Anyone put a kayak directly onto a softop .I have heard you can put foam under it. Only going short distances to use it.My top is really old so no great loss if I damage it.
Anyone put a kayak directly onto a soft top?
- Thread starter bruceco
- Start date
You could always fold the top down and strap it to the roll bars.
Be sure to attach leaders at each end of the kayak to your front/rear bumpers
Be sure to attach leaders at each end of the kayak to your front/rear bumpers
I've transported two kayaks on-top of my Jeep using tie downs directly to the rollbars. Didn't have any issues.
With the softop on...maybe if you position the foam on the center rollbar, tie down through the windows and then the leaders?
With the softop on...maybe if you position the foam on the center rollbar, tie down through the windows and then the leaders?
Not a kayak, I know, but I have run a canoe on my bikini top. I took part in an offroad, military themed adventure race in the Uwharrie National Forest, called 36hrs of Uwharrie.
For the trailer ride down from NY to NC, I had pool noodles on the edges of the canoe to mitigate any rub issues. But once on site I removed them for easier loading and unloading during the multiple challenges that the canoe was used for. For 36hrs of almost continual offroad driving on everything from dirt roads to actual trails and obstacle courses, there were no issues with the canoe causing wear on the top.
The soft top frame may not be a sturdy enough base to support your kayaks. Especially under the downward force of being tied down. I obviously didn’t have a frame to contend with, just the windshield frame and factory B pillar of the roll bar. I was able to really cinch down the ratchet straps.
For the trailer ride down from NY to NC, I had pool noodles on the edges of the canoe to mitigate any rub issues. But once on site I removed them for easier loading and unloading during the multiple challenges that the canoe was used for. For 36hrs of almost continual offroad driving on everything from dirt roads to actual trails and obstacle courses, there were no issues with the canoe causing wear on the top.
The soft top frame may not be a sturdy enough base to support your kayaks. Especially under the downward force of being tied down. I obviously didn’t have a frame to contend with, just the windshield frame and factory B pillar of the roll bar. I was able to really cinch down the ratchet straps.
Do you have more pictures of this event? Looks like a fun one.
They have a YouTube Mini series....
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Episode 3:
Episode 4:
Episode 1:
I've strapped a boat across the top bows on occasion, but I wouldn't make a habit of doing so: there's a LOT of wind and drag up there, and it really causes a good deal of up-and-down movement even when you have the boat cinched down tightly. When I've done it before I've used a foam block right at the windshield frame, and a couple of folded towels across the middle bow; my boats don't have enough rocker to hit the rear bow when arranged like this. It's pretty secure for a short trip, but for anything longer than a few miles, you really need a more secure rack.
I have the front of my kayak on a rack, but the rear is on on the soft top with some towels at the sound bar. With a couple of ratchet straps, it doesn't budge, and has never caused any wear whatsoever on the soft top.
For the sake of clarity: in that picture you're running a safari top that's resting directly on the B-pillar, so there's no top bow in the way to take the load of the boat. That's quite a bit different than having to use a standard soft top for actual load support; your version uses various parts of the structural cage and medium-wall tubing for support, whereas the main support in a TJ's soft top is a 3/4"-ish thin-wall tube that's not designed for load-bearing usage at all. That said: what you're doing is preferable, but with a factory top in place the depicted method cannot be utilized.
I agree with your clarification. My point to the OP (who did not specify whether he was talking about a factory soft top or a frameless) was that if he was concerned about damaging his soft top material; a couple of well placed towels would do the trick, something you pointed out as well.
I agree with your clarification. My point to the OP (who did not specify whether he was talking about a factory soft top or a frameless) was that if he was concerned about damaging his soft top material; a couple of well placed towels would do the trick, something you pointed out as well.
Oh, yeah...the fabric isn't a problem as long as there's a wear surface between the two. The only way you might damage it is by the ratchet straps vibrating in the airflow at 65mph, and physically abrading the sailcloth.
I bought a bar like that for my kayak, but it is not that tall. Did you make extentions for your bar? If so, how? Or is there a place I can buy some extensions to raise mine up easily?
If you need to raise the boat higher, is there a reason that a taller foam block won't work?
It's the KC HiLights overhead light bar. That is the height that it comes with. It's quite sturdy. I've been using it for 3 years now. It also holds my 14' tandem quite well when I put my "goal post" trailer hitch mount on. (Note: it's not fully strapped down in this pic. 2 more straps and a safety cable before rolling down the highway)
AHHH, ok, I bought a different brand and thought it would be high enough but it isn't.
My hubby is making a "goal post" for the rear but just hasn't got around to finishing it for me. ( I really need to learn how to weld, LOL) I have been looking at the Harbor Freight bed extender. Tried to go there today to look at it in person but they don't have it out of the box and it's kept in the backroom. It didn't sound like the guy was willing to open the box when I was asking about looking at it. Anyway, I thought that would possibly "speed" up things as far as the goal post. LOL I'm just not sure if it is tall enough either. Hate to spend 65 bucks to have to modify it some more too. That is the issue, modifying things is not my forte, LOL, I'm a plug and play type person, going back to the "I need to learn how to weld" statement.
Going back to the light bar, hubby found some rack bars that he was going to figure out how to attach to it, but still hasn't done it. I think I will try the foam as @Sundowner mentioned above. I have a pool noodle I can try.
If not I know I have an old set of kayak roof foam blocks around the garage somewhere.
Yep, take your kayak foam and clip the blocks into the windshield bar, and then see where the boat is sitting; buy a shorter or taller block as required.
If you want a sexy solution for a rear bar that's way more stable than anything else, bend/weld up a pair of brackets that mount behind your taillights. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.
If you want a sexy solution for a rear bar that's way more stable than anything else, bend/weld up a pair of brackets that mount behind your taillights. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.
I have one but have not tried it on my Jeep yet. However, my Yakima (similar thing) will not clear my spare. Yes, you may need a custom one.AHHH, ok, I bought a different brand and thought it would be high enough but it isn't.
My hubby is making a "goal post" for the rear but just hasn't got around to finishing it for me. ( I really need to learn how to weld, LOL) I have been looking at the Harbor Freight bed extender. Tried to go there today to look at it in person but they don't have it out of the box and it's kept in the backroom. It didn't sound like the guy was willing to open the box when I was asking about looking at it. Anyway, I thought that would possibly "speed" up things as far as the goal post. LOL I'm just not sure if it is tall enough either. Hate to spend 65 bucks to have to modify it some more too. That is the issue, modifying things is not my forte, LOL, I'm a plug and play type person, going back to the "I need to learn how to weld" statement.
Going back to the light bar, hubby found some rack bars that he was going to figure out how to attach to it, but still hasn't done it. I think I will try the foam as @Sundowner mentioned above. I have a pool noodle I can try.
eeveetsukino
New Member
new wrangler owner here! what do you have the kayak attached to in the back? what type of bar is that? should I purchase a front bar as well as that to carry my two kayaks?