5th wheeling with a kayak
- Thread starter mmflytie
- Start date
fjspinelli
Common Sense Jake
Marc,
I carry three kayaks, currently all three on the roof of the truck. The largest is an Ocean Kayak tandem (12'). I purchased Yakama racks with J style kayak holders. The larger Kayak rides in the middle. the back of the Kayaks can only stick out 22" from the rear of the cab to clear the front of the 5th wheel when I jackknife or pull a hard turn. I tie off the larger kayak off the front bumper as well as securing them to the J holders. The rear of all three are tied together and secured in the front of the truck bed.
Hope this helps.
FJ
I carry three kayaks, currently all three on the roof of the truck. The largest is an Ocean Kayak tandem (12'). I purchased Yakama racks with J style kayak holders. The larger Kayak rides in the middle. the back of the Kayaks can only stick out 22" from the rear of the cab to clear the front of the 5th wheel when I jackknife or pull a hard turn. I tie off the larger kayak off the front bumper as well as securing them to the J holders. The rear of all three are tied together and secured in the front of the truck bed.
Hope this helps.
FJ
kayak carrier
FJ:
Thanks for the response . I'm having a little trouble picturing this setup. Would you possibly have a picture of this? If you only have 22" of boats behind cab, that leaves a lot of boat out over the front of the truck. I'm familiar with J racks but don't see how this would work . Boats must be way off center in the yakima rack.
Thanks
Marc
FJ:
Thanks for the response . I'm having a little trouble picturing this setup. Would you possibly have a picture of this? If you only have 22" of boats behind cab, that leaves a lot of boat out over the front of the truck. I'm familiar with J racks but don't see how this would work . Boats must be way off center in the yakima rack.
Thanks
Marc
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Marc, What about adding a front mount receiver hitch to your truck? You could then fabricate a slide in post that would be high enough to support the front of the kayak. It would be similar to the type of support racks they have for short bed trucks hauling long items in the bed of the truck.
fjspinelli
Common Sense Jake
Marc,
Yes the two smaller kayaks fit just a little ahead of center on the racks, but not much (6"). The larger one sits much farther forward, but still makes contact with both J hooks. The idea that Ray has about the front receiver also makes alot of sense. If my boats were longer I would definately look to go the way of the front receiver. You could use an adjustable rack simular to the ones Yakima and Thule sell for the back receiver.
Hope this helps,
FJ
Yes the two smaller kayaks fit just a little ahead of center on the racks, but not much (6"). The larger one sits much farther forward, but still makes contact with both J hooks. The idea that Ray has about the front receiver also makes alot of sense. If my boats were longer I would definately look to go the way of the front receiver. You could use an adjustable rack simular to the ones Yakima and Thule sell for the back receiver.
Hope this helps,
FJ
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fjspinelli
Common Sense Jake
truknutt
Committed Member
Marc,
Using Ray's suggestion of a front mounted receiver, here is a Thule Goalpost boat rack that, used in conjunction with a regular cross bar mounted on the truck's roof (over the rear of the roof) may do the trick depending how much kayak you want hanging out in front of you.
The approximate length of a Crewcab Super Duty from back of cab to front of bumper is 164.4 inches (13.7 feet). That leaves 4 feet-plus of overhang.
Hefting that thing up on a Durango is one thing but up on top of a full size truck may be another challenge!
Good Luck,
'Nutt
Here is how it might look:
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Last edited:
Sorry, can't seem to figure out how to post URL
This is it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24617208@N02/2753333000/
This is it
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24617208@N02/2753333000/
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Nice work Marc. You appear to be an accomplished woodworker. Nice idea on the jig for fluting spindles on a lathe. That was the hard part about going full time, giving up the hobbies for a while at least. My son is "borrowing" the majority of my equipment. I also sold some and stored some. Good luck on the Kayak project. That goalpost mount on a front receiver is exactly what I was thinking. Average price for a front mount receiver is $110. Easy bolt on, most applications.
