Car Topping

[sloride]

I prefer using rope to tie down the canoe but I didn't like going over the top of the canoe with rope.

Found these towlift straps

http://www.armysurpluswarehouse.com...d-ends/pouches/towlift-strap-4-for-10-00.html

 

[Alan Gage]

Why not straps with cam locks?

Alan

 

[memaquay]

I used ropes for years until someone on line told me about cam lock straps! The best invention ever!

 

[sweeper]

I don't like the hum of straps.

Never lost a load with rope.

 

[sloride]

These straps will go over the canoe and I'll attach rope from the strap to tie down points on my truck.

 

[Alan Gage]

I don't like the hum of straps.

My straps have never hummed. Well, I shouldn't say never. They would sometimes on the first car I ever hauled a boat with. No rack so it was just strapped to the roof and the straps ran through the front and rear doors. So instead of being wrapped tightly around the hull the whole way they angled out and would flap and buzz in the breeze. Adding a few twists would resolve the issue.

Alan

 

[memaquay]

My experience has been pretty much the same as Alan's. As long as the straps are close to the hull, and cinched up against the gunwales, there is no hum. When we take 10 to 12 canoes on our big trailer, the time saving of using cam straps as opposed to ropes is quite impressive.

 

[Odyssey]

I like rope, and I looove the trucker's hitch for tightening the load. But, when I drove a van without roof racks I needed to find a solution. Using ratchet straps, and as mentioned earlier, simply tying the canoe to the rackless roof (protected with pool noodles), with the straps easily fitting between front doors and door openings/rear windows made this set up easy and secure. I never went back to ropes. Now that our vehicles both have racks, I still rely on ratchet straps. Yes, couple twists eliminate the hum. I still tie down fore and aft with rope. I looove the trucker's hitch.

 

[Alan Gage]

Now that our vehicles both have racks, I still rely on ratchet straps. Yes, couple twists eliminate the hum. I still tie down fore and aft with rope. I looove the trucker's hitch.

Have you ever tried cam straps? I use ratchet straps as well for heavier loads or when I really need to cinch something down but day in and day out I'll take cam straps. They're fast and while you can still tighten them down plenty tight it's hard to over tighten, which can happen with some hulls. Also, I can toss the business end of a cam strap over the boat to the other side of the vehicle without worrying about knocking out a window.

http://www.nrs.com/product/1445/nrs-15-hd-tie-down-straps

I looove my cam straps.

Alan

 

[Alan Gage]

Another thing I like about cam straps is that they're compact and lightweight enough that I don't feel bad about throwing a couple in my pack when tripping. I've mostly used them as hammock extensions for extra large trees but they could be used to quickly tie down a canoe in a storm or wrap around a small tree or log and used as as handle to drag it out of the way.

Alan

 

[memaquay]

Yup, me too Alan, a couple of cam straps usually make their appearance on a trip at some point.

 

[Odyssey]

I haven't tried cam straps, but have seen them in the store. Yes, they sure look slim compared to clunkier ratchets.
"I can toss the business end...without worrying about knocking out a window." LOL!!
I toss-slide over the rubberized hook non-business end, so no window worries here.
I'll check some out next time I'm along that tie down merchandise aisle.
Any cam lock failures? The only ratchet failure I've had was when my brother tied down my canoe, but wasn't careful of ratchet placement. Where he fastened it left the device impossible to unfasten. I had to cut it off. I always carry extras...and rope.
You know how I feel about the knot thing.

 

[Iskweo]

We pretty much always use ratchet straps. They are easy to use and never slip. I can get the perfect tension on them. And I am never in a hurry to get my boat tied down so I can rush off. That is one thing I always make sure I am happy with before I drive away. A lifetime of working with loads and cargo straps has taught me this.

A little technique, like Brad says, with sliding the hook over, makes sure you keep all of your windows.

I use cam straps on my packs, and trucker hitches with ropes to tie off the bow and sterns steadies when transporting canoes, but ratchet straps are what I like to use for securing the boats to the rack.

