How to carry canoe on F150 Supercrew short bed with trailer?

[coldfeet]

Hello all happy holidays, I'd like to hear your opinions on how to transport my canoe or both canoes.
I just bought a 2020 Ford F150 Supercrew with the short bed. It came with a 3 panel tonneau cover.
I bought a small camper trailer last year (Casita 17ft) and we are getting ready to retire next year and go site seeing, that's the reason for the F150.
Yes, I did search many ford forums but it's you folks who can offer real ideas.
I want to keep the tonneau cover and use those standing racks over the truck bed. BUT the F150 short bed is missing those front caps which cover the pockets for the rack bolts. I saw videos of people cutting the plastic open but word is there isn't anything to bolt the rack to in the front.
So, I'm thinking of the Thule type of rack on top of the roof of the cab. I guess I should have just started with that question.
Anyone use the basic roof rack on their truck? On top of the cab is what I mean? I think it would be best for me as I get to keep the tonneau cover and I can remove the rack from the top when winter comes. I used that set up for years on my Camry, it did slide a bit and I had to adjust it once in a while.

Sorry for being wordy, I think I'll go look back and the pages and see what folks are doing.
thanks Coldfeet

 

[coldfeet]

I saw YC truck with the single tall back rack (short bed ford f150 has the rear pockets only ) and the one bar on top of the cab. People mentioned that on the forums. I think that's what I need but can one just bar a single item? Don't they come in pairs?

 

[Woodpuppy]

I saw YC truck with the single tall back rack (short bed ford f150 has the rear pockets only ) and the one bar on top of the cab. People mentioned that on the forums. I think that's what I need but can one just bar a single item? Don't they come in pairs?

I do the single cab bar and T-bar hitch setup. My tonneau cover is the solid type that’s hinged at the front. You can’t tow with this setup, though you could customize a drawbar insert with this particular T-bar. So a single stake pocket rack for the back of your bed and a single cab bar should solve it for you.

You can get a single bar and foot pack for your cab, but they aren’t typically found as a package- you figure out what parts you need by looking at the parts list for the whole kit that fits your vehicle, and then order them a la carte. I ordered my Rhino Rack HD bar & parts from etrailer.com.

 

[coldfeet]

Thanks woodpuppy, yep i saw your pic and should have mentioned that when not towing I love that set up. I was also looking at a combo stand and trailer hitch. Would you believe that I don't have a hitch yet? Yea, one thing at a time. No rush yet because it's winter here in NY. Have a list of things to do. i'm looking on etrailer at ideas...thanks

 

[Woodpuppy]

With a roof/bed rack you’ll have some amount of the boats sticking out- how long is the tongue on the trailer and if driving through a dip, you’ll close the distance between boat ends and trailer. Do the canoes fit inside the Casita?

 

[coldfeet]

Negative on canoes inside the Casita. I did send etrailer a question. One of these quiet days (non windy) I'm going to put a blanket on top of the truck (forgot to say it has a huge double glass moonroof, not on my list to buy but it came with the truck) and lay the boat on top. I have a 17ft tandem (44lbs) and app 16ft solo 34lbs and see how it would lay using the one cab bar and one back truck stand, not to sure what it's really called. Length of the tongue is a good question. I'll measure that this week. Good comment that you thought about with the distance, thanks.
PS, I want to but a cap for the truck but whoo weeeee! costs a bundle and i'm not saving that much from Geico!

 

[Jatfomike]

Below is a photo of my F250, however, the roofline is the same size as my F150 that the older Thule square bars came off of…..I have carried two 14-15’ solos on this rack for thousands of miles over the years…..no issues. For longer boats, I have a goalpost I will stick in the receiver and just use one of the roof racks. I also have a 3 piece hard foldable tonneau, but with the goalpost, it is difficult to access the bed with the tonneau cover on.

Mike

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I've created this new thread for a question asked by Coldfeet in the thread for pictures about canoes, and moved the responsive posts from that thread to this new one.

 

[Ober27]

Here's our current setup, it works, but I'm not 100% happy with it. I feel like there's too much of the bow forward of the front rack cantilever.
The timing of this thread is perfect. We are considering purchasing a full size pickup before next season, likely a Ford
F-150 crew cab.
I'm leaning towards a topper/cap with one or two cross bars plus one crossbar on the pickup cab. I would like to move the canoe farther forward.
The canoe is a 17' Northstar Seliga.

setup

 

[M Clemens]

Negative on canoes inside the Casita. I did send etrailer a question. One of these quiet days (non windy) I'm going to put a blanket on top of the truck (forgot to say it has a huge double glass moonroof, not on my list to buy but it came with the truck) and lay the boat on top. I have a 17ft tandem (44lbs) and app 16ft solo 34lbs and see how it would lay using the one cab bar and one back truck stand, not to sure what it's really called. Length of the tongue is a good question. I'll measure that this week. Good comment that you thought about with the distance, thanks.
PS, I want to but a cap for the truck but whoo weeeee! costs a bundle and i'm not saving that much from Geico!

I tried a front hitch with a T-bar on my GMC crew cab, coupled with a single Yakima Bar on top of the cab for a while, a lot of fifth wheel campers use that. Eliminates any need for access to the bed. (Pic not mine)

 

[scratchypants]

I tried a front hitch with a T-bar on my GMC crew cab, coupled with a single Yakima Bar on top of the cab for a while, a lot of fifth wheel campers use that. Eliminates any need for access to the bed. (Pic not mine)

View attachment 138584

This is how I did it when I had my F150.

