Rooftop transport

So i recently purchased a new truck (RAM 1500).  I'd like to be able to transport my kayak on top of the canopy without installing kayak racks on it (truck won't fit in my garage if I make it any higher).

I don't like using those little grey blocks so what other options are there?

Thanks!

EDIT: I'll only need to do this on occasions when I'm pulling a trailer behind me but this could be all the way accross the state.

Have you thought about putting racks on your trailer instead?

I have my kayak / 4wheeler trailer that I will use normally.  The problem is that my camper trailer can not have racks mounted on it.

Anytime I take the camper and the kayak, I'll need to roof mount it.

My first question would be, what are you doing parking a truck in the garage?   

Keep it parked outside like a big dog, and you can solve your problem by putting racks on the canopy without worry of height restrictions. 

Some padding on the gunwales and straps at the bow and stern worked quite well transporting my buddies canoe on our elk hunting trip, and when I picked up a tandem in Portland a week later.  The tandem kayak especially was rock solid the whole trip.  Just don't over-tighten the straps.  You want them tight enough to keep everything secure, but too tight and you'll distort the hull.

My first question would be, what are you doing parking a truck in the garage?   

I can understand this question coming from somebody at a whole 210ft elevation.  As for us mountain folk, we actually get temperatures below 35F in the winter. (just bustin balls)

I'm not looking forward to getting the kayak on top of the truck either.  the last one was bad enough.

Yakima makes towers for bed toppers that remove pretty easily.

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Easier yet, just let most of the air out of your tires every night then fill them again in the morning after you back the truck out. 

No need to thank me.  Knowing I helped someone is thanks enough. 

I'm sitting here looking out the window of my truck camper at my folks ALiner.
I'll bet with some creative use of metal, you could create a removable horizontal rack that is attached to both the tongue and the rear bumper via risers, suspending the kayak above the closed roofline of the trailer.

I have a Dodge pickup and also like the bed space for whatever reason so I got a Yakima setup with the round bars, q clips, a canoe gunwale mount which allows me to mount the kayak upside down and the hitch mounted Drydock. It's a very stable setup. I have taken it out to eastern Washington and driven around in winds where gusts were probably 50 mph out near Potholes. It costs but it works and it stows away in a jiffy.

I'm sitting here looking out the window of my truck camper at my folks ALiner.
I'll bet with some creative use of metal, you could create a removable horizontal rack that is attached to both the tongue and the rear bumper via risers, suspending the kayak above the closed roofline of the trailer.

I like this idea but it removes the "quick setup" option.  I'd need to remove the kayak every time I needed access into it.

langcod,  what racks are you referring to?  thanks!

The Yakima control towers lock into a "landing pad" which sit up by only about an inch to an inch and a half above the topper. There are options if you don't have tracks built into the topper as well.

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Here is a Yakima Control tower    http://www.kayakshed.com/yakima-racks/control-towers  and here is a typical landing pad    http://www.kayakshed.com/yakima-racks/landing-pad-1

Langcod can tell you what specific Yakima parts are needed for your application if this turns out to be the best solution.

Justin,

I have the set up Langcod is describing on my new Leer topper It has the track system and Thule racks.  After removing my kayak or paddle board I can have the cross bars and towers off in less than 2 minutes and then the height above the shell is about 1.5 inches with the caps in place to reduce corrosion.

I'm not even sure that I have enough clearance for the landing pads. 

I'm even worried about snow build up this winter messing with clearance.

I'll have to take a look to see what I've got.

thanks all.