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.

 

[Steve in Idaho]

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

The 4 door cab on my truck is so long, there's no practical way to use hood loops with any of my canoes - none of them being over 17' long. The bars mounted to the cap are spaced pretty far apart and anchored well, but I wanted some kind of failsafe. So I mounted a third bar to the cab. Work's out well, since the cap is higher than the cab - but it does introduce some wind noise.

 

[yknpdlr]

Charlie Wilson has been heard several times saying that a stern tie down is not normally needed unless you are in the habit of speeding in reverse 70mph down the highway. I don't usually think I need a rear tie-down, except when I carry a C4 or voyageur long boat.

 

[Gamma1214]

Charlie Wilson has been heard several times saying that a stern tie down is not normally needed unless you are in the habit of speeding in reverse...

I'll agree with that. Prior to joining this site, as I was just starting to plan, I drove to New York state (I think Buffalo area but I'm not sure. I know I crossed the Erie Canal) to pick up the tandem Sawyer that I would eventually take on my trip to the BWCA. I wrapped the cross bars of the roof racks with towels before stretching bungee cords (I know... the horror...) across the hull; 2 in the front and 1 in the rear.

The bungees weren't terribly new and probably weren't the best quality when they were new so, at my next fuel stop, I noticed that 2 of them had broken and the canoe was held entirely by 1 front strap. Needless to say, I drove slowly to the nearest hardware store to buy paracord.

I have no idea why I chose to put 2 on the front or how many miles it rode up there with just one strap but I don't mess around when driving and I didn't notice it flopping around up there.

(Today, I tie with paracord but I still use 2 separate pieces for the front and 1 for the rear)

 

[Boatman53]

At least you checked Gamma, some people don’t even think to check. I go by the 1-10-100 rule when I’ve got something on the roof or tied to a trailer. I stop after a mile or so and check the load, then ten miles for another check then everything gets checked every time I stop for whatever reason.
Jim

 

[scoutergriz]

Charlie Wilson has been heard several times saying that a stern tie down is not normally needed unless you are in the habit of speeding in reverse 70mph down the highway. I don't usually think I need a rear tie-down, except when I carry a C4 or voyageur long boat.

the rear tie down is not for when backing up, it's for sudden stops when going forward. Without that rear strap you have absolutely nothing to stop that canoe from continuing to slide forward when your vehicle stops, that strap fights the forward momentum of the canoe- it's called the law of conservation of motion- people have been maimed or killed when a boat has slid under the straps, hitting the vehicle in front, and far more people have had their hood and windshield damaged when that boat crashes down. I've seen people get charged with "unsafe load" without that rear strap

 

[yknpdlr]

Make that argument to Charlie Wilson, not me. Two sets of gunwale stops properly firmly placed both in front of and behind the widest mid-point of most canoes positively prevents the canoe from sliding or twisting not only side to side, but also neither forward nor rearward. Properly tightened (and frequently checked) web cam straps assist as well.

A 23' C4 being transported on the way from NY to Whitehorse. Not my canoe, so I was extra careful. Count em, six webbing cam straps plus Thule bar gunwale stops, mainly to counter strong Canadian plains crosswinds and passing truck turbulence. That C4 was not going to shift in any way, short of the car being totaled. Closer to home, two firm straps, plus bow tie down and gunwale stops suffice on smaller canoes. I've never been quesstioned by LE

 

[tketcham]

To reduce the risk of a canoe sliding forward in a hard stop I made some "hood" loops that fit under our hatchback door and use a NRS strap to loop around both sides of the canoe seat and through the rear "hood" loop. Creates a nice compact triangle that should also help with side-to-side drift if the canoe straps or rack fails.

 

[Black_Fly]

On my trailer, I add a rubber strap as a secondary measure. I feel like the trailer is more secure than the car top. Too many connections, opportunities for failure up there. Going to replace my hood straps this year. You got me thinking.

 

[Gamma1214]

On my trailer, I add a rubber strap as a secondary measure.

Although I don't do it, I've often thought this was a good idea. A rubber bungee does have the advantage of automatically (and immediately) taking up slack should the canoe loosen by shifting and I've found that I can usually get a little tighter when I first check a mile or so from home. A fresh bungee (probably just on the front ) couldn't hurt.

Especially if treated like a moped or kayak paddle and you try to make sure nobody sees you use it. (sorry, that dig was just too easy)