Know How
NOT BE YOUR CANOE. PHOTOS: KAYDI PYETTE
IT’S A BIRD, IT’S A PLANE… IT BETTER
[ CAMPCRAFT ]
Tie Down Essentials
THE DEFINITIVE WAY TO KEEP YOUR CANOE FROM BECOMING AIRBORNE
Securing your canoe to your vehicle is an essential skill. Learning the proper way to do it will help you get out on the water with- out doing damage to your car or your boat. Once you’ve placed your canoe on the roof
racks, center it lengthwise. Take a peek from the driver’s seat to ensure the view through the windshield is not obscured. On wide SUVs, the boat can sit closer to one side of the vehicle so it’s easier to tie down. Howev- er, make sure the canoe is pointed straight ahead, as a crooked boat will catch the wind as you drive. Always secure your boat to the rack as
soon as it’s loaded—an untied canoe is at risk of being damaged or causing injury if the wind picks up or someone drives away without noticing it’s loose. Feed your first cam strap under the front
roof rack on the side of the boat closest to the driver. [1] Next, loop both ends over top of
the canoe—without twisting the
straps—to be secured above the front pas- senger door. Tying the straps on the passen- ger’s side means if you need to pull over to make adjustments, you can do so standing on the side of your car furthest from on- coming traffic. Adjust the straps so that the cam buckle
is resting midway up the canoe’s hull. [2] Feed the free end through the back of the cam and [3] pull down hard to tighten the boat to the rack. [4] Tie a half hitch under the cam to prevent it from slipping. Move to the back of your vehicle and gen-
tly push the canoe forward to snug it even further into the strap you’ve just tied. Then repeat the tie down process on the back bar. When both straps are secure, [5] grab a
gunwale and give the canoe a shake—if the boat moves side to side the straps need to be tightened further. Next, [6] secure the loose end of the straps
by wrapping them around a roof rack bar or the canoe’s thwart and tying them off [7]; this keeps the ends from flapping in the wind as you drive. If you’re driving farther than your local put-in, secure the bow and stern of your
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canoe for extra safety. To make a bow-line, tie a rope or parachute cord to a secure point under your front bumper, then run it through the canoe’s grab loop and back down to the opposite side of the bumper. [8] Use a trucker’s hitch to tighten the line and tie it off with several half hitches. Do the same for the stern. There’s no need to yank down on the
bow and stern lines, it’s the straps over the hull that are securing your canoe; the bow
and stern lines are just there for backup in case something goes wrong with one of your cam straps. Be aware: Straps and rope may stretch
when wet—if you’re driving in the rain, it’s worth periodically checking that your straps are still sufficiently tight to ensure your canoe is secure. —Emma Drudge
jDIGITAL EXTRA: Click here to watch how to tie down a canoe.
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