Tying A Canoe To A Roof Rack

You can use cam buckle straps or ropes.

Tying a canoe to a roof rack.

You should be looping the bare end of the strap under the roof rack bar. If you re solo there are a couple of options depending on your rack system. The easiest way is with the help of a friend. Some pads will have velcro closures while others will have elastic cords.

Position your canoe so that the yoke or middle thwart is equi distant between the contact points with the car. To install wrap the pads around your crossbars and secure in place. Load your kayak onto your roof rack with your padding in place on your crossbars or kayak carriers carefully lift your kayak and place it on top of the roof rack. Tie down a kayak.

Leave the end of the strap with the cam buckle attached hanging on the other side of the car. A roof rack is ideal as it provides the most secure tie down. If your vehicle has a roof rack you have one of the best situations for tying down a canoe. Tie your canoe across the centre where it is supported by the rack or foam blocks.

If you don t have a roof rack there are still other options out there for you. Placing a plastic boat hull side down can cause indentations and while they can be removed they will affect your boat s ability to track straight. You ll pick the boat up by each end and place it on the rack. Run one of the straps over your kayak and loop it under a roof rack bar.

If you are tying the kayak directly to the crossbars of the roof rack place the boat upside down on the rack. Using cam straps is the simplest and fastest way to secure the boat. Mount the foam pads onto your canoe mount the canoe onto your crossbars crossbar pads wrap around your crossbars and allow you to safely transport gear on your roof rack without a standard carrier. It also reduces the risk of damaging your vehicle.

In this video i demonstrate how to tie a canoe to a vehicle under two very different scenarios. If you re loading the boat onto crossbars you might want to keep your kayak the right way up.