Loose board and a ticket.

[Fog City Rider]

Anyone ever strap their board down so tight that it puts pressure dents on the rails? 

I just noticed this on my latest board.  Kinda bummed. 

One reason to look at something like a SUP taxi...

[blueplanetsurf]

I just read through this and feel like I need to say something since I'm the one who posted the "one strap method" video which has been called irresponsible here. 
I totally agree that it is not worth saving a few minutes at the expense of being safe.  I said in the video that you have to have solid roof racks that can't move around and a strap that does not slip.  Straps wear out over time and if yours slips while driving, you need to replace it regardless of whether you use the one strap or two strap method.  Most of the work is done by the front strap and if that slips, the upward force increases exponentially the higher the board is lifted up.  If the front strap fails, it will most likely rip the back rack right off the car, even if you use two straps.   I have been using the one strap method safely for over 15 years without issues but I make sure my straps and racks are solid.  You can't use knots that can slip, bungees, or anything that can loosen up.  I have seen boards tied to roofs with just a leash- yikes!  I have also seen people put the strap into the buckle from the top where it won't cinch down properly on the strap and can slip out, which is very dangerous.  Also using buckles with a corroded or cracked tensioning spring is a no-no.  So, I don't think that the one strap method is inherently unsafe, it is only unsafe if used irresponsibly. 
A big advantage of the one strap method is that you can hold on to your board while strapping it down.  I have never had a board get blown off my car, while I know lots of people this happened to.  After you strap it down with one strap, you can add an extra strap over the front or over the top and through the inside of the car, that way, even if your roof racks fails, your board is not going anywhere.  This is important especially at high speeds where the wind resistance force also increases exponentially.
Also, like pdx mike said, I like to see the tip of the board through the windshield, so I can see right away if it is not tied down tightly.  If you can't see it, use the strap through the cab so you can monitor it.

[headmount]

Yeah.  That's the key... seeing the tip of nose or tail hanging in front of the front window.  I check all the time.  You can be driving into a wind and your vehicle speed added to the head wind might equal  in excess of 80 mph.  Your stuff better be tight or $4-5k down the rathole.

[magentawave]

I'm sorry about your new board dude! That sucks, but why did you call the cops?

After having boards fly off my roof a few times way in the past I'm a freak about this stuff now. I use regular Yakima bars and strap my board down with those black rubber straps you get at Home Depot. One strap each for the front and back rack for local driving and two straps for the front rack if I'm using the freeway and two for front and back for longer drives. I also like to position the board so more of it is positioned aft on the racks so there is less surface area in the front.

[Ucycle]

It flew all the way to the center medium in the middle of the afternoon with plenty of traffic zooming by.  It was just too dangerous to run across the fwy to retrieve the board without get hit on the way there or on the way back.  Its not too bad consider it was a used board i just brought and it didnt hit anything(except the ground ). 

[AJR]

It flew all the way to the center medium in the middle of the afternoon with plenty of traffic zooming by.  It was just too dangerous to run across the fwy to retrieve the board without get hit on the way there or on the way back.  Its not too bad consider it was a used board i just brought and it didnt hit anything(except the ground ).

Definitely the smart thing to do...

[WingSuit]

This is a good thread.  Three things:  to have any kind of board, kayak, or any other large object loose in your van is unwise.  When I was young (and unwise) I carried some crib rails "only a few blocks" thru the neighborhood.  Of course someone braked hard in front of me, and those rails whizzed by my head on their way thru the windshield.   Second, as per Yakima and Thule instructions, to have two stacks of boards side by side creates exponential increases in lift, that most racks won't hold at highway speeds, esp if they stick out over the hood.  Lastly, a climbing sling over the front of a board, allows for tie down of the "bow" and takes a lot of the stress of the lift created by highway speeds away.  Wait, a fourth thing!  Folks around here take pride in using the oldest, most worn out straps possible.  Tying down a race board, or a $4600 surf ski or carbon fiber sea kayak, with sun bleached, UV damaged straps, is penny wise and pound foolish.  Get some new straps once in a while. 

[Fog City Rider]

If you strap your board with the rocker line facing down in the front (i.e. upside down, front forward for most boards), doesn't that help reduce lift pressure on the board when you're on the highway?

I want to think the wind actually pushes down on the board rather than lifting it... is that totally off?

[blueplanetsurf]

Pointing the nose forward and down helps, but the lift is created by the wind pushed upward by the windshield, so no matter how you point your board, there will be a lifting force on the board and as you go faster it increases.  As mentioned, if you have two boards next to each other, the force doubles and is much greater than the weight of the boards.  

Always better to be safe than sorry, I just found this story of a surfer getting run over while trying to retrieve his boards:
http://surf.transworld.net/1000008064/features/aussie-surfer-hit-by-car-after-trying-to-retrieve-boards/

[PonoBill]

depends on what is most important to you. the weakest part of the rail is the bottom, so if you want to avoid damaging your rails the board should go fin down. Unfortunately that adds lift from the nose rocker. If you go tail first, fin down you have less rocker and the board will probably fit on your rig better.

If you're not herking on your straps so hard that you crush the rails then you can go fin up, which is cool because you're not going to walk into your fin and get a divot. Ask me how I know this can happen. If you go nose forward, fin up you'll have some nice downforce holding the board on the rack, but the rocker might not work for your rig--easy to have the board slide back a bit and bang on the roof. Going fin up, tail first puts the least rocker over the roof, adds a little downforce, the fin won't let the board slide off the roof (except under braking) and that is exactly how God intended you to carry a surfboard.

Whatever way I walk up to the car works for me.

[bts]

Ah, the old van vs racks discussion. Used to do the van thing when I had to drive hours to the beach and needed to lock up the rest of my quiver when I was on the water.

These days I usually carry a single board.

None of the vans I've owned would accommodate a 14. Probably would not want to drive a vehicle that could carry something bigger. So..I'm gonna use racks,at least part of the time. If I'm gonna use racks, I rather not have to stand on a ladder to load my boards. 

I'm a hatch back dude these days. Think I got boards that are longer than my car.

[fms]

Glad no one got hurt !  You got off easy

ZSent from my BlackBerry 9700 using Tapatalk

[Ucycle]

Looks like Im going to have a good chance of win the ticket after talking to my CHP friend.  Also going to start repairing the board this weekend so i can get it ready for socal Summer micro-waves.

[maui wave warrior]

I have seen situations where the entire yakama and tule rack system blew off the vehicle with boards on top. Although very rare it has happened. IMO The absolute best way to secure your boards on top of a vehicle is to run the straps through the vehicle with the doors open esentially securing them to the car rather than just the rack. If you keep the fasteners inside the vehicle it will add a bit of security to the method as well. This comes from years of experience working at a shop doing rentals. 

[paddlepals]

We lay down 2 pieces of that cheap Float noodle 1 forward 1 back and if 2 boards we stack with 1 piece in between secured with a thru bungy and use 2 racket straps to our factory installed racks. Boards don't budge and the vehicle doesn\t scratch. seems to work at all speeds.no wobble or lift.