How to strap a kayak to a roof rack?

Lots of people face this challenge, and in order to overcome it, what they - and you - need is a guide like this. Here I will show you how to transport a kayak strapped to the roof of your car in a way that is safe for you, your family, your car and your kayak.

You will learn how to properly carry the kayak before strapping it, how to put it on top of your vehicle and finally how to strap it to your rack. I will try and explain all carefully since I saw many people having trouble with it, even trying to strap the kayak in wrong ways.

What you will need

First off, are you already aware of everything you need in order to strap your kayak to your rack? In case not, let's make a list to clear things out.

1 - Transverse bars: cross bars go through the roof of your vehicle. Most crossbars connect to factory-installed bars that work from the front to the rear of the car, but this depends on the type of vehicle. There are also crossbars that go in the pick-up bed.

2 - Rack: Specific kayak rack systems that attach to the crossbars and support the boat in a J or V shape are safer.

3 - Pads for the rack: for more safety, you can get pads which will get wrapped in the rack.

4 - Nylon tie-down straps: these are easy and quick to use and will keep your kayak strapped tight and safe. In the internet you can find straps which are made specifically for strapping kayaks. You will need two of them of at least 12 feet long each one.

5 - Bow and stern lines: you can use a nonstretch, water-resistant rope (rope will vibrate less than nylon webbing), but special ratcheting lines make the job quick and easy. You usually need one line for the bow and one for the stern, though this can vary based on the length of your boat and your vehicle.

6 - A friend or family member: if you someone to help you with the task, it will be easier. But if you will do this only by yourself, don't worry, it can be done nonetheless.

Now that it's clear what is needed in order to strap the kayak to the roof rack, let's get our hands to the work. If you follow the steps below you should be fine.

1 - Lifting the kayak

With the help of a friend or family member, lift the kayak up to the roof of the vehicle. Let's split this section into two to make everything as clear as possible.

1.1 - If you are going to lift the kayak without other person's help, there are three main ways to do that:

• Lift system: some roof racks come with an integrated lift system. They slide to the side of the car and back to the top. You just need to place the kayak on the rack when it is on the side of the car and then lift it to the roof.

• Rolling wheels: instead of lift system, some racks have rolling wheels. You simply set the bow of the boat into the rear rack cradle, pick up the stern end and roll the kayak forward into the front cradle.

• Towel or blanket: if you already have a roof rack and it doesn't have any of the integrated systems listed above, you can use a low-tech, low-budget option which is placing a towel or blanket on top of the rear of your vehicle and then setting the bow of the boat on the towel or blanket. Pick up the stern and push the boat up and forward onto the rack.

1.2 - If you have someone's help, here's the step by step on how to lift the kayak and put it onto the roof:

• Each person holds an end of the kayak and position it at the side of the vehicle, paying attention to the bow as it should be toward the front of the car.

• Grab the kayak at each end by the hull (not the grab handlers) and lift it overhead. Be sure to use the strength of your legs and not your back!

• Once the kayak is overhead, place it directly above the rack, and set it down gently on the rack. The proper position will depend on the type of rack you have.

2 - Strapping the kayak to the roof rack

Once you were able to put the kayak on your roof rack, let's get it properly tied down. First you have to center the kayak on the roof between the bars. In the most basic of moorings, a kayak must be attached to the rack (which in turn must have each of its rods attached to one of the vehicle's bumpers) by a strap that starts from an end of one of the rods of the rack, goes over the kayak, goes down and passes under the opposite end of the rod, goes up and back over the kayak, to finish the mooring at the end of the rod from which it started. On the other rod, the process must be repeated. It is worth stressing that the ideal is that the basic moorings are started and ended at the ends of the rods that are not on the driver's side of the vehicle.

Some pro tips for strapping the kayak:

• You really don't need to knot anything at all. Keep it simple and you are fine.

• If you are short or have a tall vehicle, having a small stepladder will help you every time!

• You can buy locking straps which can only be opened with a key. That can make a difference if you ever need to step away from the car and only return a few minutes later.

• If you don't have or don't wanna buy straps and bow and stern lines, you can use rope. But if you do, make sure the rope you have is nonstretch and water-resistant. Also be able to tie a trucker's hitch.

• After about 15 minutes of driving, you might wanna check if the kayak is firmly strapped even on the road. Give it a tug to make sure. If you need to, tighten up the straps as they can loosen up while driving.

I hope this guide was helpful and easy to follow. I really did the best I could to deliver a full yet short guide for you who wants to get on the road with a kayak. I needed to make sure nothing got left out as this hobby is one I am very passionate about and I care about everyone's safety. Although, if you wanna suggest anything, let me know your thoughts and comment below!