How to Strap Down a Kayak to a Truck

Kayaks are bulky items and a bit unruly to transport when out of the water. Many touring and sea kayaks are longer than standard truck beds, leaving you to figure out how to transport the kayak using the truck bed. This is not as difficult as figuring out a Rubik's Cube. By placing the kayak in at an angle and using the proper straps, the kayak can be easily strapped to the truck bed for transport to paddling destinations.

Things You'll Need

  • Red flag
  • Ratchet straps
  • Bungee cords
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Instructions

    • 1

      Open the truck bed's tail gate. With an assistant, slide the kayak into the truck bed so it is at a diagonal direction, with the end of the kayak facing out of the bed on the right side of the pick up's bed. Keep the kayak right side up to prevent the rudder from dropping toward the ground.

    • 2

      Thread a ratchet strap through the truck bed's metal strap loops, Almost all trucks have some sort of tie down loops along the sides of the truck bed for just such purposes. Use the ratchet straps to tighten the kayak down to the truck bed. Thread the strap through the kayak deck bungees as well as the truck bed loops.

    • 3

      Thread two additional ratchet straps through the truck bed loops so there is one strap at the bow of the kayak, at least one in the center and one where the tail gate drops down.

    • 4

      Hook bungee cords to the kayak cockpit combing and run them to the truck bed loops for additional support. Push the kayak side-to-side and front-to-back to ensure it will not fly out of the truck during braking or sharp turns.

    • 5

      Tie the red flag to the back of the kayak as it hangs out past the end of the tail gate.