Even the best tie down vehicle can have a rack failure. Always use safety lines. Nothing quite like seeing 8 boats flying in Mexico at 75mph to make you a believer. Just the right gust of wind and the boats ripped the front bar off. Free of the front bar, they caught excellent air. Luckily none hit oncoming traffic. Knew people who had windows taken out, and another who pretty much totaled the car behind him for because of skipping the safety line
My 2009 Rav4 carries boats easily. Still runs like a new vehicle. Carries plenty of gear and with back seats down, my 6’ height can stretch out and sleep in it. Have done that on many occasions! Have 4 wheel drive and a V6.
@DrowningDave said:
I’m not the police but you need a red flag of proper size. Also in many states the over hang is limited by wheelbase of vehicle by a mathematical formula.
Yup. I live on the edge.
Thankfully I only have to drive two miles round trip. That’s great gas milage.
You may make others go over the edge if they hit you and get injured. I would not want that on my conscious for lack of a red flag. Even a ticket here would be over 200 bucks I could spend on paddling. But to each their own.
I actually tie a red strip on the back. However I still live on the edge. 
@DrowningDave said:
Thankfully I only have to drive two miles round trip. That’s great gas milage.
It’s a fun car to drive. Today’s trip was to visit family who have a farm within walking distance of Lake Michigan, near Sturgeon Bay. Rained, so no paddling but got loads of pesticide-free sweet corn and other freshly picked veggies plus a dozen eggs… Photo taken at my regular (and closer) launch site on the way home. Resisted temptation as it was late afternoon.
My lps figured out giving a reusable vinyl red flag (with their store info on it) was good advertising. I just leave it tied to my canoes grab handle). That said, my truck has pretty minimal hangover. If I start paddling sea kayak again, I will probably invest in one of those V extensions for my TDI (only get 45mpg with it). The bay is a lot longer drive than the local river, but I still don’t see carrying a 17’ canoe on the V extension.
Big truck but 100 lb. Roof rack limit is not ideal. Clearance 8’-7" to nose. Used to tow my road race car with it. I have it 13 years
I drive an 03 Xterra sitting a half inch higher than stock and some poly canoes are a bear to get up on the rack. I have considered a cable puller if I go to a 90# boat. I also wonder if a 100# static rated rack will be pushing it when I’m bouncing 90# up there
Next time I’ll strap foam blocks to kayak by windshield to take some weight off front roof mounts.
So much kayak hanging forward.
PD52 - that setup is a poster child for Kayakpro or Goodboy V-bars, no worries about the overhang in front:
@carldelo said:
PD52 - that setup is a poster child for Kayakpro or Goodboy V-bars, no worries about the overhang in front:
Nice
C4 on a 2016 Forester headed for the 2017 Yukon River Quest:
90-miler voyageur on a 1984 Ford F250, still going strong:
