Traveling with Kayaks

[RomanLA]

This weekend will be my first time doing a multi-day kayak trip in the heat. I'm planning to loosen my straps when I'm parked for any length of time. Anything else I should consider doing to protect my boats (the boats will be sitting on their sides)? Thanks!

[Eric Esche]

If you haven't done it in the last 3 months, you might consider giveing the boats a coat of DuPont 303 or Armorall for UV protection and slickyness. Making the outside of your boat slicker might not help your skill level, but it does seem to cut down on the number of bugs that stick to it at highway speeds.

Having a padded chain or cable and padlock at night when you loosen those tiedowns isn't a bad idea either. Old bicycle inner tube makes a good padded cover for a cable or chain.

Some state patrol persons seem to like to see a flag of some type hanging off of the back most portion of a boat, whether or not their state laws require one or not. Never been stopped for having one. Have had friends who have been stopped for NOT having one.

Have a safe trip.

Eric

[RomanLA]

I'm all loaded up and they're locked down. I'll try to remember to pick up some Armor All (I have 303 but it's expensive! lol). Thanks Eric!

[Cowper]

If your kayaks are all typical WW models, you should be able to leave the straps tight without much worrry. The probability of having a problem because you forgot to retighten the straps outweighs the probability of causing damage from the straps, in my opinion. They don't have to be "gorilla tight" to hold the boats on.

I'm sure there are other situations; maybe sea kayaks carried "hull down" for example, where loosening is a good idea. Even there I think the straps wouldn't need to be loosened much; it would be the end tie down ropes that I would see as your potential trouble-makers.

[RomanLA]

Yeah...done a little driving with loose straps before...gotta love the warm fuzzy of having them through the bars on a ww kayak though...that and having them locked to my roof rack. lol I HATE carrying my touring kayak on long trips. I always have to stop several times to tighten down the straps and the evil end tie down ropes. Thanks Cowper!

[Scott]

This is a little off topic but you might want to make sure your property is ready for Gustov since you will be out of town. Wouldn't want ya to get back to town to find that you had a Category 2 or 3 hurricane hit when you didn't prepair for it.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Crane]

When you're doing your 303 or Armor All wipe down, do NOT wipe down the combing around the cockpit. One of our more esteemed members once did, much to his chagrin when his spray-skirt wouldn't stay on his boat... mid-way down the Ocoee!!