Transporting your Kayak properly

When you decide to enter the doors of a kayak shop, the question that most often determines the choice of boat is: “How do I transport the boat easily?’ In fact you turn rapidly towards compact boats so as to put it in the boot of your people carrier, in the caravan, or on your car roof.

You should know that you are ignoring boats, which, above 4 m, would buy you real sliding sensation, without effort and that will bring you escape and discovery. Do not worry, no boat is untransportable. It does not need a special trailer, nor complex paraphernalia to transport any of the kayaks and leisure canoes on the market. Even the car type is not a brake because most city cars get a little stouter each year.

One point about current legislation: Do not protrude beyond the front of the vehicle, for more than a metre behind a simple red reflector system is enough. Do not exceed 3 metres. For fixing, your will need roof bars suitable for your vehicle, most allow at least a 70 kg load which is generally sufficient. Use attachment straps with lengths corresponding to either a kayak or a canoe (see accessories in the product pages).

Position the kayak with the load distributed over the bars so that the boat is balanced. Pass the strap under the bar in the centre of the vehicle and take the two ends to the outside by wrapping them round the kayak.

The tightening buckle strap must be positioned at the kayak side height to have a good grip. The free strand must make a dead turn around the roof bar and go back into the buckle to be tightened.

Then roll up the strap from the buckle around the roof bar so that it does not flutter in the wind and make a noise on the bodywork. Repeat the operation for the other bar.

If you are making a long journey, you can attach the bow and stern of the kayak to the towing hooks situated under the bumpers.

Do not hesitate to check after about twenty kilometres, that your boat has not moved and that your kayak is well lashed down. There are canoe or kayak cradles (depending on boat type) that can be adjusted to suit your kayak. This holds the boat even better  (see accessories in the product pages). 

Now you are ready to go!