How to Transport a Canoe on a Pickup Bed Box

The problem with transporting a canoe on a pickup, as opposed to hauling it on top of a car or SUV, is that the pickup bed is lower than the cab and simply tying the canoe on leaves the front of the boat sticking up in the air, where it can catch wind or clip a low-hanging tree or bridge. The solution is to lift up the rear of the canoe so that it rides level. The easiest way to do this is to build a simple folding tripod.

Things You'll Need

  • Three pressure-treated 2-by-4 boards, 6-feet long
  • One 4-foot-long 2-by-4
  • Scrap 2-by 4
  • Carpet strips, 8-inches wide, 4-feet long
  • Box of galvanized screws, 3-1/2 inches long
  • Two eye screws, 3/8-inch shaft
  • Two lag screws, ½-inches by 3-1/2-inches long
  • Staple gun
  • Box of 1-1/2 inch staples
  • Half-inch carriage bolt, 8-inches long with nuts and lock washers
  • Drill and drill bits
  • Circular saw
  • Two lengths of chain, 8-inches long
  • Four screws, ¾-inches long
  • Ratcheting tie-down straps, 12+ feet long
  • Sawhorses
  • Tape measure
  • Carpenter speed square
  • Pencil
  • Bungee cords
  • Styrofoam swim noodles with center hole
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay all three 2-by-4s flat, one on top of the other. Drill a half-inch pilot hole in one end of the three boards, so the hole lines up with all three. Cut two wedge shapes with 2 inches by 3 inches by 3 inches out of the short 2-by-4. Drill a hole in the center of each wedge shape.

    • 2

      Push the wedges between the boards so the holes line up and the 2-inch ends of the wedges face the same direction. Push the carriage bolt through the holes and tighten with the nut and washer. When you spread the legs, it will form a tripod shape. Set up the tripod and stretch two lengths of chain between the center leg and the two outside legs. Screw the ends of the chain so they are tight when the tripod is set up properly.

    • 3

      Drill two 3/8 inch holes 8 inches below the top of the outside legs of the tripod on the outside facing edges. Measure the distance between holes in the outside legs. Drill two half-inch holes through the 4-foot long 2-by-4 to match the distance between the leg holes and at equal distance from the center of the board. Lag screw the 4-foot 2-by-4 cross member to the outside legs. Set the entire tripod in the back of the pickup and trim the bottom of the legs so that the top of the cross member is level with the top of the pickup cab. Set the two outside legs toward the back of the truck bed and the center leg toward the front.

    • 4

      Cut the 4-inch carpet strip to match the outside wings of the cross member on the tripod. Lay the carpet over the cross member and staple the carpet in place to pad the cross members.

    • 5

      Slice the Styrofoam noodles lengthwise halfway through to the center hole. Spread the cut edges and wrap the Styrofoam noodles over the gunwales of the canoe. You may need to cut it onto pieces to fit between the canoe thwarts (cross members). Flip the canoe upside down so the padded gunwales rest on the cab of the pickup in front and the cross member of the tripod.

    • 6

      Attach a ratchet tie through the eye loop on the front of the canoe. Attach the hooks to the metal loop towing connections underneath the front bumper. Use lengths of leftover split Styrofoam swim noodles and wrap them around the tie-down straps where they rub against the hood or bumpers to protect your vehicle's finish. Hook the back of the canoe to the rear towing hooks underneath the rear bumper with the ratcheting tie-downs. Tighten till it pulls the end down slightly. Tighten the front end down tight and the boat should be secured to the cab and tripod and ready for transport.