The Best Way to Load a Canoe Onto Your Roof Racks

If you own a canoe, half the fun is your ability to take it on adventures to remote lakes and rivers. If your canoe is not outfitted with a pull-behind trailer, the best alternative is loading it onto the roof rack of your vehicle. Utilize the balance of the canoe itself and the correct technique to load it up efficiently, no matter where you travel.

  1. Variables

    • The variables that affect your canoe-loading strategy are the size and weight of your canoe, the height of your vehicle and the type of roof racks you have. Most importantly, your loading method of choice depends upon whether you are loading solo or have a helper. The best method for two people to load the craft is a lift-and-roll strategy, provided the roof of your vehicle is not beyond your arms' reach.

    Loading

    • If you have ever been in a canoe on the water, you know that a canoe is balanced to dump its cargo at the passenger's first wrong move. To load your canoe, make use of this "tippy canoe" factor. You and your partner should position yourselves near each end of the craft. Then, with the canoe--right side up--centered alongside your vehicle, lift it to roof level and rest the gunwale against the upper edge of the roof. Pushing up against the bottom, allow the canoe to roll over onto the roof rack gently, facilitating a soft landing by keeping one hand on the near edge of the craft at all times. It has done what it sometimes seems to do best--flipped itself over. Secure to the rack with strong ratchet-type tie-down straps.

    Adaptions

    • Even though this strategy requires less upward lift than setting the canoe directly on top of the roof rack, if neither you nor your helper are tall enough to lift the canoe to roof edge height, consider standing on a stool during the loading procedure. Be sure to bring the stool along for use at your destination. If you are loading the craft solo and do not have a rack with extensions for this purpose, try covering the back of your vehicle with a blanket, set the canoe--upside down and on one end--atop the blanket and push/slide it up onto the roof racks from behind.