Author Topic: Don't want to create a flying car  (Read 3039 times)

Larry2c

  • Malibu Status
  • **
  • Posts: 51
    • View Profile
Don't want to create a flying car
« on: May 24, 2018, 07:24:47 AM »
I have recently retired and one of my goals is to get more time on the water. Since my pickup is a gas hog, I am thinking of getting a rack for my wife's 2011 CRV but I'm concerned about a large board on a small car. I'm not really worried about the car flying but I do worry that with only 48" between the front & rear crossbar and an 11' board that the board may get damaged when traveling on the freeway.

Just wondering if anyone has a similar setup and can make some recommendations. Saving a few bucks on gas would be great but not at the expense of screwing up my board.

Thanks!

stoneaxe

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 12084
    • View Profile
    • Cape Cod Bay Challenge
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2018, 08:07:53 AM »
I have Rhino racks on a Hyundai Elantra...less than 48" I think. I put my 10-4 on there whenever I surf before/after work. Never any problems. I used to use an additional safety strap through the car but the Rhino racks are so solid I've stopped. I limit my speed to 65 with a board on the rack.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2018, 08:11:10 AM by stoneaxe »
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

Zooport

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3533
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2018, 08:14:59 AM »
It's no problem if you strap the forward-most tip of your board to your front bumper.  I put my board on top of my car with my fins up and tail first, then put a strap through my leash plug string and tie off to my front bumper.  Rock solid. 
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

TallDude

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 5714
  • Capistrano Beach
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2018, 08:52:44 AM »
I've been carrying my 18' unlimiteds on my Element for years. The racks on the Element are only 28" apart. Driven thousands of miles with them that way. If I do intend on driving a couple hundred miles, I add a rolled yoga mat wedged under the boards at the back of the car roof. I put a rope through the middle of the mat, and tie it around the hatchback hinges. Then add a strap around the hatchback hinges and the board. Then the support span increases to about 48". What worries me more is damage to the board. The longer the lever, the more force applied to the front strap. I use inch and a half wide straps which is safer with regard to board damage (like crushed rails).

I pile my shorter boards on that rack all the time. Never a problem. Beach day with the fam....
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

Larry2c

  • Malibu Status
  • **
  • Posts: 51
    • View Profile
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2018, 09:47:34 AM »
Well, that's excellent news and thanks to all for the suggestions! I hadn't thought about having a strap from the front bumper up to the rear of the board - that wold eliminate the "fold it back" case that I was worried about. I assume that the front strap is just barely snugged and not bending the board - correct?

Now all I need to do is fabricate a set of adapters for my Yakima rack and I'm good to go!

TallDude

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 5714
  • Capistrano Beach
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2018, 09:56:59 AM »
Yes, don't crank the straps down tight. Just snug is good. Also put one or two twists into the strap across the top of the board to prevent the straps from humming. A flat humming strap can sand the finish right off your board.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2018, 10:13:28 AM »
You don't need much to stabilize the board from the front. Just a piece of thin rope from your bumper to the leash loop is adequate. The initial lift is just a few pounds, but once the board starts coming up that multiplies rapidly.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Zooport

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 3533
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2018, 11:25:51 AM »
Yes, exactly what Bill says.  I just use a fairly thin nylon rope, similar to the gauge I use in my leash plug, and loop it through the leash string and then somewhere through the bumper.  As has been said before, it does not have to be cinched down tight, it's purpose is to keep the board from tipping up and catching the wind.  If it tips up, you have big troubles.
8'6 Soul Compass
9'1 Sunova Creek
9'6 WaveStorm SUP
9'8 Starboard Element

TallDude

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 5714
  • Capistrano Beach
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2018, 01:45:10 PM »
Think about it......... We are talking about an 11' board being strapped to racks that are 4' apart. If he pushes it a little back, he'll only have maybe 30" sticking forward of the rack. My son has a CRV, and the windshield slopes forward a lot. I guess you could tie a string straight down to one of the windshield wipers? If you tied the string to the front grill, it would be strung at a long angle forward.
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #9 on: May 24, 2018, 05:28:00 PM »
Long angle is OK. Won't be that long. three feet is about the distance between the windshield and the grill for lots of cars. Average car length is about 13 feet. Even the board up and that's a foot from each end.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2018, 05:30:42 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Ichabod Spoonbill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2174
  • Hudson Valley, NY
    • View Profile
    • HVH2O
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2018, 05:49:26 PM »
I carry boards on my 2008 CRV all the time. I've done 3 or 4 sometimes. My trick if I'm going on the highway for any time is to strap each board on individually. That way there isn't any play going on. It takes a couple of extra minutes, but I've never had a problem with boards shifting around.

You can see from my mounts, I sometimes arrange my board a little towards the back. It reduces any lift.
Pau Hana 11' Big EZ Ricochet (Beluga)

Bean

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 4211
    • View Profile
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2018, 06:36:57 PM »
I have Rhino racks on a Hyundai Elantra...less than 48" I think. I put my 10-4 on there whenever I surf before/after work. Never any problems. I used to use an additional safety strap through the car but the Rhino racks are so solid I've stopped. I limit my speed to 65 with a board on the rack.

I like this approach.  Once you are confident with your rig, you can loose the chicken-strap.  We hear too many stories about factory racks that fail under fairly tame conditions due to poor mfg. 

stoneaxe

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 12084
    • View Profile
    • Cape Cod Bay Challenge
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2018, 07:41:11 PM »
I always use the kanu-lock straps on my car racks. I inspect the racks every few months. I've had them 4 years. Took them off 2 years ago and cleaned them, looked new, put them back on. They hadn't moved a micron from where I 1st placed them. Still haven't moved. I should take them off and clean them again, look for cracks. Rhino racks are great, I don't even have pads on the rails, no marks on my board.
Bob

8-4 Vec, 9-0 SouthCounty, 9-8 Starboard, 10-4 Foote Triton, 10-6 C4, 12-6 Starboard, 14-0 Vec (babysitting the 18-0 Speedboard) Ke Nalu Molokai, Ke Nalu Maliko, Ke Nalu Wiki Ke Nalu Konihi

supthecreek

  • Guest
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2018, 10:08:02 PM »
I have carried as many as five 14" raceboards, in shipping boxes, on my Honda Civic at highway speeds. No problem.

I always carry my 14' Search on the Civic... nose forward and down.

Yup kookish looking fin at the back and up..... BUT
At highway speeds, Nose down keeps wind pressure pushing the board and rack DOWN into the roof, so less wind worries when going fast.

Ichabod Spoonbill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 2174
  • Hudson Valley, NY
    • View Profile
    • HVH2O
    • Email
Re: Don't want to create a flying car
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2018, 04:34:05 AM »
Windsurfing magazine did a feature about ten years ago where they mounted a board on a car in various ways (fin back, fin forward and down, fin forward and up). Then they tested the gas milage on the car. The fine back position definitely had the best gas milage.

And let's be honest — fin back just looks coolest! So there!
Pau Hana 11' Big EZ Ricochet (Beluga)

 


* Recent Posts

SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal