Securing kayak on car top

Spec-tac-u-lar
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Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

I bought my first kayak (Native Slayer Propel 10). I transport it on the roof rack/bars of my Ford Explorer. I was wondering if there was anything wrong with running the two cam straps through the side handles and then around each rail? To me, this method ensures the kayak is firmly secured to the SUV. I do not plan on using stern/bow lines. Please let me know if this method is truly safe and secure for traveling the highway. Thanks in advance!
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Neumie
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Neumie »

I wouldn't do that, especially if you're not doing bow & stern straps. There's nothing preventing the bow from lifting up or the kayak twisting to one side or another.

At the very least you need to strap it around each cross member, like this.

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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

Thanks for the feedback. To follow up using your attached photo as a reference, I only run the return line/strap (inner most line on each of the two straps) through the side handles. So, I think I still pickup the cross members on the initial line over the kayak. Does that make sense or change your opinion on the method? I’m just nervous transporting based solely on strap tension and no physical securing to the kayak itself. Thanks again!
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Neumie
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Neumie »

Hmmm, OK I'm not sure I'm 100% following what you're planning on doing. Are you transporting right-side up or up-side down? What year Ford Explorer?

I under stand your concern with the strapping method I posted not actually "attaching" to the kayak and wanting to run the strap through a handle or scupper.
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crusher
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by crusher »

I'm with Neumie, it doesn't seem entirely clear what your set up is.

In my opinion, I think a bow line should both be more secure, and should give the driver some reprieve from worry. Locally, I used to use just two straps that utilized just the side rails and over the kayak, which was upside down on the roof. On the highway I always used a bow line.

I wouldn't trust straps through just the handles, if we understand your proposed setup as described. Handles can break/tear eventually.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

old photo of my buddy hauling boats on Yakima rack, with rollers under the two outside boats. He said the rollers really helped in loading.
Image

Same rack modified with central pillars to haul 4 boats - this is a big aero drag
Image

It works, it can be done safely with proper strap use, which includes stern and bow lines.
However, it's a pain in the butt if you're lifting boats all by yourself.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

Thank you all for the feedback. I will post a pic of how I’ve been doing it the next time I have it up on the car. I do not have rollers on the rack just plain crossbars and side rails. Also, I transport the kayak right side up.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

if you're carrying the yak top-up on a bar rack, and hopefully strapping it under proper tension, you may want some kind of saddle, which can be as simple as closed-cell foam bolsters
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

I went ahead and threw the kayak on the car so I can get some more specific feedback/guidance. The kayak is 10' and about 60 lbs.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

I think I would run side-straps through scupper holes, to not stress those handle wellnuts.
I still like bow and stern straps to the front of the truck hood and rear bumper.
Need a front/oblique view to see how the hull sits on the rack.
If you take a v-shaped object and cam-strap it against a flat, you're bending the vee out.

Closed-cell foam blocks average $7/block, and compressing closed-cell foam is smarter than compressing kayak.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

one more thought here, pool noodles make great inexpensive bar cover - split the noodle and put over the rack bars.
strap the noodles in place with a few wraps of duck tape
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

Ron MC...they are hard to see in the pics but I have bar covers. If you zoom in on the first two pics you can see the black bar covers. These provide the padding between the kayak and bar. With these in place, would I still need the foam v-shaped block? Is running through the scruppr holes “standard”? Thanks again!
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

Spec-tac-u-lar wrote:Ron MC...they are hard to see in the pics but I have bar covers. If you zoom in on the first two pics you can see the black bar covers. These provide the padding between the kayak and bar. With these in place, would I still need the foam v-shaped block? Is running through the scruppr holes “standard”? Thanks again!
thanks.
Maybe don't need the blocks, but they're kind of nice to have around, anyway - you can put them between boats when strapped on top, or stand your boat on saw horses with blocks between to work on rigging.
It's pretty standard to strap through scupper holes. You could break a handle strap (and eventually will), but if strapped through scupper holes, the boat is not going anywhere.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Neumie »

I figured that's how you were strapping it down if transporting right-side up. I think you're OK going through the handles like since they are metal and you'll notice if they start coming loose when loading/unloading. I would still run a bow strap because the nose will want to lift while driving, but start off without it and drive awhile and then check it. I would remove the seat/drive/accessories when car topping and store inside the car. Going through the scuppers is probably a better option, but a PITA to do while car topping.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

Thank you both for the guidance. Since I’m new to this, I'm nervous when driving so I want to make sure it doesn’t fly off. Lol
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

I know you know better than using bungees, but driving down I-35 one day, on the other side of the road, saw an airborne kayak doing 70 mph.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Neumie »

Although he has a bungee on the seat, it looks like his strapping is holding the seat down. I'd still remove all accessories when car topping. I have a buddy who just uses bungees when securing his Ultimate 14.5 in the bed of his truck with extender. Needless to say, I don't travel directly behind him.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

Of course, that works great, especially with a well-designed bungee clasp, e.g. Tarpon.

