C-Forum

what's the general consensus on long distance drives with your boat on the roof as it pertains to airbags? fully, partially, or not at all inflated? thanks!

I keep mine inflated, ideally just enough to keep their surfaces from "working" in the wind. I think they reduce air resistance, as long as there's a reasonable path for air to pass between the boat and the car's roof.

I've had a cheap bag destroyed by flapping in the windstream, and even quality nylon/urethane bags can develop leaks where the windstream works them repeatedly.

Some people deflate and remove them for travel, but I can't be bothered. I'm sure they last longer that way, but life is too short.

Keep your bag inflation tubes where you can get at them for pressure adjustments at stops. Be aware of how much pressure a bag can exert due to increased temperature or gain in altitude. Once I drove from Atlanta (1000 ft) to the Blue Ridge Parkway (up to 5k feet) without paying attention to the bags, and as the day warmed and the atmospheric pressure dropped, I noticed that the bags had pushed "steps" into the bottom of the canoe. Fortunately not permanent.

I take mine out, after I had one leaking after a long distance trip where it was raining, hot and sunny, ... . So I couldn't keep up with inflating and deflating. Result, a 140€ Mohawk airbag, permanently lost.
Life is short, but finances are also limited, and airbags aren't exactly cheep.

What Jakke said.I had the same issue with one leaking after a long trip.No biggie leaving them in when headed the fifteen minutes to my home river..but I always remove them when going the hour or two to all the other rivers.

Better to remove them completely, but if you don't, keep them topped off as you would for a WW run. If they are in there long enough that I feel the need to check them to make sure they are not gaining or losing pressure, that's a sign I should just take them out. (Sucks topping off a bag inside a boat strapped to the roof!)

Hope this helps,
Shep

Take them out. I got to the put in once after a 4 hour drive with one of the hoses just gone off of one bag. Luckily a friend had a spare bag, but that could of been a real weekend ruiner.

Another vote for:

1. Take them out if you can.

2. If you can't take them out, inflate them snug and then keep an eye on them if the sun heats up or if you are driving over a mountain pass. I blew out several D-rings once simply by leaving my bags inflated in the parking lot on a 90 degree day.

Everything ez said. 20 years boating, never taken my bags out for traveling, never had a bag blow out as a result.

Just my experience.

i use "DUNNAGE BAGS" made for holding freight in place on planes trains and trucks all across the world. they have been in my boat for a couple years all year paddling in the northeast with tens of thousands of road miles on them. i always keep them topped off. oh and they cost $5 a bag 36"x36" i use 6 in a long boat. think outside the boat?

Truckeeboater, I'm with Eddyhops and Ezwater. I leave mine in and never take them out. No problems. However, I live in the west like you and a 4,000 foot or higher change in elevation is a regular boat shuttle. Just make sure that you let out enough air before gaining altitude so that you don't pop a bag or do permanent gunwale damage. I've seen, but not personally experienced the consequences.

Marc

I've never lost one.but had one begin leaking after the stem of the inflation tube was blowing in the wind and the leak started around the base...easy fix but...I now take them out on long hauls.Easy enough to do and not worth the risk of damage.

One canoe instructor I had claimed that overinflated bags could permanently alter a boat's shape and for that reason, recommended removing them. I've never seen that happen and have my doubts that it could. My wife has had a bag explode during elevation gain. She says it can really scare the you know what out of you. I leave bags in, but monitor them while driving if the day heats up or I climb significant elevation. All you generally have to do is roll down your window, reach up and feel the bag. I'll also go to the trouble of unstrapping boats and reinflating them on the other side of the mountain. I do think that flapping against the strings could produce wear and it's also annoying to listen to for 50 miles.

Take out em for long drive - if u get an electric pump - u can inflate in a under a minute...

If you leave them in and start to experience small leakages - you'll know why.

I haven't boated for 20 yrs, but I've gone through enough airbags by now(multiple companies) to know how foolish it is to keep making the same mistake.

my 2cents.

Leaving them in beats them up, unless you cover them ...

^ ^ Wow, that's pretty slick! What kind of material is that you're using? Does it just fit under the gunwales and the pressure of the inflated bags keeps them in?