We want to buy a canoe (15-17 feet) I was wondering how those of you who have them find the best way to attach them to the TV. We have a ford expedition with the rack and crossbars. Thanks for your input.
2013 Keystone, Laredo.. 291, Outdoor kitchen (my camping man cave)
Four or more Semi-rigid foam blocks to the gunwales where the boat rest on the roof (flat surface to distribute weight), with a clean cloth to prevent scuffing of paint at the contact / friction points.
Blocks are sold at canoe / boat shops and have a u shaped channel that fit right over and stay in place after you press them on.
Tiedown front and rear to structural member of vehicle, with rags to prevent scuffing / rope burn on plastic bumper parts.
Same blocks can be improvised / manufactured from any source of high density, semi-rigid, closed cell foam.
Shaped closed cell foam blocks canoe car top mounting is a legitimate commercial product that is in wide use (for decades) and have been proven safe, effective, and remain on the market.
http://www.sportrack.com/abr528/
This item above is sold by sportrack and it fits Thule, etc.
PKEASE do not use foam blocks. The are not safe for too many reasons to go into here. Your present racks may be strong enough to support one canoe, with appropriate placement, padding, and tie-downs but you need to check the owner's manual and/or your Ford dealer. The best bet is racks made by a reputable manufacturer such as Thule or Yakima. You can call their company and talk with a representative about your needs and the specific design of your vehicle. Canoes/kayaks should be tied to the vehicle back and front as well as secured to the racks with cross ties. Bungee cords should never be used for tie-downs. These racks may seem expensive but terrible accidents occur from failure to secure your load. Folks are going to tell you they have been using foam blocks (or maybe an old rug) for years but I am telling you they have just been lucky so far. lizzie
The racks on top of these vehicles are rated for at least a couple hundred pounds, so I don't see any problem of supporting a canoe up there.
I would install a front receiver like this Curt Custom Front Hitch. Then get a Hitch Extender and use in the vertical position to support the canoe out on the front of the truck. Problem solved and you have a long axis on the canoe for the tie downs rather than just the 4 or 5 feet on the roof of the truck to keep it snug.
Here is a picture of the hitch extender in the vertical position. This is obviously on the rear but it will work the same up front.
Shaped closed cell foam blocks canoe car top mounting is a legitimate commercial product that is in wide use (for decades) and have been proven safe, effective, and remain on the market.
http://www.sportrack.com/abr528/
This item above is sold by sportrack and it fits Thule, etc.
http://www.canoecarriershop.com/index.html
NewsW,
I actually have purchased foam blocks that were used to mount on top of my truck rack and are sold at REI / Sports Authority. However, I did run into some major issues with them.
These foam blocks work great, when it's sunny out. However when it is raining it seemed that the foam would compress even more and would work it's way loose. Keep in mind you can only apply x amount of pressure to strap down a Kayak or Canoe otherwise you risk damaging the plastic on them.
This summer I'll be tossing the cheap foam blocks away and purchasing actual Thule or Yakima supports. I believe for short trips it may work fine, but I used them on a 400 mile trip and during rain storms had the foam compress come lose. Keep in mind my straps still kept them in place, but they were bouncing on the roof of my truck and I was able to pull over before we lost a foam brick.
Just my experience with them, figured I would say something. Cheap isn't always better, especially when you may potentially lose a 15' canoe to a driver behind you.
2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 6.0, 3.73, Firestone Air Bags, CCSB LTZ
This is the only picture I have of my set up. I haul 2 18 foot tripper canoes on my pickup while towing the fifth wheel. The canoes rest on a head ache rack and then a T-bar that gets bolted to the frame of the truck through the tow hook mounting bolts. I glued strips of a heavy rubber mat on the top of the T-bar and headache rack and then secured the canoes with ratchet straps. It works very well.
2011 F350 SRW short box 4x4 CC 6.7 PS King Ranch
B&W TurnoverBall and Companion
2003 Citation Supreme 34 RLTS
I actually have purchased foam blocks that were used to mount on top of my truck rack and are sold at REI / Sports Authority. However, I did run into some major issues with them.
These foam blocks work great, when it's sunny out. However when it is raining it seemed that the foam would compress even more and would work it's way loose. Keep in mind you can only apply x amount of pressure to strap down a Kayak or Canoe otherwise you risk damaging the plastic on them.
This summer I'll be tossing the cheap foam blocks away and purchasing actual Thule or Yakima supports. I believe for short trips it may work fine, but I used them on a 400 mile trip and during rain storms had the foam compress come lose. Keep in mind my straps still kept them in place, but they were bouncing on the roof of my truck and I was able to pull over before we lost a foam brick.
Just my experience with them, figured I would say something. Cheap isn't always better, especially when you may potentially lose a 15' canoe to a driver behind you.
Understand your experience.
A critical aspect of using them is very high tension (tight) ropes front and back, and moderately strong tying down on the sides.
If ropes loosen (not just the foam) you are toast.
I use a system where multiple ties are done to different tension, so if one loosened, the other picks up slack.
Type of rope is also critical, kind that does not slip in wet and knot well.
Experience here is up to 90mph... no problems.. never loosened in rain, snow, ice, or anything.
Note... ask yourself.. how are the roof racks attached?
* This post was
edited 03/04/12 06:14pm by NewsW *
You may be able to add a set of Thule bars to your existing rack, if so you can use their Canoe Carriers. I've got a set and been using them for ages, they work like a charm. No tieing to the front and back, just strap them down. I've not had good luck with the foam blocks, they move too easily.
Happy Motoring
Bob & Deb
W Ma.
12 F150 HD SCAB EcoBoost LB 4x4
06 Starcraft 18SB
I grew up with canoes. We put them on the lumber rack of the pickup and tied them down with webbing strap tie downs, with a tube of foam pipe insulation on the rack bars to protect the canoes gunrails.
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