Big Thirsty
New member
Hey everyone! I've been a long time lurker but I've never posted.
I'll get to it: I've got a 2015 tacoma DCSB with an ARE CX top with the roof rack channels, but no roof rack.
Also, I've got a 14'-16' canoe.
And a 12' aluminum row boat.
The goal is to put EITHER the canoe or the row boat on the roof of the truck/cap. Never both at the same time.
The row boat has a very low curve to it, which means that it can pretty much go on any of the choices I have. The greater concern is the canoe.
As far as I can tell, I have a couple of options.
1. I can attach one or two pairs of Yakima/Thule racks on the top of the truck for 2-4 cross bars. Four bars may be a little overkill. I don't really need 4 cross bars, as both the canoe and the rowboat have gone on the roofs of both my wife's Forester and my old Outback with only two bars. The fit to the ARE cap would be super easy, as it seems both companies make foot kits to specifically go into these channels on the cap. I've used yakima racks before. I know they would work. After it was strapped on the rack, I could grab the thing and shake the hell out of it, and it was solid. And more importantly, SAFE.
But the thing I DON'T know for sure is how tall the cross bars need to be in relation to the roof to fit a canoe upside down without the bow and stern of the canoe touching the roof of the cab or the tail of the cap. Do I need taller fit kits or foot kits or whatever for the clearance? Either way, this thing is going to curve along the gunwales and hang off the back or front of the truck. That's fine. I'm not concerned about that at all. I want to grab and shake this thing without any movement. It has to be solid.
2. BUT I really like the Prinsu rack. Not only do I hear great things from you guys about the quality, etc., I like to support smaller companies. It makes me feel good to give these guys the money I could spend on a yakima rack. There's two catches here.
A. I like how low profile this is to the roof. But will it be tall enough for a canoe to ride along it without it hitting just the very front and very rear of the canoe? That may not make sense. Essentially, if you flip a canoe upside down on a flat surface, it balances on the point of the bow and the point of the stern. I don't want this to happen on a Prinsu rack. it's not worth buying a Prinsu rack to have to then add raised bars to effectively fulfill the purpose it was bought for in the first place. But I really like the Prinsu rack. I really want to make it work.
B. At the moment, I can only afford to buy the rack that goes over the cap or the one that goes over the cap. Not both. I'll be able to buy the other half (over the cap) later, but not before I want to put the canoe on the roof. I would prefer to buy the rack that goes over the roof of the cab first.
So here's the question to those of you with flat racks (Prinsu style) and cross bar racks:
Has anyone put a canoe on the roof of their truck WITH A CAP ON THE BED, and what were you using for a rack? How safe did it feel? 70 MPH on the highway safe? Or hand out the window holding onto a mattress safe?
Thanks guys! I really dig this site.
-Andy
I'll get to it: I've got a 2015 tacoma DCSB with an ARE CX top with the roof rack channels, but no roof rack.
Also, I've got a 14'-16' canoe.
And a 12' aluminum row boat.
The goal is to put EITHER the canoe or the row boat on the roof of the truck/cap. Never both at the same time.
The row boat has a very low curve to it, which means that it can pretty much go on any of the choices I have. The greater concern is the canoe.
As far as I can tell, I have a couple of options.
1. I can attach one or two pairs of Yakima/Thule racks on the top of the truck for 2-4 cross bars. Four bars may be a little overkill. I don't really need 4 cross bars, as both the canoe and the rowboat have gone on the roofs of both my wife's Forester and my old Outback with only two bars. The fit to the ARE cap would be super easy, as it seems both companies make foot kits to specifically go into these channels on the cap. I've used yakima racks before. I know they would work. After it was strapped on the rack, I could grab the thing and shake the hell out of it, and it was solid. And more importantly, SAFE.
But the thing I DON'T know for sure is how tall the cross bars need to be in relation to the roof to fit a canoe upside down without the bow and stern of the canoe touching the roof of the cab or the tail of the cap. Do I need taller fit kits or foot kits or whatever for the clearance? Either way, this thing is going to curve along the gunwales and hang off the back or front of the truck. That's fine. I'm not concerned about that at all. I want to grab and shake this thing without any movement. It has to be solid.
2. BUT I really like the Prinsu rack. Not only do I hear great things from you guys about the quality, etc., I like to support smaller companies. It makes me feel good to give these guys the money I could spend on a yakima rack. There's two catches here.
A. I like how low profile this is to the roof. But will it be tall enough for a canoe to ride along it without it hitting just the very front and very rear of the canoe? That may not make sense. Essentially, if you flip a canoe upside down on a flat surface, it balances on the point of the bow and the point of the stern. I don't want this to happen on a Prinsu rack. it's not worth buying a Prinsu rack to have to then add raised bars to effectively fulfill the purpose it was bought for in the first place. But I really like the Prinsu rack. I really want to make it work.
B. At the moment, I can only afford to buy the rack that goes over the cap or the one that goes over the cap. Not both. I'll be able to buy the other half (over the cap) later, but not before I want to put the canoe on the roof. I would prefer to buy the rack that goes over the roof of the cab first.
So here's the question to those of you with flat racks (Prinsu style) and cross bar racks:
Has anyone put a canoe on the roof of their truck WITH A CAP ON THE BED, and what were you using for a rack? How safe did it feel? 70 MPH on the highway safe? Or hand out the window holding onto a mattress safe?
Thanks guys! I really dig this site.
-Andy