Best way to tie down a kayak?

[Crankin4Bass]

I like the NRS straps too. I have been using them for the last year to secure my kayak to my roof rack. I'm glad to hear they are also the way to go for a truck bed.

 

Thanks for all the detail on securing the kayak. I appreciate the advice! 

 

 

 

 

[CountryboyinDC]

On 8/28/2019 at 9:03 AM, J Francho said:

like use a bungee (believe it or not, I have used them in a pinch for a kayak)

I'm not a big fan, but the outfitter I get to shuttle my kayak uses bungees on his trailers for kayaks and canoes.  He's a big outfit too, 6 buses I think, and a couple of vans for the longer trips.  He uses the black rubber type, not the type that have a mesh covering a bunch of small elastic bands.  With the insurance that I'm sure he has to have for that outfit, they must be acceptable to underwriters (to say nothing of the staff).  They can't be overtightened like a ratchet strap and they hold tension even if the boat moves (a little) and they .  Again, I personally like cam straps that make a continuous loop around an anchor point of some type, but that outfit has shuttled hundreds of thousands of canoes and kayaks, and so it goes to show that there's more than one way to go about it.

[J Francho]

I'd be worried one would snap.

[markedman]

I use a Sigtuna cable on each side. The cables are actually designed to secure a bicycle to a bike rack.

 

They are plastic wrapped steel cable. I connect each end to my tie downs with a padlock. Its secure and since my Lure 11.5 has molded in side handles its relatively theft proof.

 

I wrap the cable around the side handle a couple of times to remove the slack.

[J Francho]

I've something similar to lock my kayak to the rack or truck to prevent theft, but wouldn't recommend it for securing the boat to a vehicle.  But hey, until it doesn't, it works for now.

[Bass Junke]

On 8/27/2019 at 11:12 AM, J Francho said:

I like NRS straps.  They don't slip like the slick nylon ones you find in sporting goods stores.

 

https://www.nrs.com/category/4342/straps/

Sweet! Adding these to my NRS shopping list for the winter. Thanks.

[VolFan]

I have the Kanulock lockable straps after having had the NRS for 20 years or so (and still have them). Never had a problem with either. I dont think the Kanulocks would stop anybody for long, but they are definitely more substantial than anything else I've used.

[J Francho]

Those are cool.

[VolFan]

They are pretty nifty. And the weight of the internal cable makes them even easier to manage and throw over through a crosswind.

[Smalls]

On 8/27/2019 at 6:13 PM, LadiMopar said:

Would you give that same advice for securing it to a trailer?

I trailer mine exclusively. I use the NRS straps, and they don’t budge. They’re inexpensive, and work great. 

 

Don't use the Malone cam straps they sell at Cabela’s. The ends fray like crazy for no d**n reason. I’ve accidentally left the end of my NRS straps drag on the road and they still didn’t fray. 

 

 

 

 

[LadiMopar]

On 9/9/2019 at 5:35 PM, Smalls said:

I trailer mine exclusively. I use the NRS straps, and they don’t budge. They’re inexpensive, and work great. 

 

Don't use the Malone cam straps they sell at Cabela’s. The ends fray like crazy for no d**n reason. I’ve accidentally left the end of my NRS straps drag on the road and they still didn’t fray. 

 

 

 

 

I trailer mine exclusively also, but have always used a good quality ratcheting tie down.  So far have not had issues with the hull, or loosening of tie downs even on highway trips of several hours. But will certainly give the cam straps a look see, if I can improve on safety I'd be happy to reconsider my current choice.

Thanks for the advice!

[LadiMopar]

On 9/1/2019 at 11:25 AM, markedman said:

They are plastic wrapped steel cable. I connect each end to my tie downs with a padlock. Its secure and since my Lure 11.5 has molded in side handles its relatively theft proof.

I use a similar rig for locking my FF Dorado to the trailer at the winchstand, so far so good...never bothered with that with my Lure 10 because it was never out of my sight...house to ramp, ramp to house sort of thing, but did [and still do] have a 12 ft steel cable system that I wrap around a tree and through the trailer and yak at home.  

[DogBone_384]

On 8/26/2019 at 11:14 AM, Crankin4Bass said:

What's the best way to tie down a kayak in the bed of a truck with the tailgate open? If anyone has pics or video that would be great!

I use a ratchet strap between my tie down hooks, running the strap through the kayak’s nose.  I tighten it just enough to keep the kayak from moving around.

[Backroad Angler]

I just use bungees for my kayak, sometimes I use nothing and close the tailgate.

[TnRiver46]

Back in my guiding kayak trip days i saw an NRS fail but it wasnt the cam. The strap broke! Haha. Talk about a boompf! I like old fashioned rope quite a bit but you have to know the simple truckers hitch which has confused many a young paddler, trucker, and tent setter upper 

[Smalls]

12 hours ago, JoshFromBolo said:

I just use bungees for my kayak, sometimes I use nothing and close the tailgate.

