New Stealth Owner has Transport Questions

Hi all,

I just scored a second-hand fisha 555. I have a pickup truck (with bed extender)that I use to haul my Compass. The 18-ish foot 555 is unsafe and ridiculous hanging out the back of my truck.

Any pickup owners have a suggestion for a rack set up that one person can load and unload without putting the boat on the asphalt?

I'm thinking a Yakima Longarm extender from the hitch, paired with an aero bar (or similar) on the roof of the cab. This would allow me to slide the kayak onto the truck at an angle while still on the dolly and then raise the Longarm once the bow of the boat is over the cab, allowing the boat to be secured and transported level.

If you can save me a headache with some good tips I'd appreciate it.

Dude seriously?

Congrats on the new ride 

A raised rack for the bed will be fine.  That’s how I transport mine.  Dan from Lost horizon has a nifty horse he made to load his.  You can check it out on his YouTube channel.  “Lost horizon fishing”

I have a lifted tundra and I just pick it up and put it on the rack but I understand that is  tan option for everyone

I use a giant foam block that wedges on the rudder. Then when I lift the nose to load the end is supported by the block.

I use a giant foam block that wedges on the rudder. Then when I lift the nose to load the end is supported by the block.

Could you send a photo??

Ended up getting a TracRac from Home Depot and a used pair of Yakima SweetRolls.

I situated the dolly just in front of the rudder I can rest the bow on the rack without anything scraping, then go to the stern to push it up and onto the rack. The dolly so far back isn't the best physics for pulling to the launch, but its still quite manageable (i dont feel like repositioning it).

Ideally you have two options, trailer it, or get a truck rack.  I use an oolder tule rack that was on the wife's truck and took it off when we sold it and then put it on the new truck a few years ago.  It works, but the toyota was lower tot he ground and easier to use.  As for putting a rack on a car and using that, I see no issues, as it seems many of the South African and Australians seem to do that with no reported issues.