I have an idea how to do this but I'm wondering if anyone out there has already done it or has any suggestions.

I have a 2-door JK with a soft-top and I just purchased a used canoe. I want to be able to mount the canoe on top of my Jeep to travel 2 blocks down to the lake.

I was planning on having the soft top down so it won't get damaged and put the canoe on top of the Jeep. I would have straps that tie down the front and back of the canoe to the front/back bumpers and possibly some straps across the canoe in the middle. The points where the canoe make contact, I am thinking of using foam or an old blanket to prevent scratches. I'm guessing it will contact the frame of the windshield and the center bar.

Ideally, it would be better to get a trailer or a mount for the canoe. But this is out of the question because I have no room for the trailer and I do not want a mount because then the Jeep would be too tall to fit in the garage, where it sleeps every night.

Looking on Google Images, I could only find ONE image of what I'm talking about, a canoe on top of a Jeep with the top down and no extra hardware...



Has anyone done this or have any suggestions? No rush, have about 3 months left till summer hits.

 

I don't see what it'd hurt just for 2 blocks. Especially, if you make sure to get some good padding where it touches the windsheild. Maybe one of those foam pool noodle thingies (ok, I know that's not the official name, but I really don't know what else to call it).

 

I have a set of these but I haven't tried them on a soft top. They should work okay if you position them where there is some support under the canvas top. I used them a lot on our S-10 pickup, works like a charm.

Just copy and paste this in your address bar and add the w's at the front.

toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2599831&siteID=q5QZHUbCIj8-SEOxolfydiK.NDoombcTQg

 

I do it with 2 kayaks 2hrs on the highway. works great

 

Get these things.

Foam blocks that "snap" on to the canoe and provide a nice solid/soft base to rest the canoe on.

This image came from REI.com, they carry stuff like this.

 

Lowes or Home Depot, it's called pipe insulation, it's cheap, split all the way down one side and will therefore clip right onto the edge of the canoe, can easily be custom fit, maybe some duct tape over the pipe insulation at the contact point, and the Lowes guy might get a kick if you ask for the foam pool noodle thingy. I used to use it to protect my fishing rods when I was trailering my 14' boat.
This would be the least expensive solution.

 

I have thought about this as well since I want to buy a kajak.

 

I have to carry large ladders for work sometimes. Before I got my trail rack, I just threw down the top, put a towel along the windshield header, layed the ladder across the Jeep and secured it with ratchet straps and bungee cords. Since getting the trail rack, I've started using that to support the end instead of the windshield header. I think the same could work for a canoe, assuming there are some areas on the canoe to run a ratchet strap or bungee cord through. Here's a ladder pic:

 

geeper4x4's jk

 

I like the pool noodle idea, that would be much more padding than the pipe insulation too. Great idea, this forum always comes through with answers.