Re: [Paddlewise] Foam Block Canoe Carriers?

From: Kirk Olsen <kolsen_at_imaginelan.com>
Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2002 13:58:17 -0400
At 08:42 AM 4/29/2002 +0100, you wrote:
>Lately I have been thinking about using those special foam blocks for
>carrying my canoe on my car. But the information I found about it,
>has a tendency to sound negative about the use of it?
>I wonder if there are people here on PW that have had really
>negative experiences with this kind of transport.
>I have used them 2 times now, and I find it very slow to put on
>compared to roof racks, but once everything is set, I do not see any problems?
>Perhaps there is a chance of damage on the car roof on the long run, perhaps?

Long long ago, we cartopped a canoe on a friends car using those foam blocks.

We drove about 4 hours at 60+ mph.  I noticed the bow was slowly getting closer
to the hood of the car.  The way we had set it up, 2 bow lines, a belly 
strap and a single stern rope was not enough.  The bow had pulled down 
enough to release
pressure on the 2 rear pads.  The 2 rear pads had slid all the way down the 
gunwales of the canoe to the back deckplate.  I think the roof may have 
ended up
being dented from the weight of the canoe balancing on the front 2 pads.

If you do decide to use the foam blocks for a canoe use 4 tiedown ropes, 1 
to each corner of the car, all 4 ropes tied quite taut.

Kirk
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Received on Mon Apr 29 2002 - 10:58:37 PDT

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