Canoe On Top of Travel Trailer: How To Load, Strap, and Haul
Going by canoe is a lot of fun. But before you can enjoy the smooth gliding ride of a top canoe, you need to get it to the water. The best way to handle transporting a canoe is by putting it on a trailer. However, you may not be allowed to tow two trailers so you need other options.
When you want to take your canoe along on your next vacation, the best way to haul one is to get a roof rack made for canoes. Then you will need to turn the canoe upside down and use enough straps to keep it securely in place. The straps should be made of nylon with spring-loaded ratchet buckles.
To learn more about strapping and hauling your canoe to your vacation spot, just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know about to get your canoe to your destination safely
Canoe On RV 101
Can You Put a Canoe On Top Of a Travel Trailer?
Yes, you can if you do it in the right way. The key to this will be measuring the height of the canoe and the additional height your roof rack will add to your trailer height. Remember, if you are on the highway, you will need to fit underneath the many overpasses that cross those roads.
You can buy a roof rack or make your own but in either case, the rack has to be very secure on top of your travel trailer. When doing it yourself, you will need to make sure you do not damage the roof of your trailer at the same time.
But, at the same time, you may have to drill some holes in the roof to add the eye-bolts or lag bolts, whichever you are using, and secure the roof rack. The best place to mount those eye bolts is on the edge of the roof. Once the bolts are in place, you would need to make them waterproof so the roof does not leak.
Then at the same time, you will need to use foam or some other protective material to wrap key parts of the canoe. You don't want it damaged if you hit some bumps or holes on your way to your destination. These materials also have to be very secure and not fly off when the wind hits them.
There are no real shortcuts you can take here as everything has to be secure. But, at least you know it can be done.
Can You Put a Canoe On a Roof Rack?
Yes, this is the best way to transport a canoe. The key is to use the right straps to secure the canoe in place. It is said that ropes and bungee cords are not the best options to use. They may be cheaper and may get the canoe safely to your destination but there is a better alternative.
Once you load the canoe onto the roof rack, make sure the canoe is bottom-up, you need to strap it in. You will have two spots to strap the canoe, the front and the back of the roof rack.
The reason you put the canoe upside down is that it can fill with air the other way around and add a lot of drag to your vehicle. That will make performance and handling very inefficient.
The best straps to use are the ones made from nylon that have a spring-loaded or ratchet-style buckle. Plus, the straps should be 1 inch wide at a minimum and at least 9 to 12 feet long.
Make sure to put foam between the roof rack and the canoe. This will protect the gunwales from any possible damage. After you have the traps in place make sure you go over the canoe several times before tightening those straps.
Tighten the straps down once everything is in place and you should be good to go.
Do You Need a Roof Rack For a Canoe?
Yes, you should have a roof rack when transporting your canoe. The reason for this requirement is one, you can secure the canoe a lot easier and better. Two, you won’t damage your car, travel trailer, or RV if you have one installed.
The good news in all of this is that there are any styles of canoe roof racks that you can select from. The one you should buy depends on the style of your vehicles and which one you think will be the safest and most secure method to use.
Some canoe racks depend on the fact that your vehicle is already equipped with a roof rack. These special racks attach to the roof rack and then hold your canoe in place. If you don’t you can try a T rack or what are also called Goalpost racks to hold the canoe in place.
A keel over style also depends on your vehicle having a roof rack or roof bars in place. If these roof racks fit your trailer is another question. Most trailers don't have roof racks and you have to watch out for vents and air conditioning units among other rooftop items.
That is going to be your biggest challenge as you need to place the canoe in the right position and some roof racks may not work on some trailer roofs. You can strap your canoe in place directly on the roof of your trailer but it is not a recommended strategy.
How Do You Carry a Canoe On a Travel Trailer?
There seem to be 6 common ways to do this and you would have to pick one of those ways that best fits the design of your trailer. The first way is to find a retail outlet that sells specially designed canoe or kayak racks that are made for RV trailers.
These specially designed racks make sure you can overcome any challenges your trailer roof throws your way. The drawback is you will need a hitch installed on your trailer’s bumper to make this work.
Another way to handle this situation is to attach a normal roof rack to your trailer. Logistics will be your biggest challenge. The second biggest challenge to this option is securing the roof rack so it does not come off midway to your destination.
A third option is to get a side rack. This rack attaches to the side of your trailer and lifts the canoe above the edge of the trailer where the roof meets the walls. it is simple to attach and you would need some good straps to hold the canoe in place but it is practical and doable.
The rack would have to go on the right side of the trailer so it doesn't impede oncoming traffic. The biggest drawback to this option is that you have to be careful of what is on the side of the road. You are going to lose some width space with this rack.
For a pop-up trailer, you will probably need to forgo the roof racks and simply place the canoe on the top when it is folded down. Then strap it in very securely at the bow and the stern of the canoe.
