[Paddlewise] Bow and Stern Lines

As a rule of thumb, if you can grab the bow or stern of the kayak, and move it
up or down, and see the roof flex (like I can with my Thule racks mounted in my
Explorer's factory tracks) I'd go for bow and stern lines.  They take a lot of
the dynamic load off the roof sheet metal and transfer it to the frame.
Besides, it's safer, I've had one of the front inside saddles shift towards the
center of the cross bar at 65 mph, and I was real glad I had the b/s lines.

Along this train of thought, has anyone ever drilled a small hole through the
saddle mounting flange that straddles the cross bar and the cross bar itself,
and then run a bolt through both so this won't happen?  FYI, Thule has a square
cross sectional profile cross bar.

John Blackburn


Steve Scherrer wrote:

>  AdrianNEFF_at_aol.com writes:
> Do you think bow and stern lines are
> always necessary, or only with less secure racks?
>
> It's your call but........like a safety chain on a trailer, the b/s lines
> make the connection *bombproof*. period.
>
> we have a rule at the shop that ALL commercial loads <rental, trips and
> tours,etc.> require  b/s lines.
>
> steve
>
> ***************************************************************************
> PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
> here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
> responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
> Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
> Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
> Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
> ***************************************************************************

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed
here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire
responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author.
Submissions:     PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net
Subscriptions:   PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************