Loud rumbling sound from kayak

Hi, I got a kayak last summer and used it many times without issue.
I just took it out today for the first time this summer and put it up on the car the same way as last year. However, I noticed that when I’m driving around 30mph or more it starts to make a really loud rumbling sound. I looked it up online and the few websites I found said twisting the straps would fix the issue. I did this and it didn’t help at all. What should I do?

Probably just the straps vibrating in the wind. I think you can buy dampeners but u just ignore it and turn the radio up

Earplugs and a good sound system! Are you using a dedicated rack system?

It could be the cross bars, especially if they are factory bars, and in that case, wrapping the bar with some rope in a course spiral (plenty of space between adjacent wraps) often quiets them down.

The “Gray thing” strikes again !

Jack L

I was ready to blame it on what was for dinner until I read that this happens during transport.

How many twists on straps

Post a picture of what your straps look like. As others have mentioned, this is typical of a strap that’s oscillating in the wind. You can add two or three twists, or wrap something else around the strap. If the problem persists, move to rope and it will be less likely to catch wind and oscillate.

Tie up any excess strap ends, or just toss them the end in the open door and shut it.

@PaddleDog52 said:
How many twists on straps

2 or 3 will do it.

Yes I do 3-4. Wondered what he did.

Second the crossbar idea. My old truck howled all the time. I tuned it out but passengers would all ask “What’s that sound?!”

If you have not fixed the problem yet, you might post a picture of your set up with the boat tied down. Small changes in the straps and orientation of the boat can cause problems, because you set up a harmonic oscillation at certain speeds.

Noticed the same thing with our canoe - loading it a few inches farther back lessened the sound somewhat. the webbing used to strap it down was all tight on the canoe’s belly - nothing for the wind to grab and excite… With a kayak it might pay to close it off - or it becomes a giant pan flute perhaps under the right circumstance ( windspeed, carspeed, loading orientation )

It is often the strap beween the hill and the bar, the hypotenuse.

On a recent trip I had a loud buzz coming from the front strap and stopped to adjust it about 6 times until I finally swapped the 1.5 inch wide NRS front strap for a normal one inch wide Yakima strap and the noise went away completely. The NRS straps never buzzed on previous vehicles…noises can be really sensitive to details!

@string said:
It is often the strap beween the hill and the bar, the hypotenuse.

Well that explains everything… except the hippopotamus being executed (hippo-to-noose)

Well if it we’re a whoomp! I’d say it was the cockpit cover needed a strap across the cover. But you said a “rumble”.

@Sparky961 said:

@string said:
It is often the strap beween the hill and the bar, the hypotenuse.

Well that explains everything… except the hippopotamus being executed (hippo-to-noose)

Blasted spell check. HULL

@string said:
Blasted spell check. HULL

Indeed. Fortunately we “biologicals” are still better at that than computers. Perhaps there will come a day when this is no longer the case.

I never hear any loud, rumbling, or buzzing noises coming from the the canoes I carry, from the NRS tie down straps I use, or my Yakima rack…

But then I typically have a CD by the Allman Bros., Tom Petty, the Eagles, the Tedeschi/Trucks band, Bad Company, or ZZ Top, cranked up to about 9 on the CD player.

B)
BOB