not those kind of ratchets
I agree about the flat strap ratchets, which are crap and bind up and rust. That was not what I described. I was referring to the ratcheting stern and bow line kits which are made of braided round nylon rope with stainless steel and hard plastic cord ratchets. A whole different animal. I have used these for 8 years and never had one bind up or corrode – they are an excellent product. Thule makes them but these Malones are cheaper:
http://www.amazon.com/Malone-Sentry-Ratchet-Kayak-Canoe/dp/B000SXP2OI
For the actual straps on the kayak body you can’t beat the Thule blue and yellow straps with the heavy duty friction buckles with the rubber guard covers.
alpine butterfly
Actually that IS the knot I use in my lines for the hook loop (just didn’t think anyone else would know what that was so I suggested the overhand loop.) I learned it in mountaineering as the knot we used to tie on as the middle man on a rope for glacier travel. Very elegant knot and easier to untie.
Solution for you
For two kayaks I cross the bow and stern lines to the opposite side of the car, so they form and X. That way the kayaks are held against each other for stability (separate them with a piece of foam at the cockpit if it’s a finish you care about). The X will not be in your line of vision; it will be in the center of the car and you will have a clear view.
I need no solution
My front tie-downs attach to front tow hooks on the vehicle. Therefore nothing will get the lines out of the field of view, but there’s no need for that if you use rope, which I do.
either that
– Last Updated: Jun-16-12 6:00 AM EST –
or just use the old fashioned truckers hitch knot---I find it easier than using ratchets--and don't like the hooks that the ratchets use--too likely to work their way loose and start flailing around--of course you have to know how to tie a truckers hitch--but it's an easy knot to learn--use Google to learn
Very cool knot
Look for it by name:
http://www.animatedknots.com/index.php?LogoImage=LogoGrog.jpg&Website=www.animatedknots.com
Just another knothead
This is off topic of the OP, but I thought I would share it with the knot lovers anyway.
When it came time to put perimeter lines on the 17’ shearwater merganser I recently built I was loath to drill a hole through the bow and stern per directions for the wooden handles. Instead of doing so I tied two loops to go around each end of the kayak in my perimeter lines. These loops were tied after folding the perimeter line in half (doubling it) so I would have a strand for each side of the kayak. The end loop was tied first and I did a Bowline on the Bight then at about six inches of doubled rope after that I tied an Alpine Butterfly knot. Then the loops of both knots were slipped over the bow or stern to anchor the lines at the ends of the kayak. After that the rope divides going down each side of the boat. The six inch spacing between the knots formed a rope handle for lifting and carrying the boat.
I have enjoyed knots since my Boy Scout days. The regular Bowline is a favorite for tying a loop at the end of a rope and the Alpine Butterfly for tying a loop anywhere along the length of the rope. The AB is an easy knot as you just make two twists leaving an eye between them. Then take the loop at the end of the second twist and bring it around the rope and through the eye formed by the first and second twist.