Marsh Jones wrote:
RantOK, not to pick on Walt, but what is it about canoes that people
will spend hundreds/thousands on a canoe, an additional pot of money on
racks, and then tie the boat on with a chunk of the cheapest nylon rope
from Home Despot? Buy a good set of straps (15-20bucks) so that you can
put one across each bar, and secure the boat that way, use decent
braided rope (and trucker's hitch or tautline hitch) to tie the bow and
maybe the stern. Sorry, I've seen too many broken boats from cheap
homemade racks and crappy tiedowns. /Rant

That said I agree with everything else Walt says!

I'm pretty much in agreement with Marsh that people could put more
thought in to how they secure their expensive investment onto the roof
of their car, however I usually see a different type of negligence than
just having a crappy tiedown.

rant
Folks will investigate and analyze different boats ad nauseum, weighing
the advantages and constraints of kevlar vs fiberglass vs ABS (vs wood
vs canvas), wood rails vs vinyl, length, width, tumblehome, etc etc.
Folks will assert their individual preferences, determine what is of
value to themselves and their unique situation, then buy what they have
determined to be the best personal choice of boat for their style of
boating....then they get all brain-dead and buy a prepackaged tie-down
kit that fits on any generic car or boat. The tie down should be
thought out and customized at least as much as the boat, IMNSHO.

My personal (overanalytical) experience is that a decent braided rope
is de rigeur for the bow and stern tiedowns. And instead of using a
permanent loop (tied with a butterfly, for example) for the trucker's
hitch, I deliberately spread the wear and tear around by tying an
overhand loop at a slightly different place each time.

For the belly lines (also de rigeur), I have found that a rope has its
advantages: it slides to the best position easily, does not vibrate or
hum in the wind, and accepts a trucker's hitch easily no matter how the
rope is initially tossed over. It also can be used as the tie-down
leash for the gear once I am on the river, and a frayed end can be
easily cut off.

However, straps also have some distinct advantages: the buckles are
more secure in wet conditions, its easier to untie when unloading the
boat, and they do not leave 'wear zones' on the hull of boat as a
rubbing rope will eventually do. Also, there's something satisfying
about making a pair of straps that are exactly the right length for
securing your boat on your vehicle; just be sure that you don't let the
ends fray.

However, no matter which one you choose, it should be a deliberate
CHOICE, taking into account the advantages of each one and used in a
manner that best utilizes those advantages.

In any case, those prepackaged tie-down kits are a waste of money, and
they send a rather embarassing signal about your ability to really
analyze a situation. Strange as it sounds, but I feel uncomfortable
paddling with someone who I don't believe 'thinks about things', but
instead relies on dogma and protocol, and if I notice my paddle partner
using some prepackaged tiedown kit, my opinion of their ability to
troubleshoot on-river situations deteriorates.

YMMV
/rant

--riverman