Even the worst jobs of attaching boats to the roof on this forum are much better than a lot I see around here with people hauling cheap rec-kayaks. At least people here are trying to become informed and asking questions, and that is a big start in the right direction.
I often offer help to people that clearly don’t have a clue to what they are doing. If people say no we got it I drop being helpful at that point.
Bow and stern lines plus two straps is the norm for us with both our rec-kayak and canoe deck down on our DIY rack. With one exception. We commonly put in about two blocks from our house and that short ride we hit about 15MPH max. We just use the two straps and she follows me in her car, we unload the boats and then take both cars to the take out and leave mine. The return trip we hit 45-50MPH and always strap both ends.
I use loop cam straps for all 8 points on two boats and one flag on the longer canoe.
I use a tie down method I don’t think I’ve seen mentioned yet in this very long thread… I use “soft loops” under the hood for my bow lines.
I didn’t really like the idea of regular hood loops only being held down by, or possibly straining my hood latch, and I wasn’t comfortable removing and reattaching any bolts under the hood, but I came across these soft loops often used for towing quads and stuff like that.
Each one is rated for 2400lbs of force, and there was an easy place under the hood by my headlights to loop them through. I removed the for winter, but all summer I just folded them under the hood when I wasn’t carrying the kayaks and flipped them out for use.
Strapping the boat and rack to the roof of the car, rather than just the boat to the rack, would solve this problem. It’s a disfavored solution, though; I see nobody who has a rack doing it. Why is that so?
A related issue: with three straps (to the roof rack only) plus four bow/stern lines, on my car and many others, only the front strap is really preventing the canoe from sliding forward. The middle and rear straps wrap around parts of the canoe that decrease in cross-sectional area as the canoe slides, allowing it to slide freely once it has started. Additionally, the bow line can apply a forward force if it suddenly comes under tension. This seems better than a canoe which can fly up and rip the roof rack off, but not great.
If straps are wrapped around the thwarts and then run through the car, the straps have to slide along with the canoe, and are pinched by the window against the roof, which is not decreasing in cross-sectional area. In this case it’s the middle strap which most prevents the boat from going forward, as it is braced against the front of the rear seat window.
I have seen people run straps through windows, which makes me wonder what their plans are in an accident…
I also don’t like running straps into the car as they can wick moisture in. I had a canoe on my roof in a big rain storm and just let the tails of the straps sit in the door jamb instead of bundling them like I usually do. When I got to my destination, I had quite the puddle on my back seats
I’ve “seen people” run the straps through the windows too. After “they” tried to get in the car and couldn’t, the straps were re-run through the door frame.
I had forgotten that moisture can be an issue. I live in a desert now, but when that was a more frequent problem I’d tie rags to the straps.
I always suggest strapping both the kayak and rack down if possible. This is possible if you have factory rails on your car, but many do not and few people like running straps though their door frames (never the windows).
The use of front and back tiedowns helps to insure that the rack at least stays with the car. Strapping the kayaks to opposite corners, front and back helps insure that. On longer trips at highway speed we do that with four straps each fore and aft for two kayaks.
A few options for bow and stern lines:
We use the center option.
We use poly cam straps around the boat itself which don’t stretch. I don’t recommend ratchet straps which can often be cinched too tight. Straps and tiedowns only need to be snug. Do not overtighten or you risk damaging the boat.
