[Paddlewise] Bow Tie-Downs Revisited

Yesterday in the Twin Cities, big flakes of snow were falling, and the 
temperature was in the low 30s F. -- a beautiful day for kayaking. Since it 
was also the day of the Inland Sea Kayakers' cold water immersion 
excursion, Linda and I dressed in our dry suits, threw our kayaking gear 
into the back of my '91 Accord wagon -- our Romanys were still on top after 
the ISK lakeshore cleanup the previous day -- and set off down the highway 
toward Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Shortly after merging onto I-35W, I saw 
a sudden slowdown of traffic ahead of me, and stepped on the brakes. I had 
just removed my foot from the brake pedal when our car was struck from 
behind by a Jeep Cherokee driven by a young woman.

Fortunately no one in either vehicle was injured, but the impact stove in 
the Accord's rear hatch, spraying glass all over our kayaking gear, smashed 
the tail lights, and sprang the right rear passenger door. It also knocked 
our kayaks and Yakima rack two feet backwards, ripping three of the Yakima 
towers off the car and destroying one. If it weren't for the kayaks' bow 
tie-downs, I'm convinced the kayaks would have sailed backwards off the 
car, and either crashed through the windshield of the Jeep -- possibly 
killing the driver -- or fallen off and been run over by the Jeep before 
the vehicles stopped. Fortunately, our car was still driveable, and with 
the Yakima towers hanging down on either side of the roof, stabilizing the 
load, we were able to drive the kayaks back home. Once the kayaks were 
unstrapped and lifted off the car, however, the rear rack bar was totally 
loose.

I don't always use bow tie-downs when traveling short distances. I did this 
time because of the discussions on Paddlewise, and I'm glad. Now I'm 
starting to think more seriously about using stern tie-downs, too.

Chuck Holst

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