Need opinions on mounting a canoe on ladder rack.

[oderus1671]

Hey all, so we just recently bought and installed a ladder rack from harbor freight. I feel like we got it at a great price, $264 out the door for their Memorial Day sale. Its this one…

800 lb. Capacity Full Size Truck Rack

Amazing deals on this 800Lb Full Size Truck Rack at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

We plan on solely using this for hauling a canoe or the occasional long boards. So i have tie downs on the truck front and rear, and all over the ladder rack as well. Its a tube steel rack. So whats the best way to keep the canoe from shifting sideways while traveling? I know i can cross tie it in, i just don’t want to have to undo 15 straps to get it off when we get to wherever we’re going. Is there any type of ‘stop blocks’ that i can clamp on the tube? Whatcha think?

 

[Bunsen]

I'd start with pool noodles or foam for some padding at the contact points with the cross bars, 2 or 4 good straps that are non-ratchet type, poly rope, and work on your knot skills (bowline, truckers hitch, alpine butterfly).

NRS Buckle Bumper Straps

Protect your boat, truck, trailer or ATV while securing loads with the NRS Buckle Bumper Strap. The rubber guard adds bounce to the buckle to prevent unhappy accidents.

www.nrs.com

This video is not of a canoe but many of the same principles still apply:

 

[Flashpoint]

I've carried many a kayak on car roof racks. Don't run the straps from bar end to bar end, just loop them under the bar close to the boat and that will hold the boat in place. They make foam blocks with slits and a hole in the bottom you can slide onto the bars to rest the boat on that will cushion it, also the foam compresses which gives some elasticity to the system. Typical kayak straps or ratchet straps will tend to loosen due to bumps and vibration because they have no elasticity, foam blocks or rubber bungees help to keep that from happening. Also if you are using typical flat straps that will run more than a foot in free air edge on to the wind, put a couple of twists in them. That will prevent them from vibrating and whistling at speed.

Edit: Just watched the video above. I use Thule cradles like in the video when I'm taking two boats, but it's faster and easier to just use foam blocks and load the boat flat if I'm just taking one. Essentially the blocks are way faster to install than the cradles. And no one will be as tempted to take your foam blocks as they would your expensive cradles when you leave them on the bars at the put in.

 

[oderus1671]

Didn’t think of the pool noodle idea… thanks bunsen! So simple, but probably really effective! Thats why i come here with these types of questions!