Oddly enough, we find that if you take the twists out of the straps that it stops humming.

Pool noodles...go figure. Great idea.

Christy

 

[Odyssey]

Oddly enough, we find that if you take the twists out of the straps that it stops humming.

Pool noodles...go figure.

Christy

De-hummed straps. Amazing.
The pool noodle was another internet nugget of knowledge I picked up somewhere. I cut a slot in them length-wise, and they slip snuggly over gunnels (and extension ladders). Many colours to choose from. It's my personal experience (and bias) that bright green ones are waaay better than pink ones.

 

[stripperguy]

I have a huge assortment of cam straps, but...I buy the nylon (or sometimes polypropylene) webbing and cam buckles separately, and sew my own custom lengths. They end up costing 40-50% of a premade strap, and sewing a bunch keeps me busy on winter evenings.
I also leave a strap attached to a thwart, to use as a drag or maybe for a tarp line.

 

[Alan Gage]

Dog leash is the other use I was thinking of but couldn't come up with! I hardly ever have a dog leash but there's always a cam strap in the car or pack that can be used if need be.

I've never had one fail nor have I heard of any failures, though I'm sure it's happened to someone. As far as I can see even if the little springs failed it should stay locked as long as there is tension on the strap. It's like a chinese finger trap. The harder the strap is pulled the harder it grips. Never had one slip whether wet, dry, dirty, or clean,

Alan

 

[Guest]

You know how I feel about the knot thing.

I take it you are not a knot guy? I am no master of knots and hitches, but I have learned to tie a few. Including the truckers hitch, which is about as simple as a hitch can be. It is simple enough that I have taught it to dozens of people in parking lots (and breakdown lanes on highways) struggling to tie or retie a load. Mattresses especially.

Where he fastened it left the device impossible to unfasten. I had to cut it off

Could be worse. I was fixing the front gate on a friend’s property and pulled the gate post back level with a come along. A come along that would, as I discovered, retract, but not release. I had to get a vehicle and towing cable and chain and pull the gate back far enough to get the come along free.

 

[Odyssey]

So Stripperguy, do you buy the webbing in rolls, and then you cut and sew to required length? Interesting. I thought webbing was webbing, and all the same. So now you have me questioning if different ones have differing properties of strength and stretch. You're blowing my mind in slow motion.
Alan, I can't see how this simple device and material could ever fail. I have heard though that cam locks have. I'd always suspected a human failure going on in those failure reports. Besides, I've used web belts before, and if they can hold up my pants, there's no end to what they can do.
Mike, I love knots. I just wish I could remember how to tie them. Kevin Callan has a short how-to video (which I can no longer find) in which he demonstrates the one handed truckers hitch for when you want to tie off your tarp, or impress the camping crowd. I did impress my kayak car topping sil last summer. He being an engineer geek, this made me feel like a magician. But I always hate it when someone asks "Where did you learn that?" I always want to answer "I made it up. Just now. I'm that smart." Anyway, I've successfully done the one handed party trick, and love it. It never fails to hold down my boat securely. It also never fails that I need to google it every summer, with the canoe already on the car and gear all loaded up, my Mrs' level of impressedness failing rapidly. That's why I skim through the animated knots towards the end of winter. I figure that if I can still tie my boots, I must be having a good day.

 

[sweeper]

sloride, the problem I see with your steapsin the OP is that you're doubling the knots if you use the straps over the canoe and then go to rope to secure it to the car. It would be better to find a sleeve to run the rope thorough or just go with straps.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Cam lock straps are by far the most popular around-the-hull (belly) attachments for canoes and kayaks everywhere I go.

Webbing is definitely not webbing, just as rope is not rope. You don't want nylon rope or webbing for car topping boats because nylon stretches when wet and is subject to mildew and rot. Most boating straps (and ropes) are made from polypropylene, which also floats. I like polyester straps even better.

Here's the webbing page from Strapworks, who will custom make any kind of strap you want:

http://www.strapworks.com/Webbing_Strapping_Narrow_Fabrics_s/20.htm