and another through the the nose of the yak that was attached to the other tie-downs by the cab. This gave it support a few feet out of the gate and kept the yak sitting on foam blocks. the only real problem I had with it is that after while of sliding my yak onto the board, the foam blocks started to not sit properly on the board and get little tears in them from the stress of the yak being slid across them rather than being placed on top of them.

One day while driving one flew off in the wind on the highway and was lost, and while I had some ideas in mind of how to improve the design(like attaching strips of pool noodle to the board every 6-8" or so all along it's length so you can slide the yak all the way across the board easily), it had been a few months since I had bought the yak so it had been long enough that I could get away with spending a little bit more money on my new hobby and buy a bed extender and not get in trouble with the wife. It certainly worked though! Never had any damage to the yak or the bed.

FishDragon-Excellent, innovative DIY. I was pondering suggesting something similar, but there was lots of help being provided!

No way I would do it.
That kayak is going to be like a missle on a launch pad!
It's a lawyers special, with just too much air around it to be safe!

I have a short bed Dodge that so far has hauled a Big tuna, Cuda14 and a PA 14. I did make a 3" pvc rack for the PA. The others I just take everything out of them on the end that is dangling, put stuff in the loaded end and a few straps with a flag tied on.

Ya except I have no clue how to weld

I've seen a few long kayaks carried on bed trucks without a bed extender over the years. The sight of half a kayak sticking out of the bed makes me cringe. I always wonder if the kayak is going to fall out after a bump or sharp turn

@SleepingTiger - On the smiley question, I find it somewhat offensive. I noticed it in the smilies options after I read your message, but have not seen anyone used it before.