Pickup truck with shorter bed

[Jeffrey Walker]

So I decided on getting a pickup for my next truck but it will have a shorter bed 5'7in.  If I want to transport a larger kayak, 12 feet, will it be secure with Tie dowsn, is there anything else I would need to keep it secure and safe?

 

For those with trucks and shorter beds I would like to listen to how you approach it. 

Thank you!

[casts_by_fly]

I have an ap120 with a 5’7” bed. No issues. I load stern first and have a double strap that I fit around the nose of the boat. Then two straps into the bed hooks. 
 

if it’s a heavy boat it will be challenging to get the stern up onto the tailgate but for a 100# boat or lighter you’ll be fine 

[Bankc]

You can give it a try, as is.  If it works for you, then you'll be all set.  If not, then you can buy a truck bed extender.  I have one for my SUV, only I put it on backwards, so instead of sticking out backwards, it sticks up to align with my roof rack.  You'll need a flag, either way.

[Darth-Baiter]

buy the Boondox bed extender.   it is awesome if you ever get "off road".

 

why a bed extender?  I jusssst need it.  my tacoma is the long bed at 6 feet.  my 12'9" kayak just teeters there in the bed without the bed extender.  if I am fishing a lake 7 minutes from my driveway, I might not use it.  but I typically do.  here is why it is a Godsend.  imagine lifting your kayak with your arm.  safest move it to have the load in front of you, held up close. like you are curling two dumb-bells.  now you need to put that load on your tailgate that is next to you.  you will now have to turn/twist your body AND extend your arms out to push the end of the kayak onto the tailgate.  95% of the time, you'll be fine.  BUT there is a tiny chance you hurt your back.  (dont ask me how I know this).   with the bed extender you can keep the load in front of you, held close so you can minimize the load on your back.  then use your legs to step into the space between the tailgate and bed extender bar.  just curl up and put the kayak safely on the bar and your job is half done.  walk to the end on the ground, lift with your legs and push it in.  BOOM.  you dont smell like Bengay for the next four days.  you just tie at at the bed extender and you are done.  no climbing into the bed to tie the inside end of the kayak.  (I have a camper shell, so climbing in to secure the other end is a crab walk.  no thanks.

 

I think my kayak would naturally teeter out on a 5'7" bed.  your's will be right there.

[TnRiver46]

I put a 15 foot canoe in a 6 foot truck bed. Then a lot of times strap my wife’s 11’9” kayak to the canoe

 

You’ll be fine 

[HookInMouth]

If it's just me I leave the trailer at home and toss me SS127 (12'7") in the back of my Ram 1500 shortbed. No issues. 

[Stratocat_Joe]

I had this bed extender for my Dorado, which was 12 ft.  I cut up a foam pool noodle to cover the metal portion where the kayak sat on it and it worked great.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/truck-bed-extender-69650.html

[Functional]

12.5' kayak in the back of a 5'7 tundra bed w/o extender. 

 

3 pull straps: 1 on each handle back to an eye hook to keep it in, 1 over the back to keep the rear down. If I had my diamondback hard cover on it was only the 2 straps on the handles. 

[Junk Fisherman]

3 hours ago, Stratocat_Joe said:

I had this bed extender for my Dorado, which was 12 ft.  I cut up a foam pool noodle to cover the metal portion where the kayak sat on it and it worked great.

 

https://www.harborfreight.com/truck-bed-extender-69650.html

 

This is exactly what I do.  Works great in my Tacoma that has a 5' bed.  

[casts_by_fly]

4 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

 

This is exactly what I do.  Works great in my Tacoma that has a 5' bed.  

for $65 I think I need to get one. That’s cheap. 

[Way2slow]

I've used a 4WD Toyota Short bed for over 30 years and 99% of the time it's not a problem, and even hauled a 17" aluminum canoe in it many times.  Just slide it in and put whatever gear you are taking in the boat as close to the cab as you can get it to hold that end down.  I said 99% of the time because one time I was hauling a light gauge aluminum 12' jon across some fairly rough land to a farm pond and it creased the bottom right at the end of the tail gate, so that time, it would have paid to have had some support father back.  

[gim]

Bear in mind that you may have to put a red flag on whatever is sticking out beyond the bed of the truck, based on what state you live in.  I know someone who has been pulled over for not putting a red flag on an item sticking out too far here.

[WRB]

Looking Pick up truck bed extenders there are several available that use a 2” hitch receiver. A few are designed specifically for canoes and kayak that are both adjustable and foldable under $75.

Tom

PS, they come with red towing flags.

[Deeare]

Ive got a  small bed truck and a 13’ predator and All I use is 2 good/heavy duty ratchet straps and a red flag for the end that is sticking out.   I use a small red towel that clips on the back of my kayak.   Bed extender is not needed IMO.   I’d suggest having an extra strap in your truck at all times though.   

[schplurg]

I wouldn't tie to the kayaks handles, they aren't made for that. When I had a truck I would run one strap through the front handle but the pressure when I tightened the strap was downward on the kayak itself. The handle did none of the work.

 

A second strap wrapped around the back of the kayak and did most of the work.

 

On my van roof I wrap the straps around the kayak and not through any handles. I have a third strap running through the pedal drive hole and tied onto the rack just in case.

[RAM3139]

I have a 5'6" bed and carry an SS127 in it.  I use a harbor freight bed extender for any trips longer than a couple miles.  My older kayak was 12" and more stern heavy.  I could carry that without the extender.

[casts_by_fly]

On 8/22/2022 at 4:19 PM, Junk Fisherman said:

 

This is exactly what I do.  Works great in my Tacoma that has a 5' bed.  

 

So I bought the Harbor freight extender.  Lifting is definitely easier since you're lifting straight and not twisting.

 

However, the vertical adjustment isn't high enough to reach the boat as an extender.  It doesn't touch the boat (or anything laid flat even) at full height and even at full height it is pretty wobbly.  I keep it on the lowest setting since I'm just using it as a lifting point.  So for anyone in a Ram pickup with a factory hitch, just know that the height won't go high enough.

[Junk Fisherman]

Is your truck lifted?  I don't even adjust mine upward.  I just slide the cross beam down on the post and my kayak rests perfectly on the extender.  

[casts_by_fly]

5 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

Is your truck lifted?  I don't even adjust mine upward.  I just slide the cross beam down on the post and my kayak rests perfectly on the extender.  

nope. I have factory airbags so +/- 2” body travel but it self levels. Even dropped down it doesn’t touch. 

[KayakJimW]

FWIW, I have the harbor freight type bed extender (the kind that go straight out from your receiver, then 90 degrees up) and it gives me problems on anything other than flat, paved roads.  The 90 degree "elbow" likes to bottom out whenever I go through a dip, or back up to any kind of incline.  If you have an uphill driveway, it may not work at all.  Boonedox, Yakima, Malone extenders have remedied this by angling the "horizontal" bar upward.  They cost more but if you need any clearance, they're the way to go.  This has been my experience in a 1500 Silverado...

[Deleted account]

On 8/21/2022 at 9:22 PM, Jeffrey Walker said:

So I decided on getting a pickup for my next truck but it will have a shorter bed 5'7in.  If I want to transport a larger kayak, 12 feet, will it be secure with Tie dowsn, is there anything else I would need to keep it secure and safe?

 

For those with trucks and shorter beds I would like to listen to how you approach it. 

Thank you!

It will work as is, but a hitch mounted support will really make it stable. We've made a few for some folks.

[Jeffrey Walker]

If like to learn more. PM me