12ft Boat in bed of truck

[JT26]

I finally got a little boat..its a 12ft Fiberglass boat.
My dads truck has a full size bed..i think its like 8ft, and i can get it safely home since im picking it up from up the street, but i dont know how to legally and safely take this boat anywhere...anyone know how?
Ill post pics and stuff later when i get the boat home.

[kevinb]

I finally got a little boat..its a 12ft Fiberglass boat.
My dads truck has a full size bed..i think its like 8ft, and i can get it safely home since im picking it up from up the street, but i dont know how to legally and safely take this boat anywhere...anyone know how?
Ill post pics and stuff later when i get the boat home.

I would think as long as it is tied down secure,it shouldn't be a problem.Maybe one of those orange flags at the end.
Congrats on the new vessel:cheers:

[papamike]

a red or orange flag should be all the marking you need.

[Jordan]

ya I put a little boat like that in the back of my truck and as long as I have it tied down really tight and put an orange or red flag on the end its fine! but make sure that you have some weight in the boat close to the cab of the truck that way it wont flip or anything or slide around!

[Rollin with Rolland]

hey JT26....there was a great thread about this in the spring. (maybe april or so) i tried to search for it real quick, but no luck. Check some older boating topics, i know its there somewhere. i do the same thing with my 12'er. don't quote me, but i think basically you are not required to have a flag unless it's like 12ft. past the rear axle of the truck (or something like that). EDIT: thats not right, check the link. BUT.....always better to be safe than sorry!! good luck and congrats on the boat!!! You would be surprised what you can do in a 12fter...



here it is....Your own thread amazingly, first page near the bottom

length of truck beds-JT26


Bscman has it down right....

[Bscman]

IIRC, commercial rigs are required to have flagging on anything that extends 3ft beyond the extreme rear of the truck or trailer. Not sure what it is on private rigs, but I'd guess it's the same.

Just get some good tie-downs. Run one across the bed (in the middle or front) over the top of the boat--attaching each end to the side of the truck bed. This will keep the boat from wanting to jump when you hit a bump, or wanting to flip due to wind.

Have the bow of the boat sticking out with the tailgate down, and run a second tie strap from the bow back to the bed (an end on each corner of the bed, with the middle looped through a handle/hook on the boat is ideal).

For safety's sake, I'd put a 12x12" red flag on the overhanging bow as well.
Any construction/logging/lumber/etc. store should have these...or make your own. The best would be one with a caribeener or clip on the flag so you can unhook it when you're done transporting. Clip it to the handle on the bow (assuming you have one). In a pinch, Lowes and Home Depot give away free flagging in their lumber departments...but they're pretty much a one-time-use cheap plastic mess.

You're 100% legal and safe, ready to rock.
If you transport at night, you *may* be required to have a red reflectory and/or light at the extreme end of your load...but in this case, I doubt anyone would make a big deal of it.

[Toni]

I carried my 12 foot fiberglass boat on my 85 Nissan King cab truck. Bed is 6 foot and maybe it is 4 foot wide. We tied a red bandana on the bow that hung over the bed. It was in there a little side ways, too. It doesn't have a tailgate so I used a piece of plywood. The bow leaned on it. It took two of us to unload. Then I got a trailer for it so I could go by myself.

[fishing collector]

Just to play it safe throw a red rag on the back and tie it in good..... Before I got my trailer I just threw the 12' sears aluminium in the back of my short bed and off I went with a red hat danglin' off the back. Never a problem other than having to unload all the stuff out of the boat to get it in and out by my self. Don't worry... be happy!.....

[clam man]

Tie down ANYTHING that goes in the back of your truck, it is the law, and common sense. To JORDAN, putting weight in the back of the boat will do nothing if you get in an accident, other than become a projectile. Spend the 15 bucks, and three minutes to use tie down straps. Bungies don't count.

Remember that awful lawsuit that just came out against U-Haul because some tailgaiting drunk woman got maimed by furniture that flew out the back of a rented trailer? You are at fault if boat comes out if not tied down.

[Toni]

I didn't put in the previous post but I used 2 tie down straps (rachet style).

[joemfreed]

Anything sticking out over two feet should be flagged typically, like you havent read that 10 times before my post.
I haul lumber all the time and synch it down with red straps, then I use the excess of the strap hangin off the end as my flag.
Red strap serves two purposes.