Ray:
Yes, I'd be lost without my woodworking hobby. If its wood , I've attempted quite a variety of projects. Mostly love furniture( early american repro) but have made a violin, carve decoy ducks, and made several flintlock rifles. Hopefully some day you will come back to it .
How do you like your 3400? Unfortunately we only have a Big Country brochure . They show a 3300RL. Are they similar? Maybe you can explain the difference between Big horn and Big Country.
Marc
Yes, I'd be lost without my woodworking hobby. If its wood , I've attempted quite a variety of projects. Mostly love furniture( early american repro) but have made a violin, carve decoy ducks, and made several flintlock rifles. Hopefully some day you will come back to it .
How do you like your 3400? Unfortunately we only have a Big Country brochure . They show a 3300RL. Are they similar? Maybe you can explain the difference between Big horn and Big Country.
Marc
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Marc asked, How do you like your 3400? Unfortunately we only have a Big Country brochure . They show a 3300RL. Are they similar? Maybe you can explain the difference between Big horn and Big Country.
Marc, the Big Country 3300RL is very similar to the Bighorn 3400RL. The noticeable difference is the vanity sink is on the opposite side and there is a floor to ceiling shirt closet in it's place in our Bighorn. In the 2009 Bighorn 3400 the washer/dryer is where our shirt closet is. The difference between the Bighorn and Big Country are hard to describe. Kind of like going from an XLT to a King Ranch or an LS to an LT for the Chevy. You could go to the heartland site and browse a bit. The Bighorn has a fiberglass rear cap where the BC has a flat wall. The BH sidewalls extend down to cover the frame where the BC frame is more exposed. The BC wasn't available when we bought our BH. We've looked at them since while at RV shows and they are a nice looking rig. I think if I were to start over I would stay in the Bighorn series but seriously consider the 3580.
Marc, the Big Country 3300RL is very similar to the Bighorn 3400RL. The noticeable difference is the vanity sink is on the opposite side and there is a floor to ceiling shirt closet in it's place in our Bighorn. In the 2009 Bighorn 3400 the washer/dryer is where our shirt closet is. The difference between the Bighorn and Big Country are hard to describe. Kind of like going from an XLT to a King Ranch or an LS to an LT for the Chevy. You could go to the heartland site and browse a bit. The Bighorn has a fiberglass rear cap where the BC has a flat wall. The BH sidewalls extend down to cover the frame where the BC frame is more exposed. The BC wasn't available when we bought our BH. We've looked at them since while at RV shows and they are a nice looking rig. I think if I were to start over I would stay in the Bighorn series but seriously consider the 3580.
HappyKayakers
Well-known member
Better check twice on that 'easy bolt on' feature. Ours also required welding and rides pretty low under the bumper.
SmokeyBare
Well-known member
MMFlyTie,
I don't believe that would work for a Kayak or Canoe because of their dimensions... meaning the additional width this would give the RV... States have a size limit as to how wide you can be.
On a positive note I HAVE Seen one of the Fold-a-boat attached to the side of a Fifth Wheel's Slide out room... they used heavy Stainless Steel brackets and bungee cords to secure it for travel. These folding boats are about 4 inches thick when folded up.
I don't believe that would work for a Kayak or Canoe because of their dimensions... meaning the additional width this would give the RV... States have a size limit as to how wide you can be.
On a positive note I HAVE Seen one of the Fold-a-boat attached to the side of a Fifth Wheel's Slide out room... they used heavy Stainless Steel brackets and bungee cords to secure it for travel. These folding boats are about 4 inches thick when folded up.
Ray LeTourneau
Senior Member - Past Moderator
Well I did put the disclaimer in there, "most applications"
I know the GM's are easy installs.
mike3fan
Well-known member
102" wide is the maximum allowed by law,adding a mount on the side of a 5er would surley make it over width.
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