Roof Rack Safety

[Starvinmarvin]

With the recent disaster that befell Darnsarf thought it might be time to suggest to everyone to check their bars before each trip.

 

I use Thule racks and have done for years, they can vibrate loose, so give them a tighten and a good tug before and after loading your pride and joy as the extra weight may shift them slightly.

 

Also worth thinking about is the amount of pressure your putting on your rack and straps when driving loaded at speed.

 

If your rack is looking old and ragged and your unable to purchase a new one, tie a line from the kayaks bow to the front of the car, it may give you more time to stop if anything goes wrong.

 

SM

[Starvinmarvin]

Mike,

 

Can you not get the hire company to fit a roof rack as part of the package, many will, the only other alternative would be the inflatable type of bars, but not sure I would want to risk it with a hire care, just in case you end up with a pair of dents in the roof!

 

Speciman has one of the inflatable types, might be able to get it from Bournemouth Canoes.

 

Ebro Delta you lucky blighter, how long you going for? £17 marvellous.

 

SM

[SpeciMan]

"Speciman has one of the inflatable types, might be able to get it from Bournemouth Canoes."

 

The ones I used are not inflatable, instead they use foam blocks covered by thick nylon similar to these.

 

As a backup roofrack they're not bad although for a kayak I think you will need the double version designed to take multiple surfboards (the foam blocks covered by thick nylon extend across both sides of the roof on the double version). With mine I had to put a thick rubber mat under the foam bars to stop the eyelets from the yak touching the roof. For sheer convenience they work well but only as a shorterm solution (when it rains water can enter the vehicle as travels through the straps which go under the door seals). After buying a hard roof rack I decided to keep the softrack as a backup.

[SpeciMan]

For a short distance it will be fine. I used mine last year on the 5-6hour trip to Wales for the tope meet. I wouldn't go much over 60mph though as you may generate some lift under the kayak!

 

I don't mind if you borrow it for your trip. If you're interested let me know and I'll send it over before you leave.

Edited January 25, 2006 by SpeciMan

[Starvinmarvin]

You were doing more than 60 mph when you went past me

 

SM

[Starvinmarvin]

Mike, I'm green with envy, looks like paradise and not to far from home.

 

I expect your busy tying for the trip.

 

SM

[darnsarf]

Feel slightly qualified to comment on this.

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. The cause of the accident wasnt straps ( I was using a ratchet strap which is still intact) or loose fittings. The yak was lost due to a cast alluminium socket that held the cross member to the side rail failing. This is apparantly making the insurers look to Chrysler Jeep for compensation as in their words "you were not responsible for the failure". MMMM I see this being quite a drawn out affair. An assessor is to inspect the fitting.

 

Basically the failure could not have been prevented or detected beforehand. So the only way the damage could have been limited was to have a second tie down system independent of the first and attaching to the front bumper and rear towbar. I'll be doing that next time. This would have probably led to the yak being damaged but may not have involved a 3rd party. Tension would have been lost when the rail failed but the yak would have probably just fell off the side and towed for a short distance, damaging the Jeep and probably the yak. But there would have been little threat to life which at the end of the day, as much as I mourn Yaraks loss, is the most important thing.

 

So lesson learnt. Use a 2nd tie down independent of the first and anchor to different points and it might just save you a whole load of carp.

[OKreally]

On the roof rack question I'm interested to learn that it was a Chrysler roof-rack failure. I had a very nasty incident which could have been a lot worse when the fitting failed on my Chrysler Voyager depositing two canoes in to the outside lane of the dual-carriageway on the A12 late one night. Fortunately no one was hurt but it's dry throat stuff to think what could have happened.

 

I contacted Chrysler UK & told them that I'd carried boats, windsurfers etc on roof-racks for upwards of 500k miles & never had problems & suggested a weakness - they replied we've produced 5 milliion Voyagers with no problem....your move! The insurance paid up for the damage to the car that hit one of the boats that was fortunately at ground level but I concur with the advice on insurance - check the small print. Many household policies cover sports goods BUT only when they are on your premises.I'm not a fan of the BCU (British Canoe Union) but they do a good policy which also has the benefit of giving a license to use inland waterways where use of the water is conditional on having sufficient insurance.

 

My own feeling on 'soft' racks is that they are purely for the purpose outlined above. Short distances at low speed - usually on a hire car. I would also go belt & braces & put a rope to both front & rear bumpers...don't forget to wrap a rag around the rope where it rubs against the paintwork on the bonnet etc. I've used Thule racks most of my boating/working life & found them excellent. On my current car (A6 saloon) they do allow water past the door seals when it rains hard so I always take it off when not in use. I have the aerodynamic bars which make a little less wind noise & cut down the excess fuel consumption a little but probably aren't worth the extra few pounds.

 

Sorry to hear about the Scupper Pro, Darnsarf, but if my experience can help in any way with your claim let me know?

 

Regards

 

 

 

Feel slightly qualified to comment on this.

 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. The cause of the accident wasnt straps ( I was using a ratchet strap which is still intact) or loose fittings. The yak was lost due to a cast alluminium socket that held the cross member to the side rail failing. This is apparantly making the insurers look to Chrysler Jeep for compensation as in their words "you were not responsible for the failure". MMMM I see this being quite a drawn out affair. An assessor is to inspect the fitting.

 

Basically the failure could not have been prevented or detected beforehand. So the only way the damage could have been limited was to have a second tie down system independent of the first and attaching to the front bumper and rear towbar. I'll be doing that next time. This would have probably led to the yak being damaged but may not have involved a 3rd party. Tension would have been lost when the rail failed but the yak would have probably just fell off the side and towed for a short distance, damaging the Jeep and probably the yak. But there would have been little threat to life which at the end of the day, as much as I mourn Yaraks loss, is the most important thing.

 

So lesson learnt. Use a 2nd tie down independent of the first and anchor to different points and it might just save you a whole load of carp.

[Starvinmarvin]

When Renault first brought out the Scenic they found a fault with their roof bar system, all were recalled and replaced, no idea what the problem was but it was dealt with immediately and professionally.

 

SM

[Starvinmarvin]

Well that seems a good enough reason to me, now I'm really jealous

 

Artfulfisher and I were on a small beach in South Wales a couple of years ago with the kids, the bait fish were running just as in the video, the Scad and Mackeral were chasing them up the beach, we chucked some feathers on the beachcasters and my kids spinning rods and away we went, great sport for the kids at 4 and 5 years old, and a bit of fun for the old men as well. Wish we had taken the fly rods.

 

SM