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for those of you using the bed of a truck to transport your kayak...

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  • for those of you using the bed of a truck to transport your kayak...

    I am thinking of selling my jeep in favor of a pick up truck. What is the smallest bed size you would use to transport a 12ft kayak? The truck I am considering has a 5 1/4 foot bed. I figure with the tail gate down that makes the bed roughly 7 feet. This would leave 5 feet hanging out. If I get a bed extender is this a safe configuration?
    People who use the word "literally" wrong literally kill me.

  • #2
    I have a Ford F350 with the 6 foot bed. I use a bed extender from Harbor Freight. It was $50 bucks and works just fine for my Hobie.
    2017 Hobie PA14

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    • #3
      I've got a Toyota T100 with a six foot bed. I have no problem with my Hobie Outback with the tailgate down and no extension. I put my kayak in katty corner and tie a red flag to the end. My red flag is actually a $2 red camisole from Walmart.

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      • #4
        I drive a 250 my kayak is 5" short of 12' but still no problems for me without bed extensions or the like from harbor freight etc.


        Yakman35
        Perception striker 11.5

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        • #5
          Not trying to be a smart A$$, but 5-1/4' bed?? why not just keep the jeep, it's got to be close to that.
          Never had a truck with less than an 8' bed,,, I see them "shorty short" beds on trucks and wonder what the purpose is??

          I would really consider an 8' bed, there is NO downside to it.

          Slack
          Captian of the plastic Navy
          1 - Mad River Canoes
          1- Tarpon 120
          1- Redfish 10
          1- Coosa HD
          2- Cuda 12
          1- Slayer Propel 10

          http://reoservicesofmaryland.com/

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          • #6
            I have a Ford Ranger Pickup that I used 4X4 wood landscaping timbers covered with indoor/outdoor carpet and 5/4 round deck lumber to build a easy load/unload system for my Hobie Outback...it is a breeze to load and unload...strap it in place...five minutes and I am done...gone...safe, secure
            "Lady Luck" 2016 Red Hibiscus Hobie Outback, Lowrance Hook2-7TS
            2018 Seagrass Green Hobie Compass, Humminbird 798 ci HD SI
            "Wet Dream" 2011 yellow Ocean Prowler 13
            Charter member of Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club

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            • #7
              I had a 5' bed with toolbox not long ago, transported an Outback just fine with bed extender. I now have a 6' bed and no toolbox, don't need the extender at all.
              2015 Hobie Outback
              2001 Dagger Cayman

              John

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Slackdaddy View Post
                Not trying to be a smart A$$, but 5-1/4' bed?? why not just keep the jeep, it's got to be close to that.
                Never had a truck with less than an 8' bed,,, I see them "shorty short" beds on trucks and wonder what the purpose is??

                I would really consider an 8' bed, there is NO downside to it.

                Slack
                Good luck parking that downtown.
                2015 Hobie Outback
                2001 Dagger Cayman

                John

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Slackdaddy View Post
                  Not trying to be a smart A$$, but 5-1/4' bed?? why not just keep the jeep, it's got to be close to that.
                  Never had a truck with less than an 8' bed,,, I see them "shorty short" beds on trucks and wonder what the purpose is??

                  I would really consider an 8' bed, there is NO downside to it.

                  Slack
                  The jeep does not have a bed, it has a little cargo area and the door is a swing open door not a tail gate. This makes using the jeep almost impossible. I have a cargo rack for it and used that for a while but getting a 100lb yak way up on my lifted jeep is rough and when the yak fell off ALMOST destroying my wife's car while I was unloading it.. made me move to a trailer. But there are locations I cannot get to with a trailer.. and the trailer is a pain (I cannot store the yak on the trailer).

                  As far as "no down side" to an 8 foot bed... there a are a couple, even for a 6 1/2 foot bed. I like to off road and the longer the wheel base the less of a break over angle you have... basically a full size truck with a long bed does not off road as well as a shorter, narrower truck.

                  Also my wife has to drive my vehicle at times and she simply does not want a full size truck.
                  People who use the word "literally" wrong literally kill me.

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                  • #10
                    Current ride is a Crew cab dually,, yeah had fun parking in Crystal city the other week

                    Originally posted by silasvirus82 View Post
                    Good luck parking that downtown.
                    Captian of the plastic Navy
                    1 - Mad River Canoes
                    1- Tarpon 120
                    1- Redfish 10
                    1- Coosa HD
                    2- Cuda 12
                    1- Slayer Propel 10

                    http://reoservicesofmaryland.com/

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Well,,, you know what they say: if you try to get a tool that will do all jobs, it will do none of them good"
                      So, yeah a truck is not an off road jeep, it's a truck. We have the XJ's for wheelin and trucks for hauling.
                      Think putting a yak on top of a jeep is fun? try this (and we had a 10" redfish stuffed in the gooseneck bed)
                      DSCN7235.jpg

                      Originally posted by Pat Smith View Post
                      The jeep does not have a bed, it has a little cargo area and the door is a swing open door not a tail gate. This makes using the jeep almost impossible. I have a cargo rack for it and used that for a while but getting a 100lb yak way up on my lifted jeep is rough and when the yak fell off ALMOST destroying my wife's car while I was unloading it.. made me move to a trailer. But there are locations I cannot get to with a trailer.. and the trailer is a pain (I cannot store the yak on the trailer).

                      As far as "no down side" to an 8 foot bed... there a are a couple, even for a 6 1/2 foot bed. I like to off road and the longer the wheel base the less of a break over angle you have... basically a full size truck with a long bed does not off road as well as a shorter, narrower truck.

                      Also my wife has to drive my vehicle at times and she simply does not want a full size truck.
                      Captian of the plastic Navy
                      1 - Mad River Canoes
                      1- Tarpon 120
                      1- Redfish 10
                      1- Coosa HD
                      2- Cuda 12
                      1- Slayer Propel 10

                      http://reoservicesofmaryland.com/

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        A crew cab F350 with an 8 foot bed makes for a looong truck. Mine only has a 6 foot bed and it's long. The reason why I use a bed extender is I'm afraid that my $2,700 Hobie will get a crease where it hangs off the tail gate. I have to drive 1 and 1/2 hours or more to get to the bay. A $50 dollar bed extender is a cheap peace of mind. Besides it goes on and comes off in a couple of seconds.
                        2017 Hobie PA14

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                        • #13
                          I have a crew cab Taco with a 5 foot bed. I originally carried my Yak on the rooftop carrier, but ran into sooooooo many Snaggedliners using short beds that I switched 2 years ago to the bed. Drop the tail, throw a foam kayak pad in the crack, tie it down and attach an orange flag, and away I go. Never had an issue. Saved probably 15 minutes every load up and more importantly, SAVED MY BACK.
                          Pelican Strike 100X

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by azmdted View Post
                            I've got a Toyota T100 with a six foot bed. I have no problem with my Hobie Outback with the tailgate down and no extension. I put my kayak in katty corner and tie a red flag to the end. My red flag is actually a $2 red camisole from Walmart.
                            I have a Tacoma with the same bed and I set mine up the same way. I have never had a problem with it.
                            John


                            Ocean Kayak Trident 13 Angler (Sand)
                            MK Endura Max 55 backup power
                            Vibe Skipjack 90

                            Graduate of the University of the Republic of South Vietnam, class of 1972

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                            • #15
                              I have a Colorado crew cab long box. The bed is a couple inches over six feet and hauling the outback in the bed diagonally works great with out any extender. I don't miss my small suv for a second

                              Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
                              Ryan
                              Blue 2016 Hobie Outback
                              Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers, Inc

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