Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

I'm looking for a better, but cheap, way to haul my Wenonah Solo Plus.

I have a standard cab, 2001 Toyota Tacoma with a topper (camper shell). Since acquiring my canoe this summer I've been using foam blocks and 2 straps with ratchets, one through the cab and the other at the back of the shell. I've been loosening the topper enough to slide through the strap and then retightening the topper clamp. I use bow and stern lines and it rides secure. However, this method is somewhat of a pain and the straps are inconveniently placed.

At some point in the not too distant future I want to upgrade to an access/extended cab truck, hopefully with a topper, so I am hesitant to buy a new rack system until then unless I'm sure that it could be used on my next truck.

What are the best methods of securing a canoe to this truck configuration? I don't mind the strap through the cab so much, but it would be nice to not have to clamp and unclamp the topper every time.

Thanks for your advice.

Yakima makes artificial rain gutters so you can use the rain gutter towers, but you have to drill two holes per perch through your top. I've even made some of my own out of some 3/4" square tubing and a cut-off wheel. This wouldn't be a 'cheap' way to go, but would be much more convenient.

Here are a couple of different ones...

http://www.backcountryracks.com/yakima- ... -8001.html

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/ca ... ateid=2626

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm going to cheat here - in looking for a picture for an exoskeleton type rack, I found an old post where I had commented on almost exactly this same question asked by another Tacoma owner. So instead of writing something new, I'm just going to copy some of that response here:

Systems by Yakima and Thule are designed with loads like boats in mind, but many racks offered with camper shells were intended only for something like a single ladder. I've always had racks that attached to the camper shell, but I have to say, my NEXT pick-up truck rack will most likely be an exo-skeleton style frame where the rack transfers the load to the truck, not to the camper shell. Driving washboard roads in Arkansas is not something most camper shells were really designed to do. Doing it with added weight on the roof cuts into the life of the camper shell. It won't turn to dust, but you'll be more likely to have leaks, trouble getting the rear lid closed, and so on. The exo-skeletons are expensive, but you do get a bomb-proof rack.

Will racks attached directly to the camper shell most likely give you multiple years of service, at a cheaper price than a super-heavy-duty exoskeleton? Probably yes, especially if most of the time you are carrying only the one boat. The folks who are going over to the exoskeleton set ups are mostly those who frequently carry multiple boats, and who would boat every weekend if there was water.

Also, I should mention that with these set-ups, the front bar can extend out over the roof of the cab. This has two major advantages for hauling canoes - you get the tie-down points further apart, thus much more secure, and secondly you are much less likely for a canoe, even some with some rocker, to come into contact with the top of your truck due to the natural curvature of the boat. This will be more of an issue with the extended cab trucks than it was with your current standard cab truck.

I've never had any problem with mounting racks to camper shells...But like Cowper said, there is a small inconvenience when opening your shell lid especially with full size canoes. I've even mounted my same racks to an aluminum camper shell using the square tubing on the inside as the main support (required drilling one more hole in the middle of the artificial rain gutters to put a bolt through the tubing). 78" bars were always my choice so I can haul two canoes or as many yaks as you can neatly stack on top. Never had a problem with leaks either...new artificial rain gutters come with a rubber seal, but silicone works just as good for homemade gutter(and the only problem with homemade gutters is the fact that someone can just slip your towers out of the gutter, but the yakima gutters have a metal tab on the end to prevent this).

FROM BOOFMASTER: The post which follows was identified as SPAM. It quotes from an earlier post word-for-word, up until the portion that is now marked in red. This was the first post by leocruz, and it was clearly commericial spam. The website linked had no real applicability to roof racks like you would install on your camper. The poster has been banned, and the commerial link deleted.

Will racks attached directly to the camper shell most likely give you multiple years of service, at a cheaper price than a super-heavy-duty exoskeleton? Probably yes, especially if most of the time you are carrying only the one boat. The folks who are going over to the exoskeleton set ups are mostly those who frequently carry multiple boats, and who would boat every weekend if there was water.Also, I should mention that with these set-ups, the front bar can extend out over the roof of the cab.RoofStuff Inc is the global supplier of pipe supports and hangers. You can choose RoofStuff for high standard roof supports, duct supports, pipe support and more.

DELETED LINK TO COMMERICIAL SITE

I have used a Yakima rack system for decades, just buy different mounting towers or what ever for the truck or van I happen to have. Now using the camper shell mount plates for the same basic cross bar rack system on a new Tacoma shell.

I have never used Thule racks but know a lot of folks who do and like them. I started out with Yakima and the product (given minimal care and feeding) just does not wear out. Another pitch for made in the USA gear!!!!

Those two manufacturers are about as close to universal mount systems as it gets

Do google search for their home pages and go from there. Depending on where you live Pack Rat Fayetteville or OOO Hot Springs will have samples and advice for you.

I bought two Turbo-Rack made by Darby Industries, 1-800-344-2472, and put on my bed lid to carry kayaks and bicycle racks. This rack uses foam blocks that hold pipes off rooftop and are secured by straps through cab of vehicle with doors open. I used it on rental car and worked great. You coluld loosen topper one time mount strap or strap holder. I would make a short strap with D ring that I would losen topper, place between bed cap and topper, and tighten topper back down. Depending on your topper bed configuration figure out something to secure strap inside. Could be as simple as knotting strap. You can now use the D ring as a way to connect the system you have been using without having to loosen topper everytime.
Ralph Tester, Clinton, AR today