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I have a 2007 4-door Honda Civic, and I mean to carry my new kayak on the roof. I'm not using a roof rack and I intend on using pads and some heavy duty tie down latches.

I'm gonna be doing some highway driving and such and it occured to me I should probably, in addition to tying the kayak down in the middle, tie it down from the front and back for additional support. Does my car have these, and if it does, will it hold? Kayak is 60 pounds or so and it does get pretty windy here in Florida.

So again, some sort of tie down hooks in the front and back of my car?

Thanks.

 
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it doesn't fit in the trunk?



jk man yeah it does get pretty windy out hurr especially on those long stretches of highway with nothing but flatness around you. I carry surf/wake/snow boards on the roof of mine without a rack. We used towels or those big movers tarps (the cloth ones) and we used bungees and bungeed them across the middle (the short way) and hook them on to the oh **** handles. For the front and rear I imagine you can tie the ends to the rear tow hook and the front tow hooks. The rear tow hook is in the middle under the rear bumper and the fronts are under the front bumpers off to the sides. It should work. Where in Florida are you kayaking?

 
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I yak around melbourne on the east coast and in tampa mostly, so some highway driving is necessary. do you think it would be secure enough to just strap it tightly around the middle and not worry about the front and back.. I ask you cuz you have carried some stuff on your roof before.

and i'll be using those think foam blocks on the roof to transport.

 
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def tie it in the front.... unless you want the guy behind you sharing in the kayaking experience with you lol air is going to come up off the windshield and try and yank your 'yak upwards and backwards. Secure the front and rear to keep it in place. flip it upside down so the opening is facing the roof of the car and tie it down as tight as you can without breaking anything. If you can use cloth I'd recommend that instead since it fares better in the wet then foam, and doesn't slide around as much as foam, it's heavier. Also, it brings the bottom of the kayak closer to the roof. If you increase the space between the kayak and the roof, more wind is going to get inside the kayak and more pulling force is exerted on it. If you have a sedan, strap bungees around the kayak and to the rear oh **** handles, same in the front. If you have a coupe just use the front. But yeah, DEFINITELY tie the front and rears to the lowest point possible for highest possible tension

OH!! Almost forgot, if you can wrap the entire kayak in something it would be good too, don't want rock chips hitting that thing at 70 (that means 100 in florida) mph.

If kayaking is something your going to do regularly, you can go to a uhaul shop (or honda for twice as much) and have them put a hidden hitch on your sled so you can tow it next time.

 
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How long is the kayak? You can always drop the rear seats and have half of it sticking out the rear of the trunk? I see red necks do it all the time when they are moving carpet from one trailer to another one in their cavaliers....

 
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Sticking it out the trunk wouldn't work, its 12 feet 6 inches long. I asked this other guy and he told em same as you except he said face the kayak down. I guess I'll take it for a couple test runs, but believe me I'll be securing it best I can. Wish I could afford a bigger car.

 
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I see you live down in Gainesville. I used to go down there and do some kayaking fihsing from cedar key. I have friends who are going to school in gville, so whenever i stay with them i make sure ot head out.

 
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thought that's what i meant face it down. nah don't wish for a bigger car. You can worka round the kayak but working around a bigger car... now thats an expensive proposition. but glad you got it figured out, totally swing by gainesville sometime, I work at court of heros on 34th street anytime your in town visiting your friends yall should come on down and have a beer.

 
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Just so we're clear, do you think it would be best with the kayak seats facing the sky or the kayak seats facing the roof.

 
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the opening where you sit in the kayak HAS to be facing the roof or downwards.
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