Finally, there is the rear-end method. This is where you stand the canoe up on end and strap it to the rear of your trailer. You can use your bike rack if you have one and the ladder that leads to the roof to secure the canoe in place. if you don’t have one or the other, you may not be able to use this method.
If you use this method, the open part of the canoe needs to be facing the direction you just came from and not facing forward. Other options would be to invest in a trailer that carries canoes or buy an inflatable canoe. Neither are very practical solutions but you never know.
Loading a Canoe On Top Of a Travel Trailer
The one good thing about canoes is that they are generally not that heavy. On low roofs, like pop-up campers or mini trailers, one person should be able to lift the canoe in place with little problem. But even in those situations, it is best to have a second person helping you.
When the roof is higher than normal, there are different devices on sale that will help you load your canoe. In looking at some of the options available, you may need a special roof rack to use the canoe loader.
It may take some searching to find one of these devices that will work with your trailer and rack set up. This link has many for kayaks but they should work for canoes as well.
The simplest and cheapest option is the sliding mat which would protect the roof of your trailer as you slide the canoe into position. Amazon has a few more options. One comes with rollers to help you get the canoe in position very quickly.
Unless you have a hoist system in place and a garage roof high enough to park your trailer underneath the hoist, you may have to load the canoe using your brute strength. The rollers and mats just make that method a little easier.
When you want to get the canoe on top of the trailer you may need about 4 people to handle the task. The height is too great for one or two people to do it on their own.
Strap Canoe On Top Of Travel Trailer
The best position to strap your canoe on a travel trailer is to put it towards the rear of the RV. This will cut down on wind issues and make it easier to strap in. The ladder is handy and can accommodate most strap options with ease.
The key is to use the right type of straps. You can always go traditional and use ropes but you need to be a great knottier to make this option secure and safe. The rope would also need to be very strong to hold the weight of the canoe and keep it from moving through all the elements your travels face.
The next option would be bungee cords. many people like this option because bungee cords are easy to use and simply hook in place. No knots are needed. However, bungee cords are made from rubber and they will stretch and allow some movement unless you wrap them around the rack and ladder very tightly.
The best straps to use are those that are at least 1 inch wide and are made from nylon or polyester. These straps are very strong and can hold the canoe in place eliminating any movement. The lack of movement makes sure your trailer and canoe do not get damaged.
Then these straps should have spring-loaded or ratchet-style buckles. These buckle types help you tighten the straps so the canoe is not going to go anywhere until you release the pressure.
The key is that the straps you use have to hold on tight and not have any real flex or spring to them that allow movement. Then before you tighten those straps, you should use pipe insulation foam and place it over the gunwales.
This insulation would need to be cut in half lengthwise to work. It wraps around the edges of the canoe and makes sure neither the trailer nor the canoe gets scratched. Securing your canoe will take some time and effort so do not rush this task. Double-check to make sure everything is tight and secure.
Always place the canoe with the open side down to prevent wind drag or other issues.
Finding a Camper Roof Rack For a Canoe
This is not hard to do as it is a popular recreational activity. Most retail outlets will advertise kayak racks but those racks will work for canoes as well. You may not get as many canoes on those racks as you would kayaks but you still can use them.
One place to look will be Amazon. They seem to have several different options available. Just make sure to deal with a reputable Amazon seller. There is one major brand that deals in this product as well.
Thule is a leading company with a good reputation for making solid and dependable roof racks for all sorts of vehicles and equipment. You can check their products out by clicking this link.
Different RV parts and accessory specialists and outlets will have some models to look at. E-trailer is one of them and they also have racks for surfboards if you are wanting to carry one along with your canoe. Just click here to see what they have to say and explore their site.
Do a good internet search and you should be able to find quite a few more options with some being very close to your location.
Motorhome Roof Rack Options
It is said that these products are few and far in between for Class C RVs. That may be so and you would have to check with the companies we linked to in the previous section to see what products they have that will work with your motorhome.
If that is the case, you may need to go to some DIY options to make sure you get the rack that fits your motorhome roof and all the items on it. Here is a link to a website that provides you with 15 DIY options that you may be able to adapt to fit your situation.
Plus, you can always attach some of the pre-made commercial rack products to your DIY rack and make it even easier to carry your canoe. Solving your canoe-carrying problem may take some thinking but as you can see, it can be done in very safe and secure methods.
The key will be in attaching those DIY options to your motorhome’s roof. The attachment has to be done carefully as you do not want to weaken your roof, ruin it or add some holes that will leak and cause some hidden damage.
Some Final Words
Canoeing is a lot of fun and it is a great way to relax, get some exercise and spend quality time with your children. It is also a very quiet way to go fishing and spend some time with yourself.
The trick to this wonderful time is to be able to bring your canoe along with you when you are using a travel trailer. As you have just read, there are some good, safe and secure methods available to you. All you have to do is select the right one for your situation. Then secure it properly so no damage happens as you travel.
