Tying down 2 KAYAKS with a Yakima Stacker

Tying down a KAYAK – Wow! I really am a newbie!

The SKINNY.. Ok so I have 1 Malibu mini X ….. I’m picking up another Ocean Kayak Drifter…

So I go out last night and buy a Yakima Stacker… Not the best choice im sure but affordable…

I own a X5 so the racks are high…… ok I got 3 people to help load these and tie down….

Questions:

1)   Do I need to tie down the fronts and backs of the ocean kayaks? Can I just use nylon rope to do?
2)   Should I stack them on top of each other or one on each side of the stacker?
3)   Any additional great advise or wisdom is most appreciated!

Wish me luck and I’m going to shoot for fishing Devils lake tomorrow….!

Thanks guys!

I've used the stackers for years. They're not ideal for longer boats, but if you tie things down properly, you should be fine.

1. I would highly recommend bow & stern tiedowns. They do help keep the load from shifting, but more importantly, they give you an instant visual if something is happening up on the roof. If I'm hauling multiple boats, I typically run cam straps through the bow & stern grab loops, and snug the boats together. I then run bow/stern tiedowns from those straps down to the frame tow anchors. You don't want to snug the straps down too much, or you risk warping the boats. I usually put just enough tension to keep them from flapping around.

2. I've never been a fan of stacking them on top of each other, since you can warp the hulls pretty easily strapping them to the crossbars. The boat's sidewalls are much stronger. I'd go with one on either side, or spooning both boats on one side.

3. Check your towers, crossbars, and attachments often, they will loosen up from time to time. Also check your straps from time to time while driving around (gas stops, food stops, etc). The more rounded the sidewalls of your boat, the more they seem to creep along the bars, and what's upright when you left is now angling or sitting flat. I've also found wrapping your cam straps around the crossbar an extra time or two before tightening down helps stop the creep. Also remember your vehicle's taller. I've had some close calls with garages, bridges, and drive-thrus.

Have fun!
Brian

Bow And Stern tie downs are a must.  If your Rack comes loose with your kayaks only strapped to them, you'll just keep driving while the Rack and Kayaks fly off your rig and hit the person behind you.  Think of it like a Triangle of security.  Your Rack is secured to the car, your Kayak is secured to your Rack, and your Kayak is secured to your Rig.  Without Bow and Stern, you only need one thing to fail (rack to Kayak, or rack to Car), with them you need two failures to happen (rack to car and kayak to car, or kayak to car and kayak to rack).

I check whenever I stop for anything.  It's customary to stop and check any exterior load after about 10-20 miles, as the load will shift.  The first time I hauled mine any length, I checked after 10 minutes, again at an hour when I stopped for gas, and an hour or two later when I stopped for food. (8 hour total drive to get it home.)

You can use rope if you want to fiddle with proper load bearing knots.  Tie Down Straps work best in my opinion.  Easier to take off and put on.  I use ratcheting endless ones that I picked up from Fred Meyer for $7 (currently buy 2 get one free on all tie downs there).  I also have two non-ratcheting endless straps that I don't use anymore.  I don't like the ones with hooks, but those would probably be easier for bow and stern tie downs.

Also, if you use bow and stern lines, you don't need to crank down on the side straps.  You want everything to be tight enough, but not too tight.

-Allen

Thanks guys! I have am going to sell the stackers i bought. Just dropped money on 2 Hullraiser J's to flip the bill. I just couldn't get the stackers set right. So hopefullly the j's will be perfect!

Thank you all once again!

Scott

good luck with the new J's..

bow and stern lines.. as pole and Yar and Z will tell ya, i've been using ratchet straps...work ok, but if the front one goes wonky, i'll lose my windshield.

i think the better bet is what i saw pole using at drano... basically the "rope ratchet' system you can pick up for a lot less than a ratchet strap. holds just as good, is easier to attach, and might only chip your window instead of coming thru it.

one thing tho; with my front and rear toggles being part of a bungee system, will too much stress on them from cinching bow and stern tight cause excessive stretch in the bungee way too early in it's life? i mean, i know i've have to replace the things some day, just curious about the normal life span of them is all

Skip the ratchets, go with a 15' section of abrasion resistant rope and a truckers hitch not.  You can get a 2 to 1 mechanical advantage using a truckers hitch, tighter than you will get with cam straps or the ratcheting tie downs (so tight a friend of mine once cracked a fiberglass canoe by accident.)