I’m sorry, but people like you terrify me. A bungee? Really?

[the reel ess]

I have two kayaks. On the lighter one, it's good enough to run a strap through the handles in the middle, near the seat and hook into the rear anchors on the truck. The other is a Feelfree Lure 13.5. It's 1.5' longer. I do the same with it, but I run another strap on the front through the handle built into the bow. I wrap the strap once around the handle before I hook it in the front anchors and tighten.

[kjfishman]

I  have my yak strapped in the front and across the back of the bed and again on the bed extender with magnetic brake lights.  Over kill yes but never have to worry about it falli8ng off the truck.

[Brad Reid]

10 hours ago, Smalls said:

I’m sorry, but people like you terrify me. A bungee? Really?

Me, too! Up in the D/FW area, Houston, too, it is not uncommon to see something large in the middle of the highway. The other day, it was a large mattress or bed box spring. Too busy dodging it to know which one.

 

But, I could see it well ahead, had time to react; it had fallen off a truck earlier. How about the poor drivers right behind a truck that loses a mattress or large piece of furniture, etc.? 

 

It could literally cause a chain reaction wreck that could kill or maim someone. I don't want to kill or maim someone.

 

Well, anyway, for truck bed carries, two straps is great insurance. Not that one strap wouldn't suffice as most of the wind resistance never even puts pressure on most carries back there, just whistles by overhead, but if a strap were to snap, the other would hold things down until you could get off to the side of the road.

 

Brad

 

 

[LadiMopar]

1 hour ago, Brad Reid said:

Me, too! Up in the D/FW area, Houston, too, it is not uncommon to see something large in the middle of the highway. The other day, it was a large mattress or bed box spring. Too busy dodging it to know which one.

 

But, I could see it well ahead, had time to react; it had fallen off a truck earlier. How about the poor drivers right behind a truck that loses a mattress or large piece of furniture, etc.? 

 

It could literally cause a chain reaction wreck that could kill or maim someone. I don't want to kill or maim someone.

 

Well, anyway, for truck bed carries, two straps is great insurance. Not that one strap wouldn't suffice as most of the wind resistance never even puts pressure on most carries back there, just whistles by overhead, but if a strap were to snap, the other would hold things down until you could get off to the side of the road.

 

Brad

 

 

 

Glad you were able to avert disaster, that crap is scary.

 

Many years ago I got behind a pickup truck carrying saw horses in the bed that were, to my horrified surprise, not tied down. After work high volume traffic, three lanes, rain, and no where to go.... Those things came flying out of that bed like rockets, (I was maybe 2 car lengths behind) and all I can say is, how no one got hit by these things is still a mystery and a miracle.

 

All I can figure is everyone behind and to either side of this guy were really on their A- game, or there was some form of "divine intervention" .

 

IMHO, there is no such thing as being too safe. 

[Backroad Angler]

13 hours ago, Smalls said:

I’m sorry, but people like you terrify me. A bungee? Really?

The yak aint going anywhere, its not like I leave any slack, its tight as can be. Plus the areas I've been too I can usually just take back roads to get there, never really hit the highway. Whats so bad about bungee cords? They were made just like ratchet straps and other stuff to keep your stuff from falling and moving out.

[J Francho]

On 9/14/2019 at 1:30 PM, JoshFromBolo said:

Whats so bad about bungee cords?

 

 

 

This kid is a tool.

 

 

There are hundreds of these. 

 

[Backroad Angler]

2 hours ago, J Francho said:

 

 

 

This kid is a tool.

 

 

There are hundreds of these. 

 

I would never strap a kayak bungee corded to the top of my vehicle, thats crazy. All of the videos you sent show the kayaks on top of the vehicle. 

Like I said, mine is in the back of my truck. Tail gate up. Additionally I also put 3 bungee cords going across it, top, middle and bottom. I'm not going crazy speeds and I make sure to keep a eye on it. To note as well my bed is almost 7 feet in length with the kayak being 10 feet in length just barley hanging over the locked tailgate. 

With that said, I didn't know there was so much concern about bungee cords, will definitely look at other options to possibly replace them with. 

[Russ Brown]

On 9/3/2019 at 8:39 AM, J Francho said:

I've something similar to lock my kayak to the rack or truck to prevent theft, but wouldn't recommend it for securing the boat to a vehicle.  But hey, until it doesn't, it works for now.

In my opinion, you are more trouble than you are worth. for every nugget of wisdom you shell out yoy are a total jerk to about 5 people. I pick and choose my info on here, but I have have seen enough to realize what a jerk you are. It is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice. A moderator like you can wreck a site, do your best...

  Russ

[J Francho]

5 minutes ago, Russ Brown said:

A moderator like you can wreck a site, do your best...

  Russ

Been serving this forum since 2010.  You're welcome.