loading a canoe

[brgbassmaster]

ok guys imgoing fishing this weekend and the truck im going to use the bed with the tail gate down is 7ft..but the only canoe we can use is 15 ft so how do you guys think we should load and cary this to the lake that is 2 hrs away???  im sure someone has carried a canoe in a truck bed before.

[Tom Bass]

Yep...you are right.

If you have lugs to tie off in the front corners of your bed shove the canoe nose into the corner of the bed with the canoe bottom down and tie it securely. After that run lines from the rearmost portions of your bed, probably the tailgate latch holes, to the end of the canoe to secure it tightly into the bed. Tie an orange or red flag to the end of the canoe to abide by law to alert others that you have an obstruction hanging out of your vehicle. Do not haul the canoe in a manner that makes it protrude outside the 8' 6" envelope required by law for roadway safety. I would add some weight inside the canoe for stability on the road. Make sure you tie it securely.

[brgbassmaster]

so 8-6 is the rule becuase is should only be 8ft.

[Guest avid]

here's what I do.

I put the nose straight in.  this way the rear of the canoe protrudes from the middle of the bed not off to the side.

I then use two heavy dog collars.  Like Rottweiller collars and snap them to two tie downs at the top of the bed.  Very snug.

I then use a a ratchet strap and secure the canoe at the end of the bed on the bed mounted tie downs.

I have orange reflective safety tape all over the end of my canoe an up the sides.   When driving any distance I tie long strips of orange hunting tape.

I drive the speed limit, no more.  Keep an eye in rear view mirror, if someone gets a little too close I put on the flashers, that wakes them up an get s them to back off.

I have been doing this for about 3 years and have never been pulled  over nor had any incidents.

be careful, mind the wind and the idiots, and you should be fine.

[bassboy1]

We carry our 17 footer (well we have two of them - we flip boats for a profit a lot, and in a week, have found 2 identical canoes for 100 each - we have already sold one for 350, and the guy is picking it up tomorrow)

We carry them upside down over the cab.  Since our long bed truck is 17 feet long, it works well, just line it up.  In the bed, we have a stack of foam blocks (you can use anything to support it at the right height, we just happen to keep a lot of foam blocks around to store project boats on)  Two straps going from the bow loop to to the hooks under the bumper on the front.  Then, a ratchet strap around the canoe and to the bed loops.  Snug it down, and the blocks won't blow away, and everything works smoothly.  We use old carpet on the cab of the truck.

[snapperd1]

Do what bassboy says carry it on the roof.  You don't want someone talking on the phone and applying makeup to hit the thing and wreck your weekend.

TD