Pirogue/canoe rack for boat

[jburn25]

My next project for my boat is to build a removable pirogue rack for my boat so that I can haul my pirogue(s) in the boat on the way to my hunting spot. I have a 17' CC aluminum flat bottom boat, and before I started drawing up plans I figured I'd check and see if anyone else had built one for their boat. I'm considering using PVC or steel square tubing.

I've been just stacking the pirogues on top of each other and wedging them sideways beside the console, but it's not very stable, takes up alot of room, and scratches the heck out of my aluminum console. I'd like to be able to sit them right side up on top of the side rails of my boat.

[tashasdaddy]

OK, you are wanting to carry 2 boats on one trailer, why not do a little shade tree engineering. 2 sets of guide ons on the trailer, with a cross member over the top, to strap the pirogue to. have the top fitting, to where it is pinned so you can remove the cross member when loading the boat. something like this, with a removable cross member.

[tashasdaddy]

here is my idea, you would use 2 of them, i have also found that if you go to muffler shop the will sell you 2" muffler brackets, then have some all thread cut to them on. for the front one, if your trailer is narrow, you might put a piece of metal pipe, in the bottom cross member.

[tashasdaddy]

for wind load you may want to add some 45* or 22 1/2* fittings, to brace the uprights.

[Shizzy]

TD has a good idea. I would rather be attaching things to the trailer, not the boat.

[jburn25]

I see what you guys are saying, and I like the designs. however, I actually need something that will attach to the boat. I'm going to be using the pirogues to get into shallow water after I cross big open water in my regular boat. Like last weekend, we'd take the big boat across the mississippi river in Venice then down river like 10 miles then when we got to the shallow mud flats that we were going to be hunting we would unload the pirogues and paddle. Instead of just flipping the boats into the boat I'd like some sort of rack where they can be sturdy and tidy in the boat, I passed several boats using setups like this last week.

I have a rod holder on the inside of my boat that is welded to the rear bench seat and is made out of 2" square tubing. The angle of the rod holder is such that it points a rod just over the edge of the boat. I'm thinking I might be able to fab a frame similar to what Tashasdaddy drew but make it be able to slide into the square tubing rod holder that I have. I'll just have to figure out a similar way to make the rack in the front of the boat.

[jburn25]

Sorry I didn't specify my uses for the pirogue rack in my first post. I guess that would have helped haha.

anyways, heres a sketch of what I have in mind. This particular sketch would be using 1.5" square tubing and I would have to get it welded. I don't know if that tubing would add unnecessary weight and welding might be expensive. Alternatively, I could use PVC if it will support the weight of several pirogues, but I'm not sure how to make that angle in the upright in the sketch.

I'm not sure how to upload picture so I hope it works

[gboswell]

jburn25,
I hunt downriver from Venice too carrying both a flatboat and pirogues. I built a rack using aluminum square tubing and other aluminum stock purchased online. I chose aluminum because it's light, can be cut with a carbide blade and bolted instead of welded, needs no paint, and my starcraft is all aluminum. The front section of the rack is removable. Here are some pics. Feel free to give me a call at EDIT if you want to know sources for tubing or whatever.

phone # edited, you want every scammer on the internet calling you. use the private message system. to exchange personal info.

[jay_merrill]

Nice setup in the last post! I also like the idea in the simple sketch by the OP.

I would weld (tig or mig) a couple of receptacles (tubing) along ribs in the boat, just as shown in the drawing. The frames could then be constructed such that the bases of them insert into the receptacles on the boat. To secure them, I would use a commercial tent frame pin, which would be inserted through both the frame base and receptacle.

[tashasdaddy]

great but watch the wind. you could design something like a wakeboard rack.

[Wee Hooker]

J, I like your concept of a removable rack as you sketched. It should work as long as your rack & canoe are kept light and your mounts strong/distribute the weight well. Not sure I'd want to run with only one canoe though. That would be allot of unbalanced force on one rail. Consider modifying the design carring the canoes on thier side and closer inboard.
Which brings me to biggest concern. Trailering width. There is something like a 8' max allowed on public roads (without special permits/precautions.) You might take the same idea and put the rack overhead to keep the width down any allow you to carry more a single canoe.

[jburn25]

GBoswell, great post. You have a great rig and I can tell you put your time into the design and fabrication of it. I may send you a personal message soon. I currently live in Shreveport and since I might be doing a decent amount of driving from there to Baton Rouge (4hrs) and from BR to Venice (3 hrs) I'm not sure about the overhead rack simply from the standpoint of increased drag and the subsequent loss of gas mileage on long trips. I do believe it would be the most stable and space saving method while in the boat however so I'll have to weigh the pros and cons of each I suppose.

Wee, thanks for pointing out the width concerns. My boat is a 64" bottom and I'm hoping to center the pirogues on the side of the boat which shouldn't leave too much hanging over the edge of the trailer. Between two pirogues we're talking about max of 80 pounds and since the passengers will be forced to stand on the opposite side of the boat we should be able to balance weight. With the pirogues sitting "up" on the side of the boat, it should leave me some space to stash decoys and other gear up under them on the floor which should help distribute weight even more.

I like the idea of using the receptacles, especially since I already have one in the form of the rod holder that is square tubing. I'm going to contact GBoswell and see about where he got his supplies. Maybe I can find some square aluminum tubing for a decent price and do the fab work myself since I won't have to have it welded.

I'll keep yall posted on how it turns out. Any more suggestions, keep them coming.

[mkbaquet]

I reecently made a rack for my pirogue. I have a 16' Alumaweld bass boat. I launch in the Intercoastal Canal then head to the marsh to duck hunt. It's about a 25 min. baot ride to where I hunt. Since the boat is limited in space to put my pirogue or 2 plus me & a hunter or 2, I came up with a space saving idea that might be useful. I put my boat seat pedistals in the front & read deck, I fabricated a rach similar in shape to a football goal post. The verticle rods of each that insert into mseat pedistals are long enough to allow the pirogue to be at a height just above my head when sitting in the drivers seat. As low as possible as to keep the pirogue's center of gravity low. The sides to the horizontle rests for the pirogue are only about 6" high with eyes on them to place a ratchet strap to secure the pirogue. The material I used is square aluminum tubing & is welded. The onlt round stock I wsed was the section thet goes into the seat pedistals.
This was only sightly wobbly when I first wsed it so to remidy that unsteadyness, I secures the pirogue with ratchet straps to the front & rear cleats that were already on the bass boat. This made it rock solid & never had a problem with unstability.

[jburn25]

Just wanted to let everyone i finally got around to making these racks and maybe these pics will help someone else down the road looking to do what I did. I ordered some 1" square aluminum tubing (1/8" diameter) for the frames of the racks, cut them and then welded them with my small mig. Then I used 1.5" square aluminum tubing (3/16" diameter) and made some receptacles for the racks to slide into and be easily removable with the two pins. The rack on the front deck is solid and uses the strength of the deck to support the pirogues. The rack on the side is attached to my side panels which aren't so solid which is why I added the 1/4" plate and also added some 3/4" plywood to the back side so the side panels wouldn't bend or give any. The rig worked out pretty good and serves my purpose great. Its very solid on the highway and since it rides basically inside the boat I haven't noticed any change in gas mileage (although I'm sure there is some small change). Also, there is still plenty of room in the boat and under the pirogues for decoys, bags, ice chests, etc.

Note that the original post was for a previous boat I owned. Glad i waited to make these since i ended up selling that boat.

[bifflefan]

Id say you did a fine job. I like the removable mounts with the locking pins. And they are set off the side so as not to be in the way.

Very nice indeed.