Hood strap failure

[Gamma1214]

I recently repaired a sit-on-top 'yak for my Dr. because he'd lost it off his truck & it hit pavement around 30 mph (split it like a pumpkin about 10 inches long). I lent him my tandem sawyer to fish from during repairs and he happened to lift my Raven which is considerably lighter than his 'yak. (I've yet to christen it so there was no way he was taking that) We may soon have another convert... maybe some boats are better left loose in the truck bed.

 

[Tsuga8]

I've used tubular webbing in my Subarus for many years. never noticed any degradation of the loops. There happens to be a very convenient bolt placed just right under the hood.

Under the hood of my Subaru Wilderness Forester:

View attachment 147916

I had to look under my hood to get oriented with this pic. I opted for a bolt in the frame along the side of the engine compartment, much closer to the hydraulics that lift the hood. My thinking was that having the anchor behind, or in line with, the bow limits motion better. Before the hood loops, I tied to the frame under the front of the bumper, but it seemed like if the rack failed that's a lot of travel allowed by the bow lines. So I went for the bolts that provided the shortest distance to the bow.

 

[yknpdlr]

I feel confident with my roof top system, mainly due to the widely spaced Thule crossbars and the gunwale blocks holding the canoe firmly in place. I traveled from the Adirondacks to Whitehorse from Dawson City back home again, carrying a carbon C4 (with the addition of a rear hitch tie-down support). It remained secure even in strong crosswinds and wild truck caused turbulence wind in the Canadian plains.

 

[scoutergriz]

I had to look under my hood to get oriented with this pic. I opted for a bolt in the frame along the side of the engine compartment, much closer to the hydraulics that lift the hood. My thinking was that having the anchor behind, or in line with, the bow limits motion better. Before the hood loops, I tied to the frame under the front of the bumper, but it seemed like if the rack failed that's a lot of travel allowed by the bow lines. So I went for the bolts that provided the shortest distance to the bow.

I drive a truck with a cap which necessitates having my canoe farther back than I like- I added loops right at the hinge point for the bow and anchor my rear straps between the rear seat frame and bumper, It's not ideal but it does keep my straps nearly vertical so even if I do have to stop suddenly there's no way that the canoe can slide forward as all straps are already at their shortest point- it does mean that I have to hang a flag on the stern cap though, I don't want to be responsible for any concussions

 

[Tsuga8]

@yknpdlr Well, a C4 crossing the plains is a pretty good test of a tie-down system!

I didn't mean to imply your system was inferior or anything...just thinking through my own decision-making and looking for opportunities to compare, contrast, and learn.

At the end of the day most systems work most of the time. I've been amazed and appalled at some of the bungee-cord and shoestring ways people find to 'attach' boats to their car roof and still seem to make it down the highway...but I'm confident those situations will fail more often, even if the overall failure rate is still low. I always try to imagine points of failure so I can address them, within reason.