I’m looking for a handy way to protect the trunk lid from hitting the kayak on the roof.
As most who carry kayaks on the roof all know, if one opens the trunk when the kayak is on the roof, the trunk lid is going to hit the boat. The boat doesn’t much mind but the trunk lid does. The paint got rubbed off after a few of such “bump”…
When I remember, I put a peice of rug on the trunk lid before I open the trunk. But there’re times I forgot… So after 2 seasons, my car started to show a line of missing paints on the trunk, exactly where it hits the bottom of the boat.
I just wonder how other deal with it, aside from just “accept” the missing paints on the trunk.
Window Tint
I use cheap auto window tint, the least amount of tint, from Walmart. I use a piece on the window and on the paint where the bow tie down rubs on the hood. The glass one sticks very well, the paint one needs some water underneath to hold well. The best way to go would be to use:
http://www.clearmask.com/
Tom
and don’t let an overhanging canoe …
… dent your hood either .
Just had to say that , cause after being very careful for so long not to allow that to happen , one day I put a dimple dent in the hood that way .
It was a real shame too , that hood was just about the only decent piece of sheet metal left on the old truck .
Now our newer truck is a different story … it’s easier to notice a new nick or flaw in the body that wasn’t there yesterday … and I thought I was over all that vanity stuff , lol .
I just open the trunk lid slowly and
control it until it’s touching the boat.
Same here, but…
why not attach a piece of rope to the inside of the lid that will stop it just short of hitting the boat.
It will probably take a bit of experimentation , but it might be worth trying. (if there is a attachment point)
Cheers,
JackL
I second the piece of rope
Helped a friend fit one into his car years ago to stop the same problem.
Install a Spoiler
I was hoping for something…
…I can easily attach and remove.
I was thinking I would “put it on” before loading the boat and remove it when I’m done with the trip.
Something that will stay on for the drive (or even more than a day) yet not permanent.
So I can try out the string idea. But only if I can find an attachement point that doesn’t get in the way of accessing stuff from the trunk. At this momnet, I have a hard time thinking of how…
My spoiler scuffs & scratches just like
the rest of the trunk lid. What would installing a spoiler solve?
Magnetic sign material -
that thin, flexible magnetic advertising material that you see on commercial vehicles would work, if your trunk lid is metal and not plastic.
Good suggestion, I’ll check
to see if the trunk lid is metal or not.
OK, source of any kayak related
commercial that I can put on the trunk as a protection layer? 
rope, out of the way
Can’t you just attach the rope to the side of the trunk lid? Forward of the hinge? If you can find appropriate attachment points, this location shouldn’t hinder getting stuff in and out of the trunk.
If you want it removeable, you could incorporate a little clip or 'biner or something that can be attached before loading the boat, and detached when the trip is done.
This what I use on my Jeep.
It is clear and after 3 years it showes no sign of yellowing. Put it on in a couple of minutes and it comes off with a hair dyer when you are ready to.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/Scotchgard_Paint_Protection/Film/
Y’all must be leasers. I keep a car
until it dies, and what the boats do to the car is not a great concern. The rear rope has already cut little grey notches in the plastic center panel of our '08 Accord.
'76 VW Dasher Wagon died at 219k.
'90 Accord died at 235k.
2000 Accord healthy at 170k.
'08 Accord now at 33k.
Not a leaser
– Last Updated: Dec-01-09 12:38 PM EST –
But the look of the car still matters when it's time to trade in.
No, I don't (try not to) keep the car till it dies. Because when it does, I'm stranded. :-[ (happened once in the past, don't want a repeat)
Actually, either I’ve driven cars to
a junkyard when I was done with them, or they have been towed away after being totaled by someone. Most instances where a car quit on me on the road happened to occur when the cars were under 50k. Oh, and I donated our '97 Outback to public radio when, at 170k, there were too many needed repairs to carry it any longer.
Whether it takes intelligence or block-headedness to carry a car beyond 200k is open to discussion.
I’ve owned all my cars beyond 100k
Even at that milage, the cars are usually in pretty decent shape cosmeticcally.
The notible issues stood out are exactly those caused by the carrying of boats (and bikes)!
Hence the motivation to target their reduction.