Connecticut Water Trails Association
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Connecticut Water Trails Association |
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Connecticut Water Trails Program
Paddling Basics
Transporting Your Boat
Unless you're lucky enough to live shore side,
you'll need to transport your boat to the water. Here
are the various options available to transport your boat on your car.
When transporting your boat by car, the primary
concern is security. Each boat should be secured individually with two
straps, plus lines for both the bow and stern. Avoid using one strap for
multiple boats.
Importantly, always tie down both the bow and stern
to a secure point on the vehicle. There are instances every year where a
loaded rack fails and is blown off a car on the highway. Simple bow and
stern lines prevent this catastrophe. It's common sense anytime you
car-top your boat!
Foam-block systems are the most economical option
for transporting your canoe or kayak. The foam blocks are first attached
securely to your boat, the boat is then strapped to the vehicle.
Finally, the boat's bow and stern are tied down to the vehicle's
bumpers. While most of the necessary straps are included in the
commercially available foam block kits, buy one additional 15' strap to
create a more secure tie-down.
Foam-block systems are popular because they are
inexpensive and easy to use. However, if are travelling frequently, over
longer distances, or over rough terrain, you may want to look into a
roof-mounted system that more securely holds your boat.
Roof-mounted systems are more secure than foam-block
systems and can carry other types of outdoor gear in addition to kayaks
and canoes. These rack systems can be mounted onto almost any car,
truck, or van.
The primary components of roof-mounted racks are the
horizontal bars and a system to attach the bars to the vehicle.
Once the rack is mounted on your vehicle, you can
select from a variety of specialized rack accessories used to attach
your kayak or canoe to the rack. In addition to kayaks and canoes,
accessories are available to carry gear like bicycles, skis, and
surfboards.
Canoes can be strapped directly to the rack using a
canoe carrier which prevents the canoe from shifting side-to-side during
transport. The canoe carrier includes a bow and stern tie-down kit and
all necessary straps.
For kayaks there are many different main options to
attach kayaks to a car roof rack. These accessories usually come with
all straps and hardware needed to securely tie down your kayak.
It's important that you load and secure your boat
safely onto your car.
Basic 2-Person Procedure
Lay out the straps on your vehicle beforehand if
applicable.
Place the boat next to your vehicle.
Grab the boat at each end and use a standard
2-person overhead lift.
Once you've lifted it over your head, place the boat
so it's directly above the rack, then set it down gently in whatever
rack attachment you've mounted.
Reverse the procedure to unload it.
Solo Loading
Some boat saddles feature rolling wheels, so the
solo paddler can simply set the bow of the boat into the rear cradle,
pick up the stern end and roll the boat forward into the front cradle.
Integrated lift systems, which do the heavy lifting
for you, are the ultimate option for those paddling solo.
Tie-Down Straps
Most mounting attachments come with the nylon straps
necessary to secure your boat. These straps feature self-locking cam
buckles that are easy to use and quick to cinch down, providing
excellent overall grip. Most of these straps will have some sort of
padding directly underneath the buckle (where it contacts the kayak
hull) to minimize hull damage during transport. Tie off the extra length
of strap directly above the buckle once it's been cinched tight for
added security in case the buckle releases while you're driving.
Ropes
Unless you're super-confident in your knot-tying
ability, use nylon tie-down straps with cam-buckles for their ease of
use and reliability. If rope is all you have, make sure it's non-stretch
and water-resistant. It should be "seasoned" (brand new ropes tend to
stretch), non-slick (slippery ropes tend to come untied), and
non-elastic (even when pulled tight, elastic lines and bungee cords can
expand under pressure and let go of a boat).
Here's how you tie a canoe to a roof rack. While
creativity in canoe tying is fun, it's much less fun if your canoe blows
off your roof on the interstate at 75 mph!
Pictured below is a method will work with all roof
racks. Pictured are also
canoe carrier blocks. If you don't have the canoe carrier blocks, you
can tie your canoe on just fine without them.
Just throw it up on the load bars and follow the pictures below.
Without the blocks means that you may get some sideways movement
when those big fat trucks go flying by on the freeway.
Not a huge problem, but the canoe carrier things DO make your
canoe more secure.
Straps - There is
only one kind of strap to use, period.
Stay away from buying those hook-type straps, ratchet straps, and
any other kind of strap that does not look like the one being used in
the photos below. You will
be using two (2) canoe straps with a buckle on one end, no hooks, no
ratchets. Ratchets are always one click too tight OR loose and while
it's unlikely that they'll damage a canoe, they can put a dent into your
gunwales especially if you own one of those canoes with the rounded-top,
hollow aluminum gunwales.
One More Thing On Canoe Straps
- You NEED them!!! At least one over the top of the canoe (when using
foam blocks), most paddlers prefer two even with foam block sets
whenever possible. The most
important part of tying down any canoe - two canoe straps over the top
of the canoe. For your own
safety and the safety of others, DON'T BE CHEAP when it comes to buying
the right straps! One
spring-activated-lever-cam-buckle on the end of the strap is the type of
strap you want.
