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I've been trying to come up with a design for a PVC kayak rack that I can use to store my kayaks when not in use, and be able to load into the back of my truck for easy transportation. After designing and re-designing a hundred racks in my mind and on paper, I think I've come up with one that will work the way I want it to.

The idea is to get the kayaks up high enough so that they sit just above the cab of my truck, and stick out beyond the tailgate just a bit. The long "sleds" it sits on would be able to slide up under my truck toolbox (which I had to remove a while back in order to fit my kayak in the truck bed). I would hopefully be able to leave the kayaks strapped to the rack, and be able to load the entire setup into the bed of my truck without having to remove the kayaks (I'm sure it would require 2 people).

The original plan was to use 3" Schedule 40 PVC, but I wander if I could do it with 2" PVC for less money and still have a sturdy-enough rack. I've even considered going with Schedule 80 if I need to. I have found a website where I can order the specialty PVC fittings I need (the kind used to make PVC furniture) at decent prices.

The two kayaks together weight around 120-140 pounds. What do you think? Will it be sturdy enough? I hate to go with more expensive parts if I don't need to. The reason I want to use PVC is that it's fairly cheap and easy to build with, if it ends up costing too much, I may have to scrap the idea. I need some feedback before I spend any money.

Can I ask why the elbow? From teh scaled drawing, it appera the whole sled box is only about 4 ft long. Is that about right? Id so, I'd make it longer. Not sure how you plan to secure, but the two legs inder the tool box are obvious.

KYFRED wrote:Can I ask why the elbow? From teh scaled drawing, it appera the whole sled box is only about 4 ft long. Is that about right? Id so, I'd make it longer. Not sure how you plan to secure, but the two legs inder the tool box are obvious.

I had to make the sleds narrow enough to go between my wheel-wells, but when I do, it doesn't leave the top wide enough to fit both kayaks. I first tried to make it so that the 2 sleds were actually 4, so that it fit over the wheel-wells, but the tool box doesn't leave enough room for that to work right. When I realized that wouldn't work, I just expanded the top. I know more fittings = more money, but I couldn't come up with a better idea that would work. I also need it to sit level on the ground.

I plan to make the sleds long enough so that they touch the tailgate when I close it, and are flush with the front of the bed (about 75 inches). I was thinking of using ratchet straps to secure the rack to my truck bed.

I don't know if it would work for you or not but you could eliminate some fittings by heating and bending the PVC to shape on a template. If it's done right, it won't weaken the pvc. Another possiblilty would be to drill some holes at various locations and inject some insulating foam into the pvc. That would make it more rigid without any significant weight.

OK, it's been re-designed twice since my last post. After pricing the parts, I decided the specialty fittings are WAAAAY too expensive, so I did this one with only 2 special fittings (crosses, $4.52 a piece), and using TEE's instead of 4-way connectors. This requires twice as many fittings, but the TEE's cost 1/4 as much as the 4-way connectors. I also think that by using more fittings, I am actually making the rack more rigid.

With 2 Crosses, 4 90° elbows, and 22 Tee's, the fittings alone are around $55.00 for 2" PVC. I'm thinking of trying 1-1/2".

I know what you are trying to do, but I'm not sure how it will secure to the bed? Those kayaks will act like a sail being that high up. The design looks cool though.

I am with the Pirate on this one. Let me ask an even dummer question that may also help cost. This is going to sit pretty tall if it is above the cab on the truck. If you are going that high. Can you use aluminum/wooden dowels or something else and build to fit into the tie-down holes (don't know what else to call them) that is less cumbersome, rigid and portable? I just think PVC is gonna be pliable and tiedown will be essential

KYFRED wrote:I am with the Pirate on this one. Let me ask an even dummer question that may also help cost. This is going to sit pretty tall if it is above the cab on the truck. If you are going that high. Can you use aluminum/wooden dowels or something else and build to fit into the tie-down holes (don't know what else to call them) that is less cumbersome, rigid and portable? I just think PVC is gonna be pliable and tiedown will be essential

I've considered wood or metal, and since I have a welding machine, it wouldn't be that difficult. I just thought I could come out cheaper and lighter with PVC, but I'm not too sure about that now. The tie down holes (I don't know what they're called either) won't work either. My toolbox covers up the front two holes, and the whole idea is to be able to put my toolbox back in. While carrying the kayaks.