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Hauling a Canoe on top

blackbirdxx

New Member
Joined
September 1, 2003
Messages
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City, State
Valdosta, GA
Year, Model & Trim Level
97 XLT 4WD
Does anyone out there have a canoe that they take around on top of their X? I have a 97 with the factory luggage rack I am looking to take a canoe across the country with. I know Yakima makes a mount (Gunwale) but does this fit on top of the factory crossbars?

Any recommendations?

Thanks.
 



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Ask Sunbum.. I know he does alot of kayaking. I'm sure you could, as long as it doesn't weigh more than 200 lbs.
 






I've done it before. Just ratchet strap the front & rear of the canoe to the front & rear bumpers. I also used some foam pieces cut to fit on the gunwhales to keep it from hitting the roof near the windshield.
 






I've carried canoes and kayaks on the stock racks of my 4 door. A short boat can be done with nothing but rope, but for longer boats its best to get foam blocks to elevate the boat off the roof in the front of the truck. Ratchet straps are great. When tieing down, make sure you go to the frame, and stay away from moving suspention parts or hot exhaust pipes.

Racks are nice, but unessecery.
 






the yakima rack will only fit their cross bars. my friend has it.
 






agreed. i put our 17' old town on there all the time with ratchet straps and some foam.
 






i know the roof rack says 100lbs but, what did you think the max really is, i ask this because i have a fake geeneew, mine is 19' long and 37" wide and i would say 130lbs or so what do you guys think??? :)
 






I have a 16' broad beam canoe that we put on the roof of my X. I removed the cross bars and put the foam rubber bumpers that you can buy on the canoe gunnels and let it sit on the roof. I then tied the canoe to the roof rack tie downs, the brushguard on the front, and the hitch on the back. Last time, I drove it about 180 miles at highway speeds with no problems at all. Make sure when you tie off the nose and the tail, you tie it in a "V" shape to keep it from moving side to side much.

I didn't use the factory roof rack because I didn't like how high the canoe sat. The closer to the roof it sits, the less air can get underneath it.
 






Canoe

I bought some adapters that fit in the roof rack tracks. They were made by a company called Raqadaptour, I think. They allowed me to use Yakima crossbars in the factory tracks. Yakima may make an adapter now that will fit the factory tracks. However the tracks are too short to adequately support the canoe, so I bought a set of the Yakima towers with the rubber pads and clamps that fit inside the doors and grab the rubber rain gutters. This allowed me to put one crossbar right over the driver's seat. Thus, I have 3 crossbars: one up front, one at the extreme rear, and one in the middle. The middle one doesn't actually support the canoe. I strap the canoe to the crossbars, and of course fore and aft, which is what really holds it on.


Bob
 






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