Re: [Paddlewise] Paddlewise) warning

I agree almost without reservation to Ralph's post. There is one other
possible disadvantage though. If you tie the bow of your kayak first, are
then distracted, and forget to tie the other end of the rope to the car it
can appear from the drivers seat that the kayak is tied down. If the line is
also long enough to trail under the front tire as you start up (as it most
likely is) the tire will reel the bow of your kayak to the hood of your car
as you start to drive. This results in possibly a dent in your hood and
almost certainly compression damage to the kayak just in front of the
forward rack. I have fixed the two vertical cracks across the chines of
several kayaks that customers had done exactly that. I suggest you always
tie the rope to the car first. The squeal the tire makes and the black tire
compound marring the rope is a cheap warning to be more careful next time.
By the way there is a detailed discussion of transporting your kayak at the
start o the "paddling" manual on our website. www.marinerkayaks.com
Matt Broze

>Ralph Diaz wrote:
>Just my two cents of bow and stern lines.  Use 'em.  They take so little
time to attach especially if you are always dealing with the same kayak
on your roof.  In such a case, your lines can already be pre-set with
loops all in the right places etc. so it is just a matter of half a
minute each for the two ends.

As for tying to bumpers vs. the rack.  Racks do come loose.  Lines to
the bumpers may help prevent the rack from going airborne...the
looosened rack will make quite a lot of noise as it starts banging on
your roof and will give you a chance to pull over.

As for the question of the angle the lines are vis-a-vis bow and stern,
such as overhang over the bumpers etc., obviously some setups will work
better than others.  But whatever the setup, in a sudden braking
situation, it will help some to keep the boat from totally flying
forward and hitting the ground ahead.

Bow and stern lines also help with tire wear.  A bow line keeps the nose
down.  If the nose is lifting, the boat will press down more on the rear
of the car.  The forces could be the equivalent of carrying quite a bit
of weight in the rear with more wear on the rear tires.

Bow and stern lines also help enormously in evening out the pressures
created when a big truck rolls by at a higher speed.  This reduces the
stress on the mid section straps hold the boat to the rack.

I see no down side to using bow and stern lines except the time it takes
and, to a degree, that they cut down forward vision if you are carrying
several kayaks and a line is in front of the driver.  I think the human
eye operates in a way that it quickly makes that line invisible unless
you decide to get fixated on it.  I fail to appreciate why the almost
religious resistance to something that is so practical and easy to use.

The only times I have not used bow and stern lines is for a few blocks
of driving at under 20 mph but with certainty that the rack was on well
and the webbing straps holding the boat to the rack were looking okay.
I did so yesterday moving an assembled folding kayak I'm reviewing from
my apartment to a nearby storage spot.  Even I don't rush to knock down
and assemble kayaks if I don't have to!!!  :-)



***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************