Truck canoe rack?

Jeff Reardon

Jeff Reardon

Well-known member
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I just bought a new pickup--2011 Nissan Frontier. First time in my life I've had a car or truck with no factory rack I could use to haul my canoe. A cap is not in the budget yet. What's out there for relatively inexpensive racks compatible with a mid-size truck? Don't care what it looks like, so long as it's sturdy, won't move around and damage the truck, and cheap.
 
Don't care what it looks like, so long as it's sturdy, won't move around and damage the truck, and cheap.
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How handy are you with a few two by fours? No really, if looks are not an issue, a quite capable rack can be made from 2x4 lumber. There are bracket available that can be used along with the wood to make a rack which can be readily taken apart when not needed.
 
Jeff, I have a rack on my Tacoma that is mounted on 2X4's and then I simply rachet it to the tie down supports in the bed of the truck. Been on there for two years now. I'll try and get pictures up tonight. The rack itself is 1"x1" or so metal square stock. I picked up the rack for $75.
 
Dave has the best solution that meets your requirements - simple 2x4 H-frame at each end of the bed.

The next level up from "cheap" is a rigid pipe frame. However, you will need some special tools to custom cut the pipe to the right height and width to fit. Will also need to thread some of the new cuts.

The next level up is far from cheap, but fits into the cool factor.

When you do get a canopy go ahead and invest in a lumber rack to fit over and around the canopy. They hold more weight than a simple yak-rack and protect the rear window of the canopy better when loading canoes.
 
Does your Frontier come with the luggage rack on the roof? My '03 Frontier has one, I can't remember what it's rated for but I know it's more than half the weight of my canoe. So I made a rack out of 2x4's for the back of the bed and then the front of the canoe rests on the luggage rack.

My previous truck was an S-10 and I made a wooden rack for that too. I had an H-frame in the front and back of the bed slightly taller than the cab. To make it sturdier I tied both H-frames together with a 2x4 running down each side. These two 2x4's were bolted on so that I could take the two halves apart for storage. The rack had a pretty tight fit in the bed, but I also tied each corner of the rack to the tie downs in each corner of the bed.
 
Here you go Jeff, good luck with the project.

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Jeff,

On my 95 f-150 I simply place the canoe over the cab and on the tail gate. I took some semi-spongy foam blocks, about 8x8x12 inches and cut a slot in them for the gunnels to rest in to protect the cab and tail gate. The foam was packing for water quality instrumentation. The rest is NRS straps, two from the bow to the front bumper, one from the stern to the rear bumper, and from the thwarts on the side... I have never ruined the paint and have driving literally 1000's of miles that way doing field work.

This is also an option to prevent the canoe from rubbing the roof if you have a roof gutter - but I do no think you would

http://boc123.com/store/BOC_Raft_Store.cfm/Manufacturer/Quik/ItemDescribe/Roof+Rack+Brackets+UKS+1+X4/itemid/17500

OK I am cheap I admit.

Matt
 
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I have one of these on my 08 Tacoma and I love it. Easy to install, very sturdy and I've drug my canoe and kayaks all the place on it. It is a little pricey but it's a nice unit and it fits the rail system that comes as part of the beds on some newer models of trucks.

http://www.usrack.com/rail_rack.php
 
When I had a pick up, I got a rear rack from Oak Orchard http://www.oakorchardcanoe.com/racks.php and used my Yakima towers on the cab. Worked great, and the towers on the front of the cab made for greater stability with more distance between bars.

Not necessarly the "inexpensive" option you were talking of, but a very solid rack option.

Chuck
 
Thanks, everyone, for the ideas. I picked up a Trac Rac at Lowes last night on the advice of several fishing buddies. I wanted something that was securely locked to the bed, and I will use it enough that I wanted something permanent rather than removable.

A little pricey, but I had a Lowes coupon for $50, and the only one they had in the store had been opened and the box was beat up so they gave me $25 off. I was out the door for $300, with a set of Allen wrenches a tube of Loctite tossed in.

Assembled it this morning. Kind of Rube Goldberg, but now that it's on the truck it seems solid. Will give it a workout tomorrow with two kayaks if the weather holds.
 
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