Discovered with my daughter's Redfish on my buddy's trailer, though, had to turn the boat backwards or the wind would defeat their bungee clasp and the seat would flap in the wash.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by binswagger »

I wouldn't go through the handles; eventually they are going to break. I would also remove the accessories from the kayak. As others have said, I would use bow and stern tie-downs. You don't necessarily need them for shorter/lower speed drives, but if you are traveling a distance and at high speed I would use them. I have heard of racks failing, and when I'm traveling down the highway with cars/motorcycles behind me I figure it's better safe than sorry. I have driven thousands of miles with a kayak on top of my car, and through some pretty nasty storms, and I haven't had anything happen yet.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

If I understood everything, the final consensus was...my securing method is acceptable, remove the seat and check handles to make sure they are not loosening. Options to consider are going through scrupper holes and adding a bow line.

From most of the pictures I see on-line, it looks like most people just strap the kayak down without going through scruppers or handles when using just crossbars. I’m too “chicken” to try driving down the highway with the kayak secured that way. I’ll look at going through the scrupper holes instead of the handles but will default back to the handles if the scruppers approach proves to be too big of a PITA. I have taken my kayak out twice using the my current securing method and both times I stopped along the way to check everything. So far, I haven’t seen much movement after driving on the highway using this configuration. The bow seems pretty heavy and doesn’t really extend past the roof of the SVU so I can’t see it getting much lift...which is one of the reasons why I didn’t think it would require the use of a bow line.

I had been removing the seat completely but recently decided to try leaving it in because I am lazy. I was hoping securing it with a bungee would be adaquate. I haven’t taken a trip since deciding to leave the seat in so I will take your recommendation to remove the seat.

Please let me know if I misunderstood anything. Again, I appreciate the help/guidance and your patience in answering all my many questions.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Ron Mc »

add bow line and stern line.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

I didn’t read the post by binswagger prior to posting. I think I have it figured out...thanks to all.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by TexasJim »

Spec: I usually run a strap thru the front scupper holes only. That keeps it from yawing in a cross-wind. I find it a lot easier to run the strap thru the scupper holes before I raise the kayak onto the roof. TexasJim
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Spec-tac-u-lar »

Thanks TexasJim. So you don’t bother with bow/stern straps? Running through the front scruppers makes sense.
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Re: Securing kayak on car top

Post by Reefmonkey »

I definitely wouldn't run though those handles, I wouldn't want to have to rely on the rivets not pulling out from the stress over time. Just strap it down over the hull. And there is really no reason NOT to use bow and stern tiedowns, especially on an Explorer, where it'll be easy to find places to tie off. First, you don't want to have to rely on using tension to secure your kayak to the roof rack, because it can indent your hull. An upside-down kayak is going to act like a windfoil, wanting to stretch and loosen your straps on top at highway speeds, . The bow tiedown prevents thisas well as keeping the kayak from inching backwards on the roof over time. The stern tiedown keeps the kayak from coming forward during sudden stops if the straps have loosened any. It doesn't matter how heavy you think your bow is or that it doesn't extend much beyond the roof, if it's on a rack, it's getting air movement under it, which means it's getting lift. Doing a rough calculation of the lift on your 10 foot kayak driving down the highway on a windless day at 70 miles an hour, you've got about 1,200 pounds of upward force working on your kayak. You need bow and stern tiedowns.

https://www.austinkayak.com/blog/2010/1 ... our-kayak/
".This usually includes bow and stern tie-downs, which brings me to this — secure the bow and the stern! Your bow and stern ties are just as important as the ties you use to secure the kayak to your rack. "

https://thepaddlermag.com/2015/11/21/th ... transport/
"The Ten Commandments of kayak transport
"3. Thou shalt always use bow AND stern lines
This is the one I always get pushed back on. However there are sound reasons why they come standard with practically every rack set up and if they didn’t there are plenty of aftermarket models available. Bow and Stern lines are to keep your kayak from turning into an airplane wing. I cannot begin to count the number of times I have seen kayaks on cars bouncing up and down and I’m just waiting for a gust of wind to turn it sideways or come flying off, or for the driver to have to stop short and watch the kayak become a missile. There is a tremendous amount of force passing over, around and under your kayak. Your kayak is hydro dynamically designed, meaning to efficiently move through the water, which uncannily is not too far removed from aerodynamics. So, basically your kayak really wants to be a wing and give into the force of driving at highway speeds combined with any wind that may be blowing."
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