Properly Strap Your Kayaks to a Car // DIY Hood Loops and Bow Lines

In this video, I create a DIY Hood Loop that allows you to properly secure and strap your kayak to the top of your vehicle. Not using Bow Lines is a really dangerous hazard on the road. Give the video a look, it is super easy!
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3" Locking Carabiner - amzn.to/3VQUC5K
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[@chrismccall3677]

Great video. Very detailed and informative. I am taking a road trip from Colorado to California and am bringing our kayaks. This is exactly the information I was looking for. Thank you.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Good stuff!!

[@bluesideup007]

Nice DIY mod. I'm lucky to have a Tacoma with an ARB bumper guard. (from Australia, and yes, I've had no kangaroo damage to date). I like to put two points of attachment on the front for each boat to stop lateral pivoting in a crosswind gust or semi-truck wash. Best to do this in the rear too, if at all possible. I use rope because it's more versatile and less expensive (but yes, you may have to learn a truckers hitch, which Pete already knows)

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on bluessideup!!

[@mattmccallum2879]

Holy cow!! You just totally read my mind!! I just picked up a Stratos 14.5L and wondered to myself as I was strapping it to the roof of my car, "what would River King Pete do?" (WWRKPD) Love it!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

LOL! Right on Matt!

[@WoodyJames]

I never did this with my 14ft, but my new racks I got a couple years ago came with bow/stern straps. I haven't been on my 14ft in a few years but now I know. I'm always learning something from you.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Woody!!

[@troybennington3479]

Come on baby… let’s do the twist! lol Seriously great ideas!

[@12STONESADVENTURES]

Very cool I like the hood strap idea. I have to slide my kayaks forward pretty far when towing the camper. I'm gonna make a set of these for the nanny goat. Thanks bro, great video!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Do it Billy! So easy and so much better!

[@blakeoutdoors92]

Very helpful thank you man.. and love your videos they give me inspiration to be more confident on the water thanks from Ontario Canada

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Blake! Thats what it is all about!

[@leitzke1985]

Thank you for sharing this information going to definitely do this with the truck!!!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on!

[@robertuffman3041]

great ideas

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Robert!

[@scromp]

I definitely had this negative experience early on. Thanks for spreading this knowledge!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

uh oh! Thanks!

[@scromp]

@@RiverKingsKayak It was actually not that long ago come to think of it, on the way back from the yadkin on one of those monkey outings. Not a big disaster, got lucky

[@RiverKingsKayak]

@@scromp oh wow!

[@Ricky.cason01]

Awesome idea Pete.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks Ricky!

[@fracturedhipster]

A fellow webbing hoarder 😁👍🏼 love the webbing loop hack. I had been using paracord, but your method seems much better. Great instructional , Pete!

[@jam7547]

aren't we all

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Larry!

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

Yeah, always tie the yak to the vehicle and not just the racks. I have a handy hole or two in the front of the skid plate.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I have a friend that was in a vehicle and the cross bars came right off! LOL Fortunately, not too much damage to the boats and no other damage...

[@gadgetman_nz4092]

@@RiverKingsKayak My wagon has threaded holes under weather strips on the roof. I will make some racks that bolt to the vehicle soon. Maybe add a roller to the back crossbar to make loading easier as the racks are at 2m from the ground and I'm not as tall (nor as young) as I used to be. Might as well weld on tie down points while I'm at it.

[@obeewanderlow-key4916]

At 5:38 I was like "oh no he forgot his ratchet under the hood!". Nah, the River King would not do that.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I was doing a couple takes on those bits and got lazy in between segments...I did, however, retrieve it when I wrapped up and before the drive...LOL. I saw it as well in editing and wondered if anyone else would notice...So many comments on that! LOL

[@jam7547]

looks like another great idea... T -7 days till first paddle stroke after 5 surgeries , looking forward but also tense. keep sharing you. great ideas

[@tubemansface]

Just a heads up Pete, when you go to look for your ratchet, it’s under the hood of your 4Runner.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

he he! good catch! I did a couple takes on that and I did retrieve it before wrapping up. I left it in there and wondered if anyone would catch that!

[@tubemansface]

lol love your videos man. Thanks for doing what you do

[@deangousse2113]

Great video! I got hit by a microburst on my way to the RK Members Trip last year, without bow and stern lines I would have been in a world of hurt. My preference is ratcheting ropes because of the webbing vibrations. And I transport different boats on multiple vehicles so I don’t cut the lines.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Dean!!

[@jasonjohnson3164]

Pete...my man....I wish you would've done this video a few years ago...could've saved by doing my own hood and trunk loops. 😂 Also I didn't know nor think about not doing strap to strap, otherwise wouldn't have been doing that 😅 Oh well, better late than never I'd say 😄

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Right on Jason!

[@jacobcastle2741]

Cool idea! What do you do if you have 2 boats? Do you run a 2nd stern line or do you just clip a second line to your other boat?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Second line.

[@ADVENTUREKM]

Some great tips and good ideas. Good to put flag on too. Now where is your ratchet? Lol

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Yes, always sport a flag. I didnt mention that, but it is on there. And for the ratchet, lol... I did a couple takes on that but retrieved it before I took off for the drive. I saw it still sitting there while I was editing and wondered if anyone would catch that!

[@ADVENTUREKM]

@@RiverKingsKayak lol you wouldn't be the first to do it!

[@joshck93]

Did you get your rachet from under the hood before you did the test drive?

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I did! LOL! I was doing a couple takes on that bit and just left it there in between. I did retrieve it. Yall dont miss anything!! Good Catch!

[@rmlv]

Nice 🤝

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Thanks rmlv!

[@stevemcconnellkayak]

“OCD like Alan Dail…” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@RiverKingsKayak]

Always the Easter eggs!! LOL

[@troybennington3479]

If you use several loops at different lengths… will they play a tune as you drive down the highway?🧐

[@RiverKingsKayak]

LOL!

[@RiverKingsKayak]

LOL!

[@Alan_Dail]

OCD like me huh? Looks like the pot calling the kettle black... but yeah

[@RiverKingsKayak]

LOL! Just checking to see if you were watching! LOL. I think we are much the same, but you are definitely a bit more organized!

[@beingaware8542]

Absolutely not. I've been carrying sea kayaks for 20 years and this bow and stern line argument is bunk. I will say this, a car that has roof racks that just pinch the car roof yes. To vehicles with built in roof racks such as outbacks no. Nothing even remotely wiggles with my 2 expedition kayaks ever. Ever. No bow or stern lines needed. Ever. The roof would have to rip off the damn outback. It aint happening. You just spend too much time with whitewater kayaks and never move sea kayaks.

[@RiverKingsKayak]

I think we will have to agree to disagree. I too have been moving kayaks for over 20 years. From canoes, to sea kayaks, to 6 whitewater kayaks at a time on a roof rack, to rafts, on trailers, on planes, all over this continent and beyond. I too have never had any issues with any kayaks large or small coming off the racks. However, I am fully aware of many many such instances of catastrophic failure spanning all brands of racks/cradles/straps etc and in those cases the bow and stern lines can save other motorists from fly-away kayaks. There is no rational argument that suggests that bow and stern lines will not help retain your kayaks in such an event. You are merely playing the odds that it wont happen to you. Do some research on kayak rack failures. It wont likely happen to you with good equipment and proper technique and I hope it never does. However, if it does happen to you and your fly-away kayak kills another motorist because you wanted to look cool on a youtube comment - well, you may just regret it. In any case, as your name suggests, be aware...

[@canajian]

👍