What do you use to secure your canoe to your vehicle? I have always used the foam holders then strapped it down with rope. I'm looking for a more secure method and have seen pix of people who use straps.

Just wondering what some of you use to make sure the canoe doesn't grow wings on 35W.

My wife's minivan is the easiest vehicle to attach a canoe to. The luggage racks make great tie down points and there are two small holes to hook straps to under the hood.

On my car I use These to protect the roof. I found them in the Cabela's bargain cave for an additional 50% off. Couldn't resist. I have put scratches in the roof with blocks.

I use NRS Straps -notice that they are NOT ratchet straps, I have watched people put stress cracks in kevlar with ratchet straps.

I use cam straps like that too. I also use web straps bolted to my cars front fender for tie down, You can order them from Red Rock Store.

Here's a link. Just don't believe anything he says about Wenonas!

Red Rock

Here's an article on transporting canoes.
Car Topping

if you really want a bullet proof solution, and have the cash (ebay is an option too), get a yakima or thule rack system.

There are other systems besides Thule or Yakima. Just Google shopping and enter roof racks. You'll get lots of them. Many are less expensive than thules or yakimas, and still good. Try Craigs list too.

I've always strapped my canoe right to the rollbar of my jeep. No way it could go anywhere.


Now that I've got a new jeep, I can't do that anymore, so I have no clue how to attach my canoe. Haven't used it even once this year cause of that.

A few folks, including me, have used the Handirack. Fairly late in the thread I described how it can be adapted to carry two boats at once.

Yakima rack with straps.

The foam blocks are nice to keep the roof protected but the canoe will catch a lot of wind. I have a Jimmy with a roof rack and strap it down right on the rack and rope it front and rear. Home depot has a ratchet set up that will let you run the ropes through it for about $20 bucks.
I also noticed now that I don't use the blocks I have a 1/4 tank more of gas when I get to Ely. The blocks really cut down on my gas mileage.

JB

I use a Yakima rack and the Load Stops for it, not the Canoe Stops. These work fine and have more use outside of carrying a canoe. With straps they hold my canoe solid.

I use NRS straps and have for over 20 years. There is a concern that years of wear and sun exposure will weaken the straps, so the day I get a strap I take a permanent marker and write the year on the end near the cam. At three years of age, I stop using the strap as a primary retainer and after seven years, retire it to shop use. Cam starps are very handy to have around the shop for a variety of uses.


humm?

I've been using a Yakima (or whatever other name roof-rack system you prefer) for years with 2 cam straps. Sometimes I have the gunwale adapters from Yakima, others I don't. If you wrap the strap around the bar properly, the canoe will not wiggle in the least.

As far as lifespan of cam straps, I have no idea how long their natural lifespan is. I have been whitewater rafting for a long time, many years a commercial guide. I have NEVER seen a strap fail due to UV damage, regardless of it's age, and how long it has been out in the sun, on the river, all day, every day. The only issue I have ever had with staps is visable damage to the strap itself - cuts, abrasions, fray the end... Therefore, I am not afraid to use an "old" strap on any of my canoes to travel cross country on an interstate, keepong up with traffic.


dave

1) Use a Yakima or Thule rack system, expensive but will last.

2) Use cam straps (or good rope and a truckers hitch)

3) DO NOT USE RATCHET STRAPS. THEY WILL BREAK YOUR CANOE IF CRANKED DOWN TOO MUCH. Have seen it!

People spend $$$$$$$ on a canoe and then go cheep on the rack???
Protect your investment AND the other driver from getting a canoe in his/her windshield.

Just a thought.

CB

quote Cedarboy: " 1) Use a Yakima or Thule rack system, expensive but will last.

2) Use cam straps (or good rope and a truckers hitch)


3) DO NOT USE RATCHET STRAPS. THEY WILL BREAK YOUR CANOE IF CRANKED DOWN TOO MUCH. Have seen it!


People spend $$$$$$$ on a canoe and then go cheep on the rack???
Protect your investment AND the other driver from getting a canoe in his/her windshield.


Just a thought.


CB"

I agree with CB. In addition to the cam straps, I'll tie down the bow and stern to the car for extra measure.

