Canoe

So how do you carry a canoe on the Ridgeline?

-W

If it's not not too long, or too heavy, I would just put it on the roof rack, same as you would with a SUV, like the pilot.

So how do you carry a canoe on the Ridgeline?

-W

ahmm........very carefully? :)

In an SUV you can center the caoe on the roof, thus each end overhangs mostly an equal length. On the ridgeline if you place the CG of the canoe on the roof I fear that the front overhang will be much larger verses the rear, even if you take into account the length of the hood. Of course since it's winter here in MN and my ridgeline is not even a day old yet, maybe I shouldn't think too much about it until spring.

-W

I used to canoe every weekend for years in Sacramento. I just put it in the bed and let it hang out the back 10 feet with a red flag tied on it and the nose tied down to bed cleats of course. Drove on the freeway 15 miles like that everytime, never had a problem. Not sure I want to take a big trip like that but for my short drives it was the easiest way.

Missed this...

I have a Old Town Discovery169 (that's 16' 9" for those who don't know OT's). I placed it on sponge roof blocks on the top of my Ridge. The bow came just over the front of the truck and tied to the ring under the center of the truck with out the rope touching paint (BONUS!). The stern of the canoe came to just inside the bed and tied to the back tie down hooks. It was like the Ridge was designed to carry a 169!

Where's cappy!! He knows the answer to the question and I believe he has pictures. :)

Captn Middy is a Mainer; he's probably got 6 Old Towns in his backyard...oh, wait, so do I...but they aren't all mine!

Many years ago I owned a 1986.5 SE V6 Kingcab Nissan Hardbody, first one off the assembly line in TN actually. I purchased a dandy item that slid into the hitch socket and adjusted height to match the cab of the truck, it also had clamps on it for a boat transom. Used to carry my 12' wide beam Duratech with it, centered 2 foams on the hull and locked the transom in the clamps. It worked great and allowed you to mount the boat then unclamp the assembly lock so you coult rotate it onto the cab then relock it and simply tie the hull to the front bumper. We then added a 16' canoe so I simply clamped a length of 2"x6" into the clamp assembly and instant canoe carrier.

I still have a few canoes so I'll probably make up a square tube assembly, T shaped, to slip into a spare hitch bar and use that to be the rear, or figure on adding a roller assembly to the Basickoncepts tonneau, gives me something to work on over the wintah here in Maine............

Something like this...

Many years ago I owned a 1986.5 SE V6 Kingcab Nissan Hardbody, first one off the assembly line in TN actually. I purchased a dandy item that slid into the hitch socket and adjusted height to match the cab of the truck, it also had clamps on it for a boat transom. Used to carry my 12' wide beam Duratech with it, centered 2 foams on the hull and locked the transom in the clamps. It worked great and allowed you to mount the boat then unclamp the assembly lock so you coult rotate it onto the cab then relock it and simply tie the hull to the front bumper. We then added a 16' canoe so I simply clamped a length of 2"x6" into the clamp assembly and instant canoe carrier.

I still have a few canoes so I'll probably make up a square tube assembly, T shaped, to slip into a spare hitch bar and use that to be the rear, or figure on adding a roller assembly to the Basickoncepts tonneau, gives me something to work on over the wintah here in Maine............

I think that's how the Capt carries his!

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1534&highlight=canoe

Take a look at this link....

How about a canoe and a trailer?

-W

PS I like the red RL, it's a better color then mine

Whaleya]How about a canoe and a trailer?

-W

PS I like the red RL, it's a better color then mine[/B]

This might work. I got it to do just that but haven't used it yet.

The lower, or straight, tube is used for the trailer. The upper tube is used for the attachment described above. I bought one of them that can be used either horizontally or vertically.

Here's a cool Canoe pickup truck rack for about $130 from Yakima

http://www.orsracksdirect.com/yakima-8002589.html

Here is an old thread to help you tie it in the front.

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=131901&postcount=10

Finaly took a photo of my canoe on my old Ridgeline.

For a cheaper alternative, try this. Pipe insulation on the gunwales of the canoe from Home Depot ($1.92 / 6' length) and tie downs (what....$25 for 4?).

That'll work in a pinch, but if I'm transporting a canoe or two any significant distance at higher speeds, I want it secured via the bow to the front of the vehicle + secured by a strap across the middle, and another one from the stern to the back of the vehicle. Just got my Ridgeline a few months ago and decided against the factory roof rack because 1) it's not designed to support over 110lbs (or was it 120? two non-kevlar canoes, and you're over.) and 2) the Ridgeline rack, from what I researched, isn't compatible with the Yakima or Thule stuff out there, in terms of holding the crossbars. I will be getting the Yakima "Q Towers" which fasten to the vehicle with clips and holding 78" crossbars (and Yakima gunwale brackets) so I can carry two boats safely.

Check out the Lund HitchRack (http://www.greatlakestruckaccessories.com/Cargo-Management/Lund-HitchRack-Truck-Bed-Extender-p72.html) and the Trail FX Extend-A-Truck (http://www.greatlakestruckaccessories.com/Cargo-Management/Trail-FX-Extend-A-Truck-Bed-Extender-p58.html). These can be used for roof-level support or as bed extenders.

That'll work in a pinch, but if I'm transporting a canoe or two any significant distance at higher speeds, I want it secured via the bow to the front of the vehicle + secured by a strap across the middle, and another one from the stern to the back of the vehicle. Just got my Ridgeline a few months ago and decided against the factory roof rack because 1) it's not designed to support over 110lbs (or was it 120? two non-kevlar canoes, and you're over.) and 2) the Ridgeline rack, from what I researched, isn't compatible with the Yakima or Thule stuff out there, in terms of holding the crossbars. I will be getting the Yakima "Q Towers" which fasten to the vehicle with clips and holding 78" crossbars (and Yakima gunwale brackets) so I can carry two boats safely.

FWIW, I traveled about 80 miles down I-75 from north of Atlanta to Macon, GA at 70+ mph with that set up. It worked fine.

That said, I'm looking at a bed mounted rack -- not a roof rack as I think they take away from the Ridge being a truck. My girlfriend saw one the other day and she even said it looked like a girlie truck with the roof rack. There's a couple nice options out there, so we'll see what I settle on. To each their own and thank God for options!