 

[yknpdlr]

This is how I carried a 34' woodstrip voyageur canoe that I raced for several years with my dad's 1984 F250 that I inherited from him. I built the bed and front bumper supports. Having a sturdy steel front bumper was critical to the front mount. I could move the canoe farther forward to clear a trailer if I had one.

 

[Pseudonym]

Below is a photo of my F250, however, the roofline is the same size as my F150 that the older Thule square bars came off of…..I have carried two 14-15’ solos on this rack for thousands of miles over the years…..no issues. For longer boats, I have a goalpost I will stick in the receiver and just use one of the roof racks. I also have a 3 piece hard foldable tonneau, but with the goalpost, it is difficult to access the bed with the tonneau cover on.

Mike

View attachment 138574

This roof rack process works.

I have Rhino Rack bars for my '23 F150 Lightning and they're easy to mount. You can move long boats too: I used to move a 17' Old Town Tripper on the roof of my Jeep using the same method with an even narrower bar spacing than on an F150. Probably goes without saying, but please note @Jatfomike's use of a bow tie down to the hood, that's essential. I also recommend using a ratcheted stern line too, which keeps the entire boat in tension and really settles things down at highway speeds. With a strap on both ends and the boat in tension, you shouldn't need a hitch post.

For what it's worth, you almost certainly have front "stake pockets" in the bed walls, but the plastic trim does need to be cut to uncover them. There are myriad build-threads in various online Ford forums detailing the process. Your 2020 is a "13th generation" F150 so it's the same as the 2015 in this YouTube video that details the process:

Your particular tonneau cover will dictate the bed rack options based on whether or not it completely overlaps the entire top of the bedsides. Send a picture if you're not sure.

E-Trailer has a Installation Video detailing how to install one of these racks on a 12th Gen Ford by cutting the stake pockets. If you keep searching, they might have something for the 13th gen too.

 

[yellowcanoe]

With a roof/bed rack you’ll have some amount of the boats sticking out- how long is the tongue on the trailer and if driving through a dip, you’ll close the distance between boat ends and trailer. Do the canoes fit inside the Casita?

Sorry for the boorish on my part laugh. The Casita is a small trailer and at 17x7 feet the inside is pretty well occupied.. But I do sometimes wish for a rear door on an RV. Aside from toy haulers that doesn't seem to exist anymore. I haven't seen many pickup camper caps lately.

 

[GeoBoy]

Taylor Coach will make rear door travel trailers. If you go to videos, they have a video of a 17’ model with a rear door.

 

[coldfeet]

Wow, thanks Glenn for helping. So many ideas and it's very appreciative. Not sure where to start but I just measured the cab (app 5') and extended my tape measure out 6' front and back to get an idea of the 17' tanden. Other canoe is app 16'.
The front stake pockets are hidden below the plastic, yep I've watched the videos but after you cut out the opening there in not a built in section with the threaded part to screw in something like the rear. You have to create something to catch inside. Many video's show a bunch of flat 2"-3" (guessing) pieces of metal and you string them together to make them taunt then........but that works for many people.

I'm thinking of just the regular Thule roof rack (60" bars) and using a goal post when not towing the trailer. Plus tightening the straps down like many people mentioned like I've done dozens of times and go for a ride.

Those Adarak and other brands with the "t" slots and height extending posts are nice with a tonneau cover that works in conjunction with it, cha ching! Seems like $1500 I heard once again "buy once, cry once" but this baby is running out of tears.

I do like the cap over the truck idea but holy smokes those prices for a cap are a bit to much for me at this moment. Plus my wife thinks it looks like a hearse ( I have no idea why she thinks that, but it's a no)

I found a seller of 60" thule aero bars a short distance away and will pick those up then buy the other pieces to make it work all together.
With some new straps and get those "bull rings" which will fit into the rear pockets for extra tie downs. Of course I'm getting ready for Spring and summer paddling trips but I want to figure this out as soon as possible if you know what I mean.

Next is the "hitch" than I need to buy, looks like I need a 2" riser for the connection, Glenn, no need for a new thread, I'm getting exhausted and Mrs. Coldfeet has reduced my allowance since the F150 purchase. Hope some of these ideas you folks see work for you.

Best to all, I love this forum!

 

[coldfeet]

Hello, learned a new lesson the other night.
Left lights on. Mistake #1
Went to get portable charger in bed of truck, electric tailgate, can’t get charger
Mistake #2
No keyhole mistake #3
Tonneau cover is locked down in tailgate no key for that Mistake #4
Didn’t read any directions since purchase Halloween night Mistake #5

Friend from work helped with cables and jumped it.

Told wife what happened VERY BIG MISTAKE! Everyday another lesson in life.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Your Smart ( a$$) truck ought to have a manual override or be smart enough to turn its own lights off when not running down the highway. I just can't wrap my head around this scenario! You don't have carkeys or keyholes? Yikes.. My downer brain is imagining you coming off a canoe trip to a dead battery in the pouring rain with no one around..

 

[Gamma1214]

I'm actually surprised that there's no battery saver function. It's been awhile since I worked for Ford but they were programming battery saver into the body control modules 20 years ago.

As for no keyholes, I can totally believe that. I think all cars eliminated the passenger's side keyhole decades ago and it was just a matter of time. (Chivalry is, in fact, dead. The car companies killed it)

 

[coldfeet]

I was just as confused as some of you.
I put my small Costco Battery jumper into the large center console.
The good old days of pushing a car and bump starting it was great.