Pick-up Canoe Rack

[LowellR]

With our old pop-up trailer, I would just place our canoe on the trailer when we stayed at a lake campsite.  With our new travel trailer, that's not possible.  I have a Dodge short bed and have been looking at racks that can be used to haul the canoe.  I want something that is easily removeable but every thing I've found that fits this desire is up-wards of a $1000. I would like something that extends out above the cab to support the canoe forward as well as over the bed.  Does anyone have any do-it-yourself ideas or lower cost alternatives to suggest?
Thanks,
Jake

 

[CalTex]

I have seen a lot of homemade racks for pipes. Using the stake holes in the bed and the front bumper brackets as supports, they weld tubing to form a  rack/support running from front to rear over the cab.

 

[LowellR]

I've found some aluminum racks for around $600 and e-mailed the supplier to find out how easy/difficult it is to remove them. I also talked to some local welders and found that it cost as much to have something made up as it did to just get some already designed.  There is a "Pay and Save" here in Tempe that has a modular steel rack for $174 that would do the job but isn't all that easy to remove. It is also too heavy for me to assemble by myself.

Of course, I could probably rent a boat at the campground for less but that seems like cheating.

 

[CalTex]

Jake, there is nothing like your own boat when you are on  the water.