If you drive around with the roof rack or anything else on the top of the
car you'll use more fuel. I even keep the boat tied low to the roof to
reduce drag. My roof rack consists of two pieces of rolled up carpet. In
this case the strap actually holds the boat to the car, not to the rack.

I would not pull the front of the canoe down 6" and tie it off as described.
It might crack or distort some canoes. I'd just make sure it was tied on
snug.

I use only the straps to drive along residential streets over to the
river, 1 mile away, speed limit 35 mph, but tie the ends down when going
further and faster.

When tying down the ends each is tied with a 12 foot length of 1//4 inch
rope. One end is tied to one end of the bumper (actually to the ring under
the bumper they used to tie the car down on the boat from Asia where it
was made) with a bowline knot, passed up and through the ring on the bow
of the boat, then down to the other bumper ring where it is snugged up
with a trucker's hitch. Same on the back. When the boat comes off the roof
of the car the two lines are tied to the ends as painters.

There are photos on my website under "Boats" (Dogskiff, Loonie, Delta).


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