Easy to make and transferable from one vehicle to another, this rack is a simple answer to transporting those 10- and 11-foot surf rods.
In today’s world, a lot of anglers I know are leasing their trucks. Think about it. Leasing keeps the payment lower, and after three years of driving on the beach, and taking care to wash it off, you can give it back and start all over! The biggest issue on these vehicles is a roof rack. Sure, you could spend upwards of $500 on a quality rack like Thule, but when you change trucks, the rack probably won’t fit the new model. You can buy new feet, but they run upwards of $250 as well.
For me, I opted to make one myself using high grade suction cups, PVC and aluminum angle. The only drawback I have found is the ability to lock the rods to the roof. However, for me, this is not a problem as I seldom leave the truck unattended, and if I do, and am really worried, I can always stick them in the cab and out the window with the window rolled up almost to the top.
The key is good suction cups, which I found on EBay under glass lifting. The ones I used are from a company called ZUOS. They are highly rated and can lift a heavy load.
Making them is quite easy if you are handy, and the photos above will show what they look like when completed. For me, until I was sure the cups were holding, I also tied a rope for security for the first couple of trips. Use caution guys, and make sure they are holding tight as you don’t want your custom rod and Van Staal bouncing down the highway!
