Author Topic: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.  (Read 6252 times)

ospreysup

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Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« on: November 28, 2018, 07:59:06 PM »
Got the wife a new four wheel drive vehicle. I threw some roof racks on it because we have some breaks you can park on the beach near me but I only go occasionally to meet a proner buddy. 5 minute walk from street parking. This is not my regular POS surf car.  Anyway, the wife is not happy with the reduced gas milage and the very slight hum from her new car since adding the racks. They are a pain to put on and take off. Unscrewing the antenna seems much easier.  I saw this video and I know Rob is very well respected. Any reason not to do? Also,  I always strap my boards fins up and towards the front of the vehicle. He has no fin on the board.  All looks secure to me  but that ain't saying much. Only down side I see is having to walk around the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMnbuLSsoc4&t=30s

PonoBill

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2018, 09:58:24 PM »
It works fine, even better if you turn the board over and go tail first, fin up, like any civilized person as long as your rocker allows it. The pad helps avoid scratches. Don't go fin-down with the fin in the back. You'll walk into it sooner or later and spray blood all over your wife's car. Don't ask how I know that. If your board has a lot of rocker you can use dogbones or blocks of foam. My preference is two sections of high-density pipe insulation with a piece of 5/8" rope through it with a big figure eight knot on each end. The rope weight keeps the tube of foam from blowing away and is convenient for tossing. Don't reef on the straps too hard or you'll oilcan the roof.

Make sure the factory racks aren't wimpy, some are, but most are fairly well bolted down these days.
« Last Edit: November 28, 2018, 10:01:23 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.

supthecreek

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2018, 10:31:33 PM »
I'm not exactly civilized, so I prefer fin up, nose forward. ;)
Nose kick works to actually press the board down into the racks at speed, which reduces pressure on the straps and rack.

Fin back, may stop the board from sliding out of the racks in a sudden stop or fender bender.
I was a passenger in a low speed head-on and watched 4 boards zing out of the straps and bounce all over the other cars windshield.

eastbound

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2018, 03:45:14 AM »
guy in video is begging for a dumbding from the antennae mount

just saying
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Bean

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #4 on: November 29, 2018, 07:06:57 AM »
This might be a good opportunity to discuss the speedy and effective single strap approach. Nah.

TallDude

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2018, 08:14:09 AM »
This might be a good opportunity to discuss the speedy and effective single strap approach. Nah.
I prefer the strapless look ;)
It's not overhead to me!
8'8" L-41 ST and a whole pile of boards I rarely use.

supnsurf

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2018, 08:30:31 AM »
Bean, I want to hear about the single strap method
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WhatsSUP

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2018, 09:11:58 AM »
Interesting, I always load on my trucks rack "fin up and forward".

I do note, however, that a quick search of "Woodies with surfboards" in Google images show 90% as fin up and back (a la Creek).   ::) 8)  Must say, I kinda like that look.
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Badger

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2018, 03:12:09 PM »
I've been using the single strap method ever since watching Roberts video five years ago. So much faster and easier than two straps.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4QOMAJvAAU
« Last Edit: November 29, 2018, 03:24:05 PM by Badger »
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supthecreek

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2018, 03:48:13 PM »
I much prefer 1 rope
easier
quieter - virtually no noise. (straps vibrate, whistle, hum)
cheaper

Basically the same deal as Roberts video, but with nylon rope.

PonoBill

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2018, 08:59:40 PM »
Fin forward is as much habit as it is anything rational. I actually load whichever direction I happen to walk up to the truck. But I prefer fin forward because loading 17' downwind board fin back will generally stuff the board onto the roof--flatter rocker of the tail is mo' bettah. And I consider loose ropes or straps to be much more likely than an accident. Fin back your boards will happily slide off the roof. If they're fin forwards they can't slide back and if they slide forward because of heavy braking you can see what's going on and pull over to take care of the issue.

We all have our reasons, and they make sense to us. I'd never use a single rope: Single point of failure. I just couldn't do it.
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.

Bean

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #11 on: November 29, 2018, 09:05:02 PM »
I only use the single strap on days that end in y.

supthecreek

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #12 on: November 30, 2018, 04:07:20 AM »
Bean:
I'd always lace that strap behind the gutter post....
I once lost some sheetrock off my racks because in a sharp turn, the sheetrock slid and popped the strap off the end of the bar.
Unlikely with a SUP, but still.... why take the chance?

« Last Edit: November 30, 2018, 04:11:14 AM by supthecreek »

Badger

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #13 on: November 30, 2018, 04:35:24 AM »
I prefer straps over rope just because it's easier and faster than tying knots, for me anyway. In all the years I've been doing this, I've never had a strap hum or vibrate.

I use the rugged 1.5" wide straps from NRS. I use a 15 footer for one board. For two boards, I use two 12 footers.

https://www.nrs.com/product/1446/nrs-15-padded-straps

.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2018, 04:44:09 AM by Badger »
Kalama E3 6'1 x 23" 105L
Axis HPS 980 / PNG 1300
Sunova Flow  8'10 X 31"  119L
Me - 6'0" - 165lbs - 66yo

Bean

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Re: Any Reason Not to! Roof tie down.
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2018, 04:42:08 AM »
Bean:
I'd always lace that strap behind the gutter post....
I once lost some sheetrock off my racks because in a sharp turn, the sheetrock slid and popped the strap off the end of the bar.
Unlikely with a SUP, but still.... why take the chance?

I would generally agree with that, the strap could break or come lose.  In this case the deformation of the pads does a pretty good job in locking things down for my -2 mi crawl to the beach.  Plus it gives me the option of taking 2 or more boards, side by side.

 


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