For quite some time I have wanted to do this, but I just never got around to it. Here is my first attempt to transport an inflatable SUP on top of a roof rack. The SUP frame of the truck had to be modified in order to fit within the frame, and we also used a bungee cord to secure the front to the back of the truck. We used a friend’s truck with a roof rack to make this possible.
Step by Step for Transporting an Inflatable SUP on a Roof Rack
- Take the seat off your SUP and place it in the truck’s bed.
- Mount the SUP on the roof rack.
- Secure the front of the SUP using a bungee cord.
- Attach the rear of the SUP to the truck using a bungee cord or tie-down straps.
- Fill up the SUP with air and test out how well it fits into the frame.
- Once you are satisfied with the size, fill it up with water.
- Put the seat back on and enjoy!
The best way to transport a SUP is by putting it on top of a roof rack. It’s not always easy to load the SUP onto the roof rack at the right angle.
This video demonstrates how to load a SUP onto a roof rack.
This method works great if you have a flatbed truck. If you don’t have a flatbed then you will need to use something else to attach the front of the SUP. Here are two methods:
Method 1: Use a bungee cord to attach the front of your SUP to the back of your truck.
Method 2: Use tie downs to attach the front of your SUP to the back of your truck.
If you want more information about how to transport a SUP please check out our article How To Transport A Stand Up Paddleboard On Top Of A Truck.
Tips for Transporting SUPs:
- Make sure that the SUP is completely full of air before placing it on the roof rack.
- Don’t overload the roof rack.
- You should not exceed 10% of the weight capacity of your roof rack.
- Check that the SUP is sufficiently spaced from the ground at the bottom.
- Be careful when attaching the front of the SUP because it could damage the floorboards of your truck.
- When transporting your SUP make sure that you keep the wheels off the ground.
- Keep the SUP away from the exhaust pipe of the engine.
- Avoid driving over bumps while transporting your SUP.
- Always wear safety gear when transporting your SUP.
Conclusion
Transporting a SUP on top of a truck is very easy. If you plan on using a vehicle, you must know what kind it will be. If you are planning on doing this with a pickup truck then you may want to consider purchasing a roof rack.
However, if you are planning on doing it with a SUV or other type of car then you will probably need to find another solution.