wrote:
So where should you buy ropes and straps? And how does someone who is
new to all of this determine what kind of ropes and straps to buy?

Straps with ancra buckles are available at any place that sells racks and
accessories as well as at most paddling shops. Rope comes in many forms - you
will want good stuff that does not change length much when wet. For that
reason, polyester is a good choice. Good quality polyester kernmantle
construction braided line is available at a marine supply shop. Six millimeter
(1/4 inch) is a good size to use.

Nylon changes length too much when wet. Laid polypropylene (i.e. the twisted
stuff from hardware stores) is crap, while the braided polypropylene is pretty
good. Kevlar and Spectra are overkill for tiedowns.


Mike

Michael Daly wrote:
wrote:
So where should you buy ropes and straps? And how does someone who is
new to all of this determine what kind of ropes and straps to buy?

Straps with ancra buckles are available at any place that sells racks and
accessories as well as at most paddling shops. Rope comes in many forms - you
will want good stuff that does not change length much when wet. For that
reason, polyester is a good choice. Good quality polyester kernmantle
construction braided line is available at a marine supply shop. Six millimeter
(1/4 inch) is a good size to use.

Nylon changes length too much when wet. Laid polypropylene (i.e. the twisted
stuff from hardware stores) is crap, while the braided polypropylene is pretty
good. Kevlar and Spectra are overkill for tiedowns.


All good advice, but let me add the suggestion that you start with rope
before you start using straps with ancra buckles.

The reason is that you can do some serious damage to your car with the
buckles. Most noobies start by holding the buckle and tossing the strap
over the boat, around the rack and back over the boat. That leaves you
pulling UP on the strap to tighten the rig which is completely
inefficient, or else walking the entire rig around (you'll completely
understand this the first time you do it). Then you will do the next
best thing: hold the strap and toss the buckle over the boat. The
problem comes if you toss *too much* strap with the buckle....the ancra
buckle can thwap your side window or the car and bust the glass or chip
the paint. Otherwise you don't toss enough strap and end up having to
climb up on the roof to get it, or else it comes tumbling back down in
your face.

Tie down your boat with good poly-core line until you get a good
feeling for how to toss a strap with a buckle....your windows, paint
and teeth will thank you.

:-)

--riverman

For what it's worth - I've always tied down canoes with rope and kayaks
with straps - don't ask me why!

Oh yeah, I replaced my Suburu racks with Yakimas. Don't listen to what
Yakima recommends for the length of your racks either - they recommend
the length that will go out to the edge of your roofline. You really
want to go roofline plus ~ 10 inches which will go out as far as your
sideview mirrors.

riverman wrote:
Michael Daly wrote:
wrote:
So where should you buy ropes and straps? And how does someone who is
new to all of this determine what kind of ropes and straps to buy?

Straps with ancra buckles are available at any place that sells racks and
accessories as well as at most paddling shops. Rope comes in many forms - you
will want good stuff that does not change length much when wet. For that
reason, polyester is a good choice. Good quality polyester kernmantle
construction braided line is available at a marine supply shop. Six millimeter
(1/4 inch) is a good size to use.

Nylon changes length too much when wet. Laid polypropylene (i.e. the twisted
stuff from hardware stores) is crap, while the braided polypropylene is pretty
good. Kevlar and Spectra are overkill for tiedowns.


All good advice, but let me add the suggestion that you start with rope
before you start using straps with ancra buckles.

The reason is that you can do some serious damage to your car with the
buckles. Most noobies start by holding the buckle and tossing the strap
over the boat, around the rack and back over the boat. That leaves you
pulling UP on the strap to tighten the rig which is completely
inefficient, or else walking the entire rig around (you'll completely
understand this the first time you do it). Then you will do the next
best thing: hold the strap and toss the buckle over the boat. The
problem comes if you toss *too much* strap with the buckle....the ancra
buckle can thwap your side window or the car and bust the glass or chip
the paint. Otherwise you don't toss enough strap and end up having to
climb up on the roof to get it, or else it comes tumbling back down in
your face.

Tie down your boat with good poly-core line until you get a good
feeling for how to toss a strap with a buckle....your windows, paint
and teeth will thank you.

:-)

--riverman

I drive a Cheep Cherokee Classic (one of the last with real rain
gutters) and a Yakima rack with the longest bars (head bangers) they
make. These are mounted over the top of the integrated luggage rack.
When I carry a canoe, I use long loop straps (NRS) over the belly.
They attach to the holes in the integrated rack travelers. The buckle
end is only about 6 inches long, and by the time it is looped around
and through, it is short enough that it never hits the roof or loosens
and is ready when I need it I just leave it attached all season. It
is a pull up to tighten however.

Now originally, I used to use two belly tie downs.. The one in front
attached to the left side of the front thwart, went over the top of
the canoe and mated with the buckle on the right side of the vehicle.
The back tie down attached to the right side of the rear thwart, went
over the top of the canoe and mated with a buckle on the rear left
side. Once attached, they were then secured in turn.

Not sure where I got this idea or why Any merit to this approach?
Comments always welcome!

That method seemed like too much work, so I just switched to lefft
side front and reat over the top secured to the right side. A bow and
stern line and she is ready to go.

I originally used the Yakima racks on a minivan to carry my rafting
frame. It looked kind of funny up there with the highback foam seat and
all.

The YakRacks are great though. Carry everything on them. Plywood,
steel shelving, 20 foot extension ladder. I just took them off for the
winter - but given the wimpy weather we have been having, should have
just left them up. No snow to speak of.

Blakely
--
Blakely LaCroix
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

"The best adventure is yet to come"

Railtramp wrote:

Now originally, I used to use two belly tie downs.. The one in front
attached to the left side of the front thwart, went over the top of
the canoe and mated with the buckle on the right side of the vehicle.
The back tie down attached to the right side of the rear thwart, went
over the top of the canoe and mated with a buckle on the rear left
side. Once attached, they were then secured in turn.

If I understand this correctly, you are not only holding the canoe down with the
straps over the belly, but wrapping the strap around the thwarts as well. This
is not a bad idea, as it allows the canoe to have at least some redundant hold
if the strap loosens.

That method seemed like too much work, so I just switched to lefft
side front and reat over the top secured to the right side. A bow and
stern line and she is ready to go.

Bow and stern lines return to a level of redundancy that exceeds your previous
method. Good plan. I'll never understand why people think zero redundancy is a
good idea.

Mike