Attach one end of your rope to the bow loops on you kayaks, loop it down through the bumper of your vehicle on one side, then across to the other side of the bumper, then up to the bow line again (basically forming a triangle with the rope).  Pull the tag end through and down.  Now form a loop for a trucker's hitch in the main line between the bumper and the kayaks.  Run the tag through it, and lift until you have the line as taught as you like it, then use your thumb to keep the tag end from slipping in the loop and cinch it down tight with a couple of overhand knots. 

It is easy to untie, and only takes a couple minutes to rig up.  Costs whatever you want to spend on rope (when I did this with canoes, I used 1/4 climbers rope).  No ratchets or buckles to worry about coming through the windshield.

This image kinda shows how to tie it, though the loop they show in the mainline is a bad idea (impossible to untie):

The trucker's hitch is a great knot to know. As for the impossible to tie loop in the mainline, you can replace the loop they show with an alpine butterfly knot which remains fairly easy to untie even after having been under load.

http://www.animatedknots.com/alpinebutterfly/index.php

Brian

I like to think I'm pretty good with knots and tying things down, but I get a bit lazy and just use the Thule ratchet thingy for bow/stern lines.  I never worry about it coming lose and going though the windshield (it never has for me nor have I heard of anyone having problems with it).

-Allen

guys, all great ways..very interesting regarding the truckers hitch around the boat like that... would never have thot of somethign along those lines... my point was, when i use a ratchet strap on the front, i end up with the ratcheting buckle dead center in the window and dead center over the hood... if the upper end gives, it'll probably drop onto the hood then fall off under the front of the truck and into the running gear [ yuk! had that happen with barb wire in the army and a hummer.. no fun]

what am really worried about is the lower end popping loose from where i loop it around the swaybar in the front end.. if that happens, for sure i'm getting a 2lb chunk of metal and nylon thru my glass.... which is why i was so revved up about the bow and stern tie downs that pole has for his rig.. so much simpler and quicker, and way less mass to velocitize in a bad situation..

and thanx for giving me more ideas on tying down at both ends...

btw, for those of you who have a high profile vehicle like i do, and basically car top, this may be a good alternative to lifting it all the way up every time you want to load;


http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/subpages/Tonn-O-Rac.htm

later

I haven't needed bow and stern lines yet, as I've just used the back of my pickup.  However, I will need to use them at some point.  I figured I'd just use my preference, the 12' endless ratcheting tie down, red, from Fred Meyers for $6.  1000lbs capacity.  They're easy to put on and take off, and there wouldn't be anything flopping around, except by the bumper.

The Thule one, at a whopping $27 at Amazon.com (see link below), seems a bit overkill.  Even if it's 2 included, that's $55 for 4 straps for two kayaks that I'd need.  Rather expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Thule-855-Quick-Stern-Rachets/dp/B0002XP8DO

Ok but what about the tie downs that come with the J's it also comes with a bow and stern included by yakima..... Are these not good?

Those are the tie downs I'm currently using, and they work great for me. Remember, whether you're using ratcheting straps, cam buckles, or rope, you don't want to snug the straps down too much, or you risk warping the boats. I usually put just enough tension to keep them from flapping around.

Ok but what about the tie downs that come with the J's it also comes with a bow and stern included by yakima..... Are these not good?

Remember, whether you're using ratcheting straps, cam buckles, or rope, you don't want to snug the straps down too much, or you risk warping the boats. I usually put just enough tension to keep them from flapping around.

Words of wisdom there which apply to both bow/stern lines and cross straps.  I go as far as to loosen all straps when the kayak is just sitting on my car, like if I load up the night before or am out camping.   But don't forget tighten them down before you leave. 

-Allen

The Thule one, at a whopping $27 at Amazon.com (see link below), seems a bit overkill.  Even if it's 2 included, that's $55 for 4 straps for two kayaks that I'd need.  Rather expensive.

http://www.amazon.com/Thule-855-Quick-Stern-Rachets/dp/B0002XP8DO

OOWWCCHHH.. yeah that is way too much... rope ratchet, anyone?