Re: [Paddlewise] emergency stops and bow lines

Sounds cute, Deb...  Did you use colors that match your car or your
kayak?
		:)
On Tue, 20 Apr 1999 10:23:56 -0400 "Reeves, Debbie (Debbie)"
<dreeves_at_lucent.com> writes:
>I made little fleece wrappers for my bow and stern lines so my car 
>paint is
>protected.  Plus it keeps the lines warm in winter.  I think they 
>provide
>better service if their needs are considered.  :-)
>Debbie Reeves
>Sandy Hook, NJ
>
>> ----------
>> From: 	Robert Woodard[SMTP:woodardr_at_tidalwave.net]
>> Sent: 	Monday, April 19, 1999 9:35 PM
>> To: 	paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
>> Subject: 	RE: [Paddlewise] emergency stops and bow lines
>> 
>> 
>> I haven't seen mention of it, but has no one else had a problem with 
>a bow
>> or stern strap doing a number on the car's paint job?
>> 
>> Back when I used foam blocks to carry my canoe on my truck, I 
>*always*
>> used
>> a bow/stern strap and 1 strap through the cab. It was required to 
>properly
>> secure the canoe on my vehicle.
>> 
>> When I started kayaking and hauling it around on foam pads, I also 
>used
>> the
>> same tie down method as the canoe. The bow/stern straps provided 
>very
>> little
>> in the way of holding the kayak to the truck, but did keep the kayak 
>from
>> twisting side to side. Not very much was required to keep the kayak 
>from
>> going forward or to the rear, and the heavy straps I used were 
>certainly
>> overkill. The bow strap also beat the heck out of the paint on the 
>top
>> front
>> edge of my hood.
>> 
>> The Yakima racks I now use are firmly attached. So much that when my 
>kayak
>> is strapped to them I'm certain that for the racks to come off, the 
>roof
>> must come with it. Each vehicle is different, and I've heard of 
>racks
>> coming
>> loose before, but I'm fortunate to have a good set of steel rain 
>gutters
>> on
>> both of my vehicles. Anyone who has watched me tie down my kayak 
>knows I
>> give a very strong pull on it when done to see if there is anything 
>that
>> might come loose.
>> 
>> The kayak fits well in the saddles. Very little force is required to 
>keep
>> it
>> in place. The front and rear rack straps are more than enough to 
>keep the
>> kayak firmly attached to the roof. Having properly secured the 
>kayak, the
>> question for me is, will it stay there if a strap fails?
>> 
>> The rear strap failing means the kayak could work it's way to the 
>rear and
>> fall off at highway speeds. A failure of the front strap could mean
>> launching a missile in a panic stop or crash. This assumes that the
>> surviving strap didn't hang on any of the deck fittings as the kayak 
>tried
>> to slip through. Running both straps under the deck lines might also 
>be a
>> good idea, especially for longer trips.
>> 
>> Because of the saddles the twisting problem I had with the foam 
>blocks is
>> not a issue, so any backup tie down method does not have to be 
>limited to
>> the bow/stern setup. I agree with the poster that stated the kayak 
>doesn't
>> present as much of an aerodynamic challenge as a canoe. Especially 
>if you
>> have a cockpit cover across the coaming.
>> 
>> Each vehicle and kayak/canoe setup is different. The foremost 
>question
>> should not be whether you need a bow/stern strap, it should be "Is 
>the
>> load
>> properly secured?" After this first question is answered, the next
>> question
>> is "What is my backup if this primary piece should fail?" For 
>some/most,
>> the
>> answer might be bow/stern straps. For some, answering the first 
>question
>> may
>> require adding bow/stern straps. YMMV. If you have the slightest 
>lack of
>> confidence in your method, it probably isn't secure.
>> 
>> Woody
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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