This video provides a step-by-step guide on how to use cam straps, ratchet straps, or retractable ratchet straps to secure a kayak or river raft. Cam straps are better for local trips and are suitable for long trips, while ratchet straps are good for long trips. It is crucial to avoid ratchet straps as they can exert excessive pressure and potentially damage the kayak. Instead, opt for cam buckle straps, which are 8 feet long and can be found at hardware stores, sports stores, or online. To secure the kayak, use bow and stern lines with a cam buckle or ratchet attached for easy tightening