Bow tie downs?

I have a compact car and I am haveing a hard to find tie downs in the front of my car.I was wondering if I needed a bow tie down? I have two straps across my rack and two stren tie downs. What about the straps that go under a fender bolts and out your hood? I could make some easily.



Thanks

Jamie

tie downs
Sure, using fender bolts to secure a strap under the hood is one good option, as the straps can be hidden when not in use. If this is a compact car, the bow no doubt extends beyond the front of the car, and tension on your bow lines would tend to pull the hull back. That tension can be counter-balanced with stern lines attached under the back bumper. If you can find some solid metal under the front or rear bumper, you can also set a couple of eye-bolts to tie the boat to.

thats
how I tie my bow down. I have straps that come out of th ehood so I have a nice inverted V tie down for my bow. really helps in a big cross wind from semi’s.

Shipping ties
Check under the bumper to see if you have shipping hooks or eyes used to tie down the car during transport. The bow lines should not be cinched tight. They are there to prevent hull lift generated by high speed air flow from ripping the rack off your car.

Yep,
I have just had strap loops made for my Jetta. Fastened with the fender bolts. Straps are 10" long loops by 1" wide and have grommets installed to join the ends. Just travelled about 300mi. round trip at speeds of,shh. 70mph. Worked great. I use the bow line to tie down. In the rear there is a steel tie down device under the bumper.

For sure!
The smaller the car, the more you need them. When I first started paddling a well known boat builder got all over me for no bow ties. I now carry a 21’ kayak on a Jeep Grand Cherokee & wouldn’t want to test the prairie winds or truck wakes without it. I use the front tow hooks. In “03” I carried a downriver kayak on a Saturn from Wichita to Miles City, MT. Without bow/stern ties that yak might still be in orbit.

bow and stern lines
After going 15,000-20.000 miles over the years with canoes and kayaks on a pick up with wide apart racks and with no bow or stern ties, I paid the price. Going cross country with my new Honda Odyssey van (with wide apart bars and no bow or stern ties) a plywood canoe came off the front at 80 MPH. I was on Rt 80 in South Dakota and the strong Prairie wind were hammering me. Saw it blow off the front and slammed on the breaks. Wrecked the plywood canoe (was a prototype made out of laun that brought few tears to my eyes) and put one dent in the top side of the van. Lesson learned- yes you can drive cartopped craft without bow and stern lines, and yes you can have them blow off the vehicle. I ALWAYS use bow and stern lines now. There is always a place of attachment under the front and back if you look hard enough.

bow and stern lines
After going 15,000-20.000 miles over the years with canoes and kayaks on a pick up with wide apart racks and with no bow or stern ties, I paid the price. Going cross country with my new Honda Odyssey van (with wide apart bars and no bow or stern ties) a plywood canoe came off the front at 80 MPH. I was on Rt 80 in South Dakota and the strong Prairie wind were hammering me. Saw it blow off the front and slammed on the breaks. Wrecked the plywood canoe (was a prototype made out of laun that brought few tears to my eyes) and put one dent in the top side of the van. Lesson learned- yes you can drive cartopped craft without bow and stern lines, and yes you can have them blow off the vehicle. I ALWAYS use bow and stern lines now. There is always a place of attachment under the front and back if you look hard enough.

Also, if the wind is totally nasty
take the time to get off the highway! It’s very nervewracking watching your baby get whapped around in the wind on your car-I don’t trust bow& stern lines 100% in this case-better safe than sorry!

Great post &
almost all the seasoned paddlers I know have had this happen or at least had a boat blow out of a craddle & etc.

Slow down in wind
Thank you Lindabaron for reminding me of another point I should have made. I now drive slower with boats on top and slow down more yet in strong wind. Nothing like a canoe/kayak “blow-off” to give one religion.



Dave