Pickup - carrying your kayak?

Hi everyone, I was wondering how most folks transport their kayak if they own a pickup.  I have a Ford Ranger small truck.  Any recomendation on a particular rack? Does anyone just tie their boat in the back of the truck with the tailgate down and put a red flag on it etc.  The boat is approx 13.5 feet long and would hang out about 5 feet that way?

Thanks Paul

Yep,
     Long bed ford, 14 foot boat with a flag.

S.

I have a Tundra with the 6.5' bed, I have put my X-Factor diagonal and let it hang out with a red flag. Can be done but a little sketchy - NOT for long distances, don't want to annoy the LE folks . . .

toy tacoma lumber rack  leaves room for gear in back of truck , when camping . I also always use a steel saftey cable clipped around handle even if its in the bed to make sure it doesn`t fly out .

Lumber rack, or a sport rack, just make things so much easier, depending on your own talents you might want to make your own rack, my first home made one was of wood, non yaking friends laughed, yaking people including a few strangers complimented me on it, my current one is a set of yakima sport racks, but I had to do some extensive metalwork to get them attached to an 07 tacoma with the new composite (plastic) bed and rail system. Your ranger bed ought to be easier to work with or find a used lumber rack.

my friend uses a truck bed extender into his trailer hitch.  costs about 30-40 bucks at harbor freight

My '03 Silverado full size pickup with 6' bed holds the X-Factor in the bed with the tailgate down and a flag on the end.  Rides fine, as do 2 X's at once.

...or an X and 2 12 footers, a wheel barrow and all my camping, fishing and diving stuff.   

Tacoma, 6' bed, 13' Quest with red flag. I also do this with a 14' boat.

Thanks everyone for your replies - i reallly appreciate it!, I am planning my maiden voyage next weekend and cant wait.  Hopefully Cabelas will come through with my PFD order etc.  I look forward to getting to meet and hopefully fish with you all.

Paul

Tarpon 160 in the 8' bed, tailgate down. I keep the red flag attached to my bow all the time now so I dont forget it.  We roll with as many as 4 yaks.  My tailgate is getting beat from sand and hulls scratching over it but I'm gonna roll on herculine it.  

Lumber racks are cool but the added wind resistance of yaks on the roof kills gas mileage.

I put a pipe with a noodle across the tailgate with those tie down loops in the holes.
I simply set the née on the roller, roll it up to the cab. Then just flip it over and run straps through the scuppers and strap it down.
I can load and unload in minutes by myself.

I will get some pics and send them. I still have trouble attaching pics here as I only access with iPhone.

I will post next time I get on a real computer.
Look forward to seeing you on the water.

Stoggie 

Welcome, pmjd. 
I have a Tacoma crew cab, so the bed is way too short for the kayak. Without a rack, I put the yak on the roof with big pool noodles front & back and strap it down tight. Ariel Sea gave me a Yakima rack, which will make things that much easier.

Another thing I've always thought about but never tried is a single (one-side) ladder rack. Scroll down this link to see:  http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Ladder_racks/Crosstread/removable_truck_rack.htm I think a decent one could be hand-made fairly easily.

I like having the pickup bed free for other gear & stuff, plus I dread the thought of a rear-ender transforming the kayak into an instant accordion if it's hanging out the back or the bed but, in reality, that's only a small risk in the scheme of things.
Nowadays a big plus for using the bed is gas mileage - Agarcia is right, anything on top cuts down on mileage.

Good luck with whatever you decide to go with & hope to see ya on the water soon.

this works

I user this.....

http://www.extendatruck.com/

Love it simple to load by myself and easy to tie down with my wheeleez srap. Using it this weekend to driove to so cal. Cabella's has it for less then $100

Or this