show us your kayak/canoe mounts or methods

[Godwin]

Second point: strapping down boats should be done methodically. s*** goes wrong when you are in a hurry. no need to reef the straps down with crushing strength, you’ll deform your plastic rotomolded boat that way. straps bow and stern are the ones notorious for being over tightened. I consider them insurance Incase I have rack failure or stap failure. They keep everything attached to the vehicle while you figure out what broke and make the scary noise on the interstate.

I will let others help me load but when it comes time to tie down the boats I am the one to do it, no one else. The boats on top of my Cruiser are my responsibility therefore I want them tied down the way I am accustomed to doing it.

 

[Godwin]

View attachment 1993752
This canoe hauling setup demonstred by front runner has always troubled me. Gunnels down always. If you run your kayak this way get a cockpit cover. No roof rack/strap system is going to cope with a heavy shifting load, never mind the dangers of making your center of gravity higher.

If caught in a heavy rain that boat will get heavy fast plus the weight of that water will be shifting load.

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

Very cool. My son and I built a Yost Kidarka a couple years back. He could fly in that thing. Unfortunately the "waterproof" plywood turned out to be anything but.

Clear skin is very cool looking. Plywood fuselage ribs have been known to delam.

 

[Red Merle]

If caught in a heavy rain that boat will get heavy fast plus the weight of that water will be shifting load.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Godwin]

That's what I was thinking.

But when they loose control and flip over draining the kayak will be easy

 

[Red Merle]

But when they loose control and flip over draining the kayak will be easy

Glass half full!

 

[rex in bama]

View attachment 1993752
This canoe hauling setup demonstred by front runner has always troubled me. Gunnels down always. If you run your kayak this way get a cockpit cover. No roof rack/strap system is going to cope with a heavy shifting load, never mind the dangers of making your center of gravity higher.

Sheesh , no kidding. That’s just dumb

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

It all depends on the shape of the boat. My plastic ww river kayaks ride upside down on their decks, they just fit better that way and their is less oil-canning. My Carbon Kevlar surf kayak has such a flat hull compared to the curvy deck that it fits and sits better with the hull down. My baidarkas have more stringers in the hull to support the kayak and fewer on the deck (which is ridged), so rather than wobbling on the deck beam and possibly bending it, they ride hull down on cradles. My greenland boat is happier upside down because it has a flat deck which allows it to ride on its gunwales which are the strongest part of the frame. I could go on an on but it really depends on the shape and construction of the boat. In general they all slide up easier on rollers if they are hull down and I can also say that the open cockpit takes in surprisingly very little water even in a torrential down pour. I agree that a canoe should ride "upside down" on it's gunwales. It would be more stable and the gunwales are obviously the strongest part of the canoe.

 

[Red Merle]

It all depends on the shape of the boat. My plastic ww river kayaks ride upside down on their decks, they just fit better that way and their is less oil-canning. My Carbon Kevlar surf kayak has such a flat hull compared to the curvy deck that it fits and sits better with the hull down. My baidarkas have more stringers in the hull to support the kayak and fewer on the deck (which is ridged), so rather than wobbling on the deck beam and possibly bending it, they ride hull down on cradles. My greenland boat is happier upside down because it has a flat deck which allows it to ride on its gunwales which are the strongest part of the frame. I could go on an on but it really depends on the shape and construction of the boat. In general they all slide up easier on rollers if they are hull down and I can also say that the open cockpit takes in surprisingly very little water even in a torrential down pour. I agree that a canoe should ride "upside down" on it's gunwales. It would be more stable and the gunwales are obviously the strongest part of the canoe.

I think the overarching point was that a boat full of water on top is a no go.

Cockpit covers are great for kayaks and most boats I have transported of that sort did work better with the deck facing the sky.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

@Devil's Slide Doug Really great advice... and I want a carbon Kevlar surf kayak! My Seaward Legend likes to travel on its side against white water posts on my Yakima rack. I haven’t figured out how to bolt up my Yakima gizmos on the front runner. I miss using my gunnel brackets and my kayak stacker. I think I’m stuck with foam cradles until I get some time to mess around with making T-slot adapter that connects the Yakima junk to my front runner.

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

I am building a low profile "gamviti" style rack with a fairing to carry an awning and other miscellaneous stuff. 1" tubing that yakima kayak mounts and bike racks will clamp to as long as you use a "drip tubing spacer". The plan is that in the event I need to carry a bunch of boats, using just the top half "clamp section"of a 1A tower, I will be able to mount Yakima cross bars on my "expedition style" rack. The height should be the same as simple 1a towers. I also really love the Prinsu rack but it would also need Yakima bars attached to it to actually work well for 3+ kayaks. Because of my boating habit, a rooftop tent will never be in my future.

 

[bootlegger]

2 straps across the top. 2 in the rear to bumper. Winch line to front. Works great at 75mph and off in the woods! 14' Mad river canoe.

 

[PNWTreeOctopus]

I’m utilizing a Remakle 4 place trailer. Cargo in the back. Canoe mounts are removable and becomes a utility trailer quick.

 

[Devil's Slide Doug]

If you look closely I have a “low profile” rack attached to my gutters using the “bottom half” of Yakima 1A gutter mounts with the knobs shaved off. The Yakima crossbars are attached to the rack using the top half of the IA bar mounts only when needed. The bars stick out further than the low profile rack which is fine around town or camping with a trailer but are removed for a rock crawling trail.

 

[Nikofzj80]

I have both the Yakima and the Thule (the latter came with the car). The Yakima 1a’s seem to be better quality, and have never let me down. The gunwale brackets are also worth the investment. Everything is also available used on eBay or craigslist - never buy it new. I tie down the bow, and have two cam buckle straps at the bars. Sorry, no pic with a canoe on top

View attachment 1986244

What bar size? 58' 66' ?

 

[rex in bama]

What bar size? 58' 66' ?

58’…sniff, sniff…I miss that truck

 

[Marco Lau]

 

[EngEngr]

Newest setup with frontrunner roof bars