Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

I'm in the market for a boat, but have run into a bit of a conundrum. I have a 4 door wrangler with both soft and hard top. I have the soft top on (or off) the majority of the time. The set up that I'm considering is a hitch mounted bed extender in the upright position, higher than the roof line, something like the Yakima drydock. For the front, simple foam blocks. I'd rather not mount a light bar type device in front if possible. For the hard top, drilling and mounting a carrier to it is not an option.

Is anyone running a similar set up or have a Jeep that you've come up with an alternate method of roof transportation?

I don't have a four door, which means we both have different generations and configurations. However, most jeepers deal with this same issue. I ran a long time just throwing the boat on top of the roll bars/windsheild frame with the top down. However I was tired of that set-up limiting the amount of time I got to spend on the water because of the weather. So I bought a KargoMaster Congo Cage. I have two Yakima Bars on the top with Thule Stackers. This was the best investment I have made with the car. The rack uses the existing bolts int he windshield and rear tail lights. You can drill more bolts into the jeep above the rear tail lights for more support. I did this and it was easy and worth it for the extra load capacity. The best part is that the rack can fold back so I can still take the top down. KargoMaster does make racks to support your jeep. There are other companies that make similar configurations as well. If you want to paddle a lot, this kind of set-up is worth the investment. Hope this helps.

smarquart wrote:I don't have a four door, which means we both have different generations and configurations. However, most jeepers deal with this same issue. I ran a long time just throwing the boat on top of the roll bars/windsheild frame with the top down. However I was tired of that set-up limiting the amount of time I got to spend on the water because of the weather. So I bought a KargoMaster Congo Cage. I have two Yakima Bars on the top with Thule Stackers. This was the best investment I have made with the car. The rack uses the existing bolts int he windshield and rear tail lights. You can drill more bolts into the jeep above the rear tail lights for more support. I did this and it was easy and worth it for the extra load capacity. The best part is that the rack can fold back so I can still take the top down. KargoMaster does make racks to support your jeep. There are other companies that make similar configurations as well. If you want to paddle a lot, this kind of set-up is worth the investment. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I'm going to try to avoid the full cage if I can, but may not have any choice.

How about a front mount receiver hitch too? Then you could get two Yakima dry docks. The front mount can be used for a portable winch too.

http://www.hitchesonline.com/jeep_front_end.htm

Regud wrote:How about a front mount receiver hitch too? Then you could get two Yakima dry docks. The front mount can be used for a portable winch too.

http://www.hitchesonline.com/jeep_front_end.htm

Bumper to bumper is about 14.5 feet, longer than any boat I want.

As said, I think we all run into this problem. I have not wanted to drill into the Jeep so I have not bought a rack at this time. I have both tops, the soft and the hard top and our hard top hangs from a hoist in garage I was not sure how easy it would be to remove the rack and back in to the garage in order to remove or add the top.

The only way I carry the boats is if I have the top off and I use the roll bar and the window frame. I tried using blocks on the hard top but it scratched fairly easy and I only tried that once.

So with that being said I have been saving for a small trailer to pull behind the jeep to carry the gear and load the boats on top of the trailer.

If I had to go with a rack it would be the Kargo Rack mentioned or the Garvin Wilderness rack.

Judy

+1 on the trailer if you got a place to store it. A trailer gives you all the versatility of a pick up bed and you will end up using it for more than kayaking. After trading three trailers, I suggest getting one a size bigger than you think if/when you buy your first one.

Yakima makes artificial rain gutters about 4-5" long that are black & you have to look for them to know they're there. I've mounted them just above & aft of the rear windows. Get a set of 1-A mounts & put the front rack above the rear doors (not on the t-tops) & the rear rack on the artificial rain gutters & you're set. Just 4 small holes that when the carriage bolts are siliconed don't leak. Of course my wife has to take my dog for a walk when I get the drill out & whether or not I get him back depends on the success of the job It's her Jeep.

Wes

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to mess around with some of them and let you know when I figure it out.

A friend of mine has one of these racks on his TJ.

http://www.tellico4x4.com/product_info. ... s_id/27209" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It bolts to the door hinges and bumper supports and has a little cleaner look, IMO, than some of the other racks.

I have a 2000 Jeep Wrangler Sahara. I have a Cargo master rack, that I bought from 4wd.com. I only have a hard top. As it is, I have to remove the rack to get top on/off. It has never taken more than 10 minutes to perform this task. It really is not that much more difficult. My rack is rated at 500 lbs. I just recently left Ar. with a creek boat and two playboats firmly secure, to Yellowstone NP. I had 0 trouble. With that said I have been traveling around AR. hauling boats. The largest limitation is the ability to put manufactured stackers on such a rack. Though, I still believe it would be very easy to "make my own". I have just simply been to lazy to perform this task.