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Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
By:JohnAbercrombie
Date: 4/15/2013, 12:42 pm
In Response To: Seeking: Car top tie down options (Chris)

After last week end with 2 - 18' kayaks car topped and running into a 70 knot squall I need to rethink my tie downs for car topping. Other than rope and knots I'm looking for alternate tie down options. Crank straps from HD seem to work but the large metal crank worries me being next to the kayaks. Could be a possibility for damage while going 70 MPH.

Too much mechanical advantage on the end tie-downs can easily damage your boat, before you ever hit the road. I'd be careful.

I got some strap(webbing) end-ties in a deal for a roof rack, but only used them a couple of times. They really do 'get in the way' visually and no matter how they are twisted, they vibrate at speed. I went back to 1/4" line and trucker's hitches. I installed some stainless straps and carabiners at the ends of the car, and that speeded up the attachments.

Once you know how to tie knots, and have lines of the right length, it's only a matter of a few minutes to tie the boat ends. (Two lines per boat, per end)

Messages In This Thread

Seeking: Car top tie down options
Chris -- 4/15/2013, 12:02 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
MattD -- 4/15/2013, 12:37 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
JohnAbercrombie -- 4/15/2013, 12:42 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
JohnAbercrombie -- 4/15/2013, 12:48 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options *PIC*
Paul Davies -- 4/15/2013, 2:10 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
john vanburen -- 4/15/2013, 5:04 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options *PIC*
ddaniels -- 4/15/2013, 5:31 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Jeff Horton -- 4/15/2013, 6:34 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Etienne Muller -- 4/15/2013, 6:39 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Allan -- 4/15/2013, 6:56 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
ancient kayaker -- 4/15/2013, 11:58 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Bill Hamm -- 4/16/2013, 12:45 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
ancient kayaker -- 4/16/2013, 10:02 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Mark Vander Horck -- 4/16/2013, 2:44 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
ancient kayaker -- 4/16/2013, 3:21 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Bill Hamm -- 4/17/2013, 12:40 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
ancient kayaker -- 4/17/2013, 9:23 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Bill Hamm -- 4/17/2013, 12:34 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options *PIC*
Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks -- 4/16/2013, 8:05 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
ancient kayaker -- 4/16/2013, 9:47 pm
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
john Messinger -- 4/17/2013, 9:19 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Gene -- 4/18/2013, 12:29 am
Re: Seeking: Car top tie down options
Gene -- 4/18/2013, 7:55 am