Louie wrote:Julie I knew you used bow and stern lines I also you know your knott good enought to where you can use real ropes and have to use girls ropes ( Cam straps). I also have seen you all over the place.I was even lookin for you as I drove to Mexico with my boat, but it goes back to my original question if you found a car you wanted why would the narrow placement of roof rack be the make or brake issue in the car selection? I also know you have painter on your boat, just a few of the things us that have been boatin a lot longer than other have found out the hard way and the boater that havenin't been boatin as long as us are goin to. I mean why use four line on your $1000.00 boat as you drive down the interstate at 75 mph when two seem to work just as good. hades fire it take a lot of extra time to tie those other two ropes Beside who ever hear of racks comin off a truck while bummer fall off all the time right. Also what are the chance the family of the people in the car behind who wreck and die after you boat goes thru their windshield goin to sue you.
I OBJECT!!! I only use real ropes!!! I don't own any of those "girls ropes" cam strap things. I know my knotts!!! and also make sure that everyone I teach the fine art of canoeing to learns them too.
The narrow placement of roof racks is giving me cause to consider other options. As you know there are tons of options in the vehicle market these days. I did go back and measure the 2010 Outback today and with the factory rack I can get one solo canoe for me and one kayak for my husband on the 41 inch wide rack with 30 inch spread cross bars. Will also be able to get two canoes on the factory rack with one up on the side leaning on the other. I just won't be able to help with shuttles.
'08 Ford Ranger 4X4 with Thule Professional Van Racks (71") factory mounted on a Century Truck Cap. Looks good and is warranted for 10 years. Don't do it for the gas mileage but everything else rules! Can't have it all.
I know it is off the original topic, but I too use sissy cam straps and don't run bow or stern lines on my short boats (SFly). However, I do run a line from the back of the boat to the rack for added security. On trippers I like to run both bow and stern lines, in addition to the sissy straps, because I don't like a long boat swaying if there is a cross wind.
Let me add to that last post. This is my second ranger. The last one had aluminum ladder racks on the cap with wood racks mounted with U bolts, about 70". It's seen a lot of use 195,000 miles and still goin' You can put a mattress in the back of the bed. King Cab is the way to go. The new truck still has to prove it self but may be even better. I've had it on some crazy loggin' roads in Webster Co. WV and was impressed. Thought about Suby, Honda, Toy. They wouldn't hang. it's all about what you need to do.
I use the straps from NRS most of the time, though I do like ropes better. Just convenience and speed. I do a loop or so with the tag ends of the straps around the factory rails...they aren't coming off even if the rack hardware fails
Marc
You are still puttin all you eggs in one basket. My son who is too cool to use bow and stern lines lost his rack and boat in down town Atlanta and almost went to jail for not securing his load ( I never heard of that law either). Francis and Woody were comin to North Chick and lost Francis boat right as they got to it a 18 wheeler hit it. They brought it to the river in Woody trunk in three pieces. Yankee Jay lost his racks and his boat was trashed. Tom Windom wife lost four demo boats off her car on I 75 and went to the next exit and turned around and went back to the other exit and when she got back to where she lost them they were all gone. ( it was pure luck I found out who had two turned out to be a preacher and Tom like to never got him to give them back) . He work at IR call him and ask if you don't believe me. That is OK you you 30 sumthin kids who have been boatin 15 year and think you know it all crack me up. A hard headmake a soft butt, I don't wish bad thing on you know it all kids but I am goin to laugh my butt off when you learn the lesson us old fart have seen or have had happen to us. Of course the best thing about this is the minute you see you boat bounceing off the hood of the car behind you the first thing that will go through your mind is " that dam louie was right" sleep good thinkin about that.
Louie, I know you are right. If the rack goes, so does the boat(s) if they aren't tied to some other part of the car. Of course, I'll be talking to the Toyota dealer if the rack fails. I'm not too worried about the SFly, but the bigger boats I do attach bow and stern lines.
As for being a know it all 30 something kid with 15 years of boating experience - no I don't know it all, especially when it comes to canoeing. Far, far from it. That is actually what I like about canoes - always something to learn. As for being a 30 something kid, I'd love to take 25 years off my current age.
Well I've boated out west a few times, worked on the Grand Canyon and boated in Colorussia when my son was racin out there. It is defiently true that I ain't never lost a thing west of the Miss. and boatin two time a week all year the last thing I plan my vacations around is boatin I do work out there some time and if I have to go to cowboy land to work I might as well boat. I wish I had knowned you when I did a month at Olympia Washington last year. Of course anytime you can escape from out there and want to boat in heaven, we always have an extra couch and we can just slice the meat a little thinner and add so water to the gravy, BTW you like mexican food.
As far as shavin a few year off, no I stay just the way I am. It really give some creditabilty to me givin hades to some three months out of the yearboater, or someone who design one boat and think they are the final word on boatin. It kinda like a twice a year deep see fisherman, tellin a guy who runs a deep sea fishing boat how they are the exspert. I also give a certain FIFA hades and he has design a bunch of boats, but no one will build any for him.
We have water all year long one way or the other so you and any others are always welcome, we the first time anyway, then we will do it on a case by case thing.
Louie wrote:It really give some creditabilty to me givin hades to some three months out of the yearboater, or someone who design one boat and think they are the final word on boatin. It kinda like a twice a year deep see fisherman, tellin a guy who runs a deep sea fishing boat how they are the exspert. I also give a certain FIFA hades and he has design a bunch of boats, but no one will build any for him.
What's it like to be the worlds foremost authority on everything?
Not me don't know nuthin about boat design, except what works for me. I also ain't up to speed on which spray skirt don't make my butt look big.
No Steamfitting, Nuclear clean up, Political Science and 40 years of canoe is about the only area I feel I have some expertise in. Well havin raised five kids give me a little knowledge in that area. Oh ya I also know how to lob 5inch 54 cal. shells at little yellow people.
Louie wrote:Julie I knew you used bow and stern lines I also you know your knott good enought to where you can use real ropes and have to use girls ropes ( Cam straps). I also have seen you all over the place.I was even lookin for you as I drove to Mexico with my boat, but it goes back to my original question if you found a car you wanted why would the narrow placement of roof rack be the make or brake issue in the car selection? I also know you have painter on your boat, just a few of the things us that have been boatin a lot longer than other have found out the hard way and the boater that havenin't been boatin as long as us are goin to. I mean why use four line on your $1000.00 boat as you drive down the interstate at 75 mph when two seem to work just as good. hades fire it take a lot of extra time to tie those other two ropes Beside who ever hear of racks comin off a truck while bummer fall off all the time right. Also what are the chance the family of the people in the car behind who wreck and die after you boat goes thru their windshield goin to sue you.
I OBJECT!!! I only use real ropes!!! I don't own any of those "girls ropes" cam strap things. I know my knotts!!! and also make sure that everyone I teach the fine art of canoeing to learns them too.
The narrow placement of roof racks is giving me cause to consider other options. As you know there are tons of options in the vehicle market these days. I did go back and measure the 2010 Outback today and with the factory rack I can get one solo canoe for me and one kayak for my husband on the 41 inch wide rack with 30 inch spread cross bars. Will also be able to get two canoes on the factory rack with one up on the side leaning on the other. I just won't be able to help with shuttles.
You could always ubolt 78 inch 1/2 inch steel pipes to the factory racks.
I did taht with my Thule setup. I just ubolted the steel pipes on top of them.
I can carry ... heaven for bid ... two flatwater canoes side by side.
I have also carried by big butt boat and six ww kayaks on them as well or four ww open boats on edge.
