Kayak on camper top

[macdad]

Looking to see how yall carry a kayak ontop if a camper shell. I have a f250with a camper shell no rails and want to. Arrywith me while also pulling g my travel trailer. Any ideas pictures.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Looking to see how yall carry a kayak ontop if a camper shell. I have a f250with a camper shell no rails and want to. Arrywith me while also pulling g my travel trailer. Any ideas pictures.

I made a set of rails and crossbars for mine from these
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Adamax-Adamax- ... 5001905121
and these
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Superstrut-1-5 ... 1000192655

I used 2 of the low profile struts for the rails to run the full length of the camper shell bolted thru the top of the shell with rubber washers to seal the bolt holes. I cut 1 of the taller struts in half and made the crossbars and bolted them to the rails with these
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Superstrut-3-8 ... t/50053289
and some 3/8 stainless bolts/washers
then added some 2in PVC pipes bolted on top of the crossbars with the same cone nuts to run the length of the kayak for it to set on. It works really well and since the cone nuts slide in the struts everything is fully adjustable forward/backwards and side to side .
I don't have any pics of it but when I get home I'll take some and attach them for you. I've hauled 2 kayaks on top with this setup from DFW to Matagorda multiple times with no issues whatsoever.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Looking to see how yall carry a kayak ontop if a camper shell. I have a f250with a camper shell no rails and want to. Arrywith me while also pulling g my travel trailer. Any ideas pictures.

I made a set of rails and crossbars for mine from these
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Adamax-Adamax- ... 5001905121
and these
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Superstrut-1-5 ... 1000192655

I used 2 of the low profile struts for the rails to run the full length of the camper shell bolted thru the top of the shell with rubber washers to seal the bolt holes. I cut 1 of the taller struts in half and made the crossbars and bolted them to the rails with these
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Superstrut-3-8 ... t/50053289
and some 3/8 stainless bolts/washers
then added some 2in PVC pipes bolted on top of the crossbars with the same cone nuts to run the length of the kayak for it to set on. It works really well and since the cone nuts slide in the struts everything is fully adjustable forward/backwards and side to side .
I don't have any pics of it but when I get home I'll take some and attach them for you. I've hauled 2 kayaks on top with this setup from DFW to Matagorda multiple times with no issues whatsoever.

edit: I also cut an old bicycle inner tube into strips the width of the rails then glued them to the bottom of the rail with contact cement to protect the shell from contact with the metal strut. I also used contact cement and wrapped the pvc pipe with thin commercial carpet to help protect the bottom of the kayak but I think it was overkill and probably not necessary.

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

I found one pic but not a very good one

[TexasJim]

I used to do that all the time. I kept it really simple. Sorry, no pics. Two giant pool noodles, cut to about 2-1/2 feet. PVC pipe to fit inside the noodles, cut to about 3 feet. Two strong bungees, with hooks. Lay the yak on its bottom. Put a noodle across the yak, about 3 feet from the bow. Hook one bungee end in the PVC, run it under the yak, and hook it to the other end of the PVC. Repeat at the other end of the yak. The two noodles should be firmly attached to the top the yak. If not, adjust something until they are. Flip the yak over. The yak should be laying on the two noodles. Have someone help lay the yak, top-side down, on the camper top. Strap it down with ratchet straps. I put four padeyes on the sides of my camper top. That's the only thing you need to permanently mount on your top.
To keep the yak from moving side-to-side, run the front ratchet strap from one padeye over the yak and down into the far side scupper, back toward you, up into the near-side scupper, then over to the far side padeye, and strap it down. Sounds complicated, but simple, and it "chokes" the yak, so it can't scoot sideways and doesn't require enough pressure to deform or damage your kayak. Running the strap though the scuppers is a lot easier, before you put the yak on the truck top. I never needed to "choke" the rear strap.
Traveled many miles with that set-up with no problems. I only had to drill eight small holes in my top, and when not hauling the yak, no unsightly and noisy crossbars. Good lick, TexasJim

[imaoldmanyoungsalt]

Here's some more pics. I need to repaint it!

It's bolted on with 6 bolts (3 on each rail) and I used thumb nuts on the inside so the whole unit comes off quick and in one piece. Then I just put the bolts back in the holes when its off so it seals the camper back up and they're on top so you don't even see them. I also have 2 more pvc pipes that go on it (not in the pics) so it easily hauls 2 kayaks. The elbows on the end make it simple to stand the kayak up on end and lean it against them then pick it up from the other end and slide it right on. I load my 14ft Heritage and my 12ft Pescador on it by myself with no issues.
I also made a rod rack that goes inside on the ceiling of the camper that attaches to the same bolts from underneath. It will hold 16 - 7ft rods. If I remember, I'll take some pics of it too.