I sold my trusty Ford Expedition this month and it served me very well. I now own a 2019 Ram Quad Cab Express. I've never hauled canoes with a pickup. I'm looking at buying either a hard fiberglass tonneau or a roll-up vinyl tonneau. I need to figure out some type of rack system to haul canoes.

I'd rather buy a nice bolt on aluminum style rack than cobble together something out of wood. I can do my own welding and have thought about building a rack but don't want to drill any holes. It needs to be compatible with a tonneau cover. I'm hoping it will fit in my garage too. I really don't want to take it all apart and set up back up again three times a week during the summer.

What is the best way to haul canoes on a pickup? Thanks!!

I have a tonneau cover as well on my new 2001 tundra, i found a yakima drydock and roof rack, and will be doing something like this picture below. I wouldnt call it simple, the drydock is cumbersome to install, but i cant get a inexpensive truck rack that will work with the tonneau cover, so i went with this. I paid $125 for the drydock and $100 for 2 58" yakima bars with q towers and load stops. $24 dollars for q clips to match my truck. All used equipment, $250 for a decent system.

I've had a soft tonneau cover for quite a few years. We use the Spring Creek rack that's mounted from the hitch and comes up to truck cab height. (Made in MN) It supports rear of the boat, the front is on a cab rack or soft pads. You could also make something like this, also made by them since it sounds like you're handy. The stake pockets are still accessible with a cover, so this style still works too.

I have seen the spring creek rack before. The would be my first choice no doubt. Looks like they sell it as a one bar set-up and it's not cheap to buy a pair. It does look like it's very well made and would last me the rest of my lifetime. I didn't think it would work with a tonneau but it appears that it does! It looks exactly like what I'd really like to have on my truck.

I like the "T" bar idea, hadn't seen one of those used before. I always see the full 4 post ladder racks parked at the entry points. The "T" bar is great although I do pull a trailer as well from time to time but a dual receiver hitch adapter is available if need be. I'd have to look closer at the roof mount over the cab. I was hoping not to set it up each time to haul the canoe. I was thinking more along the lines of the 4 post system. That being said, I could use a fiberglass hard tonneau with the "T" bar set-up which would be nice.

I appreciate all the input. Some of the threads I've found were from a few years ago and I was curious to see if someone had the new latest and greatest set-up.

Well, I can't use a tonneau cover myself, have to use the truck bed for other crap. So the rack system I've used for years, the Yakima Outdoorsman wouldn't work I don't believe? So WHY am I chiming in? To emphasize E-bay, Craigslist, and this site as a buying source to save big bucks. I've bought new, old style Yakima racks and components for significantly less than retail.

If you're going with a hardshell topper, you might look into putting some "artificial raingutters" Raingutters on it, and using basic Thule or Yakima towers. I've done this on my Tacoma topper and it works well, and for longer trips and longer boats I replaced the front rack with one designed for the cab (Yakima Q-towers-- Q Tower just need a pair) which greatly increases the distance between racks, thus increasing stability . I also have a set of the raingutters installed on top of my popup camper, and I can use the same racks without adjustment. For when I have neither the topper or popup on the truck, I use the QTower system on the cab, and made a 2x2 rack for the rear bed. Works great, and has lots of adaptability.

ozarkpaddler: "Well, I can't use a tonneau cover myself, have to use the truck bed for other crap. So the rack system I've used for years, the Yakima Outdoorsman wouldn't work I don't believe? So WHY am I chiming in? To emphasize E-bay, Craigslist, and this site as a buying source to save big bucks. I've bought new, old style Yakima racks and components for significantly less than retail.
"

Ole,

I have a Yakima Dry Dock collecting dust in my garage ever since I put a topper on my truck. PM me if you're interested in going down that route.

Sovos, yours is the setup I'm looking for. I have the bars, can you tell me the tower and Q-clip numbers? Thanks.

Seems to change every year but this is what I'm doing now. Front has pads so the canoe isn't on the roof itself then ropes to those Thule loops under the hood. Middle strapped to an attachment point on the front of the bed, ran some c clamp's through a factory made hole in the bed frame, back is resting on a Thule rack. Solid as the rock of gibraltar, quick and easy up and down.

Here is the setup I welded up last year. The canoe rests on rubber matting epoxied to the cross bars to eliminate scuffing of the boat. The rack just sets in the stake pockets so I can still use the tonneau cover.

Nice work on welding the rack. I can weld too so maybe I’ll just make one. I thought buying a bolt on rack would be easiest. Do you have any pics showing how you attached the rack inside the stake pockets? What dimension (size/ga.) steel did you use to build it?