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info. Very helpful!

Bobby

Google "hood loops" and you'll find a very cheap and simple solution to tying down the bow (and possibly the stern) without damaging the finish on the car or crawling around underneath trying to find something to tie to. These attach under the hood to the first bolt holding the front fender on. They stick out between the hood and fender with the hood closed. Fold them under the hood when not in use.

Thanks for reminding me mc2 and ben. I also use some "hood loops" that I attach a bow line(rope with a truckers hitch).
Dont forget to double check that you have tied off the bow and stern lines before you take off down the road.

Picked up a Wenonah Odyssey for FREE because the owner had driven over the loose bow line. The canoe had been bent and busted. 2 new gunwales and 2 holes patched in the hull I had a great Wenonah canoe.

CB

quote Cedarboy: "Dont forget to double check that you have tied off the bow and stern lines before you take off down the road."

Actually, I've learned to do a final walkaround any time I tighten down any line, because tightening a bow line can cause another line to become loose.

Got hit by a nasty gust of wind once crossing a bridge in the Appalachians. Almost shoved the car into the next lane over. Sure was glad I had the bow & stern tied down. It loosened the lines, but the boat stayed on the car.

As per Benutzer,



A set of home-made "hood loops", been holding down canoes for more than 10 years. Still plenty strong!

butthead

1 don’t use ratchet binders - They come loose!!!! And they crack hulls.
I use rope and a truckers hitch.
I put a bow line to a point similar to what Butthead has in his pictures.

I put the canoe on in Chicago never need tightening to of from Atikokan but check it at every gas stop.
If you need to tighten more than once in 800 miles find a better way to tie it on.
MagicPadddler

I use the foam pads on top of the car rack... gives some extra cushion for tightening down the boat. If I've got 2 up there, I have a 2x4 rack attached to the car's rack.

I have used ratchet straps, switching to cam this year... believe it or not, I rarely use bow/stern lines last few years. Maybe I've just been lucky, but the Suburban rack seems plenty long and the canoe is held very tight to the car at front and back. If I feel the setup is hinky for any reason or it's extra windy, I might add a rope to the bow just for peace of mind.

I have a Suburban too, and use the rack with the evil ratchet straps.
I don't crank the straps down any harder than I have to, to keep the canoe from doing too much wiggling, I always have a bow line to the grill guard

i have a Thule rack and the ratchet straps made for it.i wrapped several layers of carpet around the metal bag and duct tape over that.
when i come down on the ratchets the carpet gives me enough padding that i don't feel like i'm going to bust anything.for short trips around town that's it.for the run up 35W i put ratchet lines front and back and where the rack bar and the carrying bar in the canoe meet i wrap a rope around both.that's over kill of course but it does help keep the boat steady in the back draft off the trucks and if there is a pile-up or a deer crossing i can hit the breaks without the canoe flying off and thru the rear window of the car ahead.
i like the idea of hood loops and may go that way for the next trip north,having the lines that come off the canoe and down under the front of the car puts them right in my line of vision and watching the webbing flap in the wind for a few hours is a distraction.

Yakima rack but don't spring for the gunwale brackets at 79 dollars for the set... doesn't seem worth it as I've had no problems with strapping it onto the bar itself... Just make sure you go under the bar over the canoe... under the bar and back over the canoe (1 strap going over the hull 2 times.).


Knock on wood... no problems.

A little clarification is in order.

cam vs ratchet

There are ratchet straps(bad)that ratchet down and you have to pull a release to let them loosen up. Theree is a cog wheel that the ratchet clicks around on as you ratchet it tight.

These are not to be confused with the cam straps(good). These have a one way cam that lets you pull strap through to tighten down then you depress the cam to let the strap go loose. Works by friction.

Thule sells the cam strap with its canoe carrier setup.
They do not sell the ratchet strap.

The Thule system is great.
CB

quote Cedarboy: "A little clarification is in order.


cam vs ratchet


There are ratchet straps(bad)that ratchet down and you have to pull a release to let them loosen up. Theree is a cog wheel that the ratchet clicks around on as you ratchet it tight.


