Re: [Paddlewise] Roof Racks

JCMARTIN43_at_aol.com wrote:

<SNIPPED>
> 
> My way around this is that I always tie down my boats, forward and aft, but
> I've made it very easy --- "cheap" in terms of time --- to do so.  I've rigged
> eyebolts forward and aft under the bumpers --- took a little time, but not
> much.  I have a tubular nylon strap aft, 'biner type hardware store fittings
> on each end, adjusted with a cam buckle.  Takes less than ten seconds to rig.
> Similar deal forward, but I don't use the tubular strap above the bumper ---
> just a good piece of five mil mountaineering line in an adjustable hitch
> through the forward lifting loop.  Probably takes 20 seconds to rig.  Make it
> easy, make it automatic, and the "premium" is pretty cheap.  Payoff is usually
> non-existent --- just like non-crashing and non-dying.  But it's worth it to
> me.

I did pretty much the same thing.  My mini-van has no under bumper hooks
as do many imported cars.  So I worked some eyebolts and nuts through
holes I found in the under side of the bumpers...I have two each in
front and back of my car now.

My bumper "ties", also like Jack's, consist of webbing and carabiner and
adjustable cam buckles.  However, I use them front and back; I don't
have a problem looking through the one in front since I tend to attach
it in front of the passenger.  When seated in the passenger seat, it has
not bothered me.  It takes about 10 seconds to put on each.  The only
addition is that the back one has a red flag already attached so no one
walking by at a rest stop bumps into the rear of my boat.  I believe
also that some states require such a flag depending on how much a roof
object protrudes beyond the end of a car, which in a mini-van is a lot.

Yakima sells a pre-arranged set of such bumper tiedowns that have tent
line type tightening sliders to adjust the length of the cord and
closable hooks to attach to eyebolts on your bumper.  All the slider and
hook hardware is quite hefty as is the thickness of the cord.  You can
basically adjust the system once when you first fit it to your car. 
Thereafter, it is just a few seconds to attach and fine tune the tension
adjustment.  I have seen it on a compact car (Jack, Joy H. has it on her
car); I am not certain the cord is long enough for taller vans and
mini-vans.

I think that if I had to do a lot of actual tying down (and untying
knots later) rather than just snapping carabiners in place on the boat
and bumper and adjusting tension via a buckle or tensioning device, I
would probably not always secure my boat to the bumpers.

Of course, I could avoid all the hassle and worries of strap failure and
theft (no one mentioned the time needed to lock the boats on the roof)
by just transporting my boats folded in their bags inside the car.  But
then without the wares of this sport prominently displayed on my
rooftop, no one would know that I was an intrepid, mean looking sea
kayaker instead of an aging meek Clark Kent type.  Alas, image is
everything these days. :-) 

ralph diaz
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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