[Paddlewise] Bow and Stern tie downs

Having installed aftermarket rails and racks from a manufacturer who
also supplies them to Detroit, I no longer trust the strength of factory
roof racks, particularly as regards resistance to lift.

My full rig for a car-topped kayak is:

-the usual straps holding the kayak to the load bar
-two bow lines in an inverted "V" tied loosely to the front corners of
the vehicle (to minimize side-to-side and to resist lift)
-One stern line, also loose (to resist lift)
-spring lines that consist of a bowline that goes around the yak and
under the lip at each end of the cockpit and then run under the load
bars to the bumpers.  These keep the yak from moving fore-aft.

With this set up, the yak will stay with the vehicle even if the rack
fails.

I recently used this rig to move a Greenland II on the roof of a Hyundai
Accent whose rails were screwed into paper-thin sheet metal with teeny
tiny screws.  I did 75 for hours, with no problems.  Also used it on a
Tracker with aftermarket hardtop to travel with two full size composite
yaks.  You can tell how solid it is by grabbing one end of the yak and
moving it around:  If the whole car moves -- but not the yak with
respect to the car -- then you have a solid arrangement.

Ken Cooperstein


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