These are not to be confused with the cam straps(good). These have a one way cam that lets you pull strap through to tighten down then you depress the cam to let the strap go loose. Works by friction.


Thule sells the cam strap with its canoe carrier setup.
They do not sell the ratchet strap.

Glad you cleared that up I use a rope front and back with the cog wheel and it works great. Ratchet tie downs can damage the canoe before you even know it.

JB
The Thule system is great.
CB"

I used the foam blocks or a oem roof rack for years to tie down canoes...

Trying the Malone Big Foot canoe carrier this year with my Bell Northwind....so far so good. Great fit and design, very solid. Holds it laterally to remove all sway or side movement from passing vehicles or winds....comes with cam straps and then also bow-stern tiedowns as well.

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/2017/Malone-BigFoot-Pro-Canoe-Carrier.html

Went to Spring Creek Truck racks this year with the "cam" straps and the fender bolt mounted loop straps in front. Never a worry all the way to the WCPP in the wind... Two canoes. I saw a brand new Wenonah that had been rachet strapped on a vehical... not pretty!

BTW The WCPP Park vehicals had the Spring Creek Racks on them too.

What kind of canoe are we talking about Bobby?


I've used ratchet straps about 10 times a year for 10 years and never had a problem. I like to have 1 on the bow, 1 on the stern and 1 or 2 going around the middle of the canoe and inside the blazer. I have an aluminum canoe so I never worry about anything. Heck the roof on my blazer caves in a little if I jump on the canoe and surf-ride it like Teenwolf, but no harm to the canoe.

This summer we took it down a river but forgot the straps in the truck upstream. We ended up just holding onto the canoe with our hands. Worked great!

last trip to BWCA I had a kayak blow to a 45 degree angle off the J hooks on the Explorer. I resolved to find a different system.

I found an almost new Trailex canoe/kayak trailer I paid $400 for. Once you use one of these, you will never go back to lifting up the canoe on to the roof racks!

I had this first, but I found something diff.... lookin' for a decent link w/pic........ and gotta run..... be back with the rest of this reply, lol!

have a Malone Bigfoot setup mounted to my OEM roof rack (would work better with Yakima or Thule crossbars)....and then their extra long padded cam straps for body...then also stern and bow cords for extra security. The Malone setup pretty much assures me to get it at same location on vehicle each time and eliminates the side wobble at highways speeds when passing big trucks.

I just transported my new to me used from Piragis 2010 Rental MN II from Prescott, WI to Boston MA this past week. I used the Thule rack with the canoe kit on top of my 2007 Prius. I can report that it worked just fine for the ~1400 mile drive. One thing that really is important is to ensure the 4 "L" braces are really tight against the gunwales of the canoe. One of mine was about 1 cm (1/2") away from the edge. When I would go by a semi, the wind buffet would wiggle the canoe a bit side to side. After I checked and adjusted the L bracket, the canoe was as tight as a drum and didn't move at all. The Thule kit comes with 2 webbed straps that probably would be enough to hold the canoe on their own, but there are also 2 "ratcheting" straps for the ends. I used these as well, making sure not to go too tight on them so I wouldn't crack the canoe. Seemed to work just fine.

BTW, it was 54 degrees here yesterday, and the PFD I ordered for my wife isn't supposed to arrive until Monday. That's a bummer as I really wanted to take it out for a quick spin in the Harbor!

One more Wenonah canoe here in Old Town territory. It's a strange sight for these New Englanders!

quote Cedarboy: " 1) Use a Yakima or Thule rack system, expensive but will last.

2) Use cam straps (or good rope and a truckers hitch)


3) DO NOT USE RATCHET STRAPS. THEY WILL BREAK YOUR CANOE IF CRANKED DOWN TOO MUCH. Have seen it!


People spend $$$$$$$ on a canoe and then go cheep on the rack???
Protect your investment AND the other driver from getting a canoe in his/her windshield.


Just a thought.


CB"

Took your advice to heart now that I have the magic. Found a used Thule rack on craigslist. $50.

Good deal! Get the Thule canoe kit if your rack doesn't have it, well worth the $80 I paid for it. Did it come with the fairing? I used my new rack for only one noisy trip before buying one! Can't believe how much of a difference it made.