The canoe strap you need and most commonly used is pictured below.
Notice how under the buckle there is a black nylon pad that protects your canoe. As in the picture, run the end through the buckle and then pull it tight.
This photo shows the other side of the same strap as
in Photo 1. The strap MUST go over the top of the canoe, UNDER the load
bar (and under the Canoe Carrier Block), and back up over the canoe.
To tighten the strap, you must first slide it up towards the chine of the canoe and depress the lever that says press. Pull it fairly snug with one hand
Next, grasp the end of the strap with both hands and snug her down a bit more. Don't try to climb up the side of your car or go into the Iron Cross. Just give it a little more tension within reason.
Some like to run the excess strap straight down from the buckle and then wrap it around the load bar as barely depicted behind the wrist with the watch on it.
Wrap the excess strap around the thwart, or seat, or yoke and bring it back to tie with a half-hitch around the main, vertical portion of the straps. This acts as a fail-safe and keeps the canoe from going forward while panic-braking for moose. Do the same with the second strap on the other load bar only tie the excess backwards to prevent the wind from pushing canoe back while attempting to elude the law at high speed.
Buy a pair of Top Ties. Installation is easy.
These little nylon loops give a superior canoe holding rope angle, prevent you from crawling around under your car, and won't damage anything on your car.
IMPORTANT: The strap must go over the top of the canoe only and must lay parallel to itself without being crossed on top of the canoe. If you criss-cross the strap on top of the canoe, you won't be able to tighten it properly.
Basic
Securing Procedures
No matter what type of tie-downs you use, follow
these basic procedures whenever you secure your kayak to a roof rack.
Once your boat is on the rack, be sure to center it
fore and aft.
Use at least 2 lines or straps to hold the body of
your kayak in place. These lines should run across your car width-wise.
It's also a good idea to secure both ends of the
boat to your vehicle's bumpers. There are bow/stern tie-down sets that
feature easy-to-use ratcheting systems, or you can simply use a standard
nylon tie-down strap.
If you're vehicle and boat will be out-of-sight for
a while, lock it to your rack. The ideal solution is to use a long cable
lock designed for boaters.
NOTE: Avoid over-tightening
any of the straps holding your boat in place. Too much tension can
deform plastic hulls and crack fiberglass.
While it's nice to have a friend to help carry
boats as well as to paddle with, you can solo lift your boat and carry
it on your shoulder. When you lift your boat to your shoulder, be
careful to protect yourself from a back injury. Start by bending your
knees slightly and sliding the boat up your leg by grabbing it with both
hands inside the cockpit rim. Rest the boat on your thigh and roll it
with the cockpit toward you until you can get your shoulder inside the
cockpit. Now, shift the weight of the boat from your thigh to your
shoulder and use your arms to steady the boat as you straighten your
legs. As the boat rests on your shoulder, find its balance point to make
the carry easier.
If you are operating solo or if your vehicle
is as tall as or taller than your upstretched reach, you will have to
get creative. Pack a small platform that can hold yours and the boats
weight for a quick step up during loading. You will need to work on one
end at a time. If loading from the side, place the bow of the boat in
the forward cradle and then lift the rest of the boat and balance it in
the cradles. It sure is handy to have an extension on the end of your
roof rack bars that can hold one end up and away from your car. If you
are loading from the rear of the vehicle, lift the bow and place it in
the rear cradle and then lift and push your boat forward. The only way
your boat will slide forward is if your cradles are lined with short-nap
carpet instead of the rubber lining they may have come with, or hardware
that serves as both cradles and rollers. Before you secure the boat,
make sure the cradles hit it in appropriate spots. Never strap your boat
across the coaming.
Most folks find that tie-down straps are the
easiest way to secure their boats to their roof-rack systems. Cinch
tie-down straps firmly, but be careful not to overtighten them. Always
check your straps when traveling. A quick pull through your hands will
help keep the straps clean of grit. In addition to securing your boat to
cradles, you should use a bow and stern line to secure both ends to your
vehicle.
If your car will be your boat's primary
storage during the season, you should consider a couple of things. You
must make sure to provide it with UV protection. You must check it
continually to make sure that your hull or deck isn't being deformed.
Make sure that the cockpit or hatches haven't taken on water. Use a
cockpit cover to keep water and ugly crawly things out, and let it air
frequently.
Driving
Tips
Pre-Driving Check
Always make sure your boat is securely fastened to
your rack before heading out. Check it occasionally throughout your
drive. Road vibrations can cause straps to loosen slightly and some
boats soften up when exposed to the heat of the sun.
To check your boat, grab hold of either end of the
boat and shake it from side to side. If the boat is truly secure, the
entire car should shift instead of just the boat. Inspect both bumper
lines each time you check your boat.
On The Road
Drive cautiously when transporting your boat. Boat s
can affect the handling of some cars in high winds or at high speeds, so
keep your speed down.
Make sure your boat is centered on your vehicle
properly so that it doesn't impair your view of the road. And always be
mindful of your spacing between other cars if the ends of your boat
extend beyond the ends of your vehicle.
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