Kayak hauling with a 5th wheel?

[bourbonfan]

Hi everyone I’m sure this has been discussed and I’ve seen a few ideas just wondering what y’all do.Ive seen where Many RV bumpers aren’t designed for carrying weight and can tear off. My Eagle HT has a rear hitch so I think I should be good with a cargo rack. Just wondering how many people actually haul a kayak this way and how do you reduce wobble and secure the top?

Is a truck cab top rack really possible when turning and backing? I plan to only carry one kayak, probably a 10 ft one. Not gonna buy a kayak until I figure this out. Any pic y’all have will really help me sort this out. Thanks,

[Haul n it all]

try usrack.com they make a cab over rack designer for use with 5th wheel

[Nature Ist]

I have gone through this recently: some compromises have to be made. We had a TT with an full size p/u sith and 8' bed and a fiberglass cap. It was easy to transport our 14' touring kayaks on the racks over the cap and cab. That all changed with our new 5th wheel. I could have probably set up my new F-250 Super Cab with roof rack and installed a front hitch mount rack, but getting the kayaks up there becomes a pain or awkward at best, and they do restrict visibility overhead, making it hard to see low branches etc when pulling into certain areas.
In the end, I opted to buy an inflatable kayak that converts between single or two-person and is about 14' long when inflated. It breaks down to a manageable duffel bag for transport. So far we are happy with it, though it is not a perfect as a high end hard-shell touring kayak. Hence; Compromise! (I purchased an Advanced Elements Convertible w/ backbone)
A 10' kayak mounted on the rear hitch will be difficult to attach and secure, though it can be done. Weight would not be an issue, but mounting can be, and it's almost impossible to observe even with a rear camera.

[bourbonfan]

Inflatable sounds good but my plan is for a rigid one. I plan to use it when I’m not camping also. I’m leaning strongly toward the rear hitch rack just a little concerned about it shaking and hitting the back of the RV. There are some pricey ones out there but I just need to haul one kayak and don’t really wanna sink a small fortune into a rack and then find out kayaking isn’t that fun for me. It’s quite a dilemma for me at the moment.Lol

[Nature Ist]

Depending on your model and the layout, some people do carry them inside the living space. Not an acceptable option for me as I wouldn't want to damage the floor, cabinetry or furniture. Even some toy haulers are difficult to fit kayaks into. I went 'round and 'round on this before giving in to the inflatable. We kept our good touring kayaks and can use them at home or for short distances. Sometimes fifth wheel campers have their trade-offs!

[DrSmart]

Our setup.

[bourbonfan]

That looks pretty nice.Is that front support custom built or a bolt on?

[Magnolia Tom]

Our 10’ kayaks on top of the truck using the rhino rack bars.

[bourbonfan]

That kayak is very similar to the pelican catch 100 I’m planning to get. Looks like it fits really good on your roof rack. Looks like that rack just clamps to the door channel right? No other mounts on your roof? I’ve got a GMC 2500 and that should fit it the same way. There are so many racks it’s difficult to tell which ones clamp without a permanent mounting system. I don’t have a factory rail system and don’t want to add one just to carry one kayak.

[DrSmart]

Originally Posted by bourbonfan

That looks pretty nice.Is that front support custom built or a bolt on?

It was custom stainless made to fit in place of the tow hooks. Four holes were available at each tow hook position. We actually had this on our previous 2004 Ram 3500 and luckily it fit the 2014 Ram. There's a pull pin at the bottom of the T bar. With the pin removed I can rotate the T bar sideways, lay the bow of the kayak on the T bar, then walk the stern over to the roof rack.
For storage, the T bar comes off and 2 pins release the lower bracket for removal. What's left are two receiver tubes about 6" high to drop the lower bracket into when needed.

[DrSmart]

Magnolia Tom's would be best for a 10' kayak. The one I had in the photo was 14'. My current kayak is 16'.

[kayakterp]

Originally Posted by bourbonfan

That kayak is very similar to the pelican catch 100 I’m planning to get. Looks like it fits really good on your roof rack. Looks like that rack just clamps to the door channel right? No other mounts on your roof? I’ve got a GMC 2500 and that should fit it the same way. There are so many racks it’s difficult to tell which ones clamp without a permanent mounting system. I don’t have a factory rail system and don’t want to add one just to carry one kayak.

Both Yakima and Thule make roof racks that will custom fit your specific vehicle with their accessories. They both make quality products that stand up to the elements.

[Magnolia Tom]

Originally Posted by bourbonfan

That kayak is very similar to the pelican catch 100 I’m planning to get. Looks like it fits really good on your roof rack. Looks like that rack just clamps to the door channel right? No other mounts on your roof? I’ve got a GMC 2500 and that should fit it the same way. There are so many racks it’s difficult to tell which ones clamp without a permanent mounting system. I don’t have a factory rail system and don’t want to add one just to carry one kayak.

Yes. It clamps to the gutter rail and can easily be removed.

[BLTravels]

Here are some vertical options for the back but not inexpensive...might be some other brands that are cheaper.

https://www.rvkayakracks.com/

[dpica15]

I made my own

[bourbonfan]

That’s kinda what I’ve been thinking might work for me. What do you have the nose sitting in? And what kind of bracket is on your ladder? Also is that a 10ft or 12 ft kayak?

[bourbonfan]

Is that a homemade set up or can those two racks be purchased online? I can’t make out from the pic how they mount to the RV but looks like a much better set up than standing up straight.

[Ringneks]

You can go the route I had to go

[bourbonfan]

No thanks I think I’ll pass on that one Lol

[dpica15]

Originally Posted by bourbonfan

Is that a homemade set up or can those two racks be purchased online? I can’t make out from the pic how they mount to the RV but looks like a much better set up than standing up straight.

It’s a 10 ft kayak. It is homemade, the nose is sitting in a square that i made out of black pipe and it attached to the bumper via u bolts. The top is a angle iron with round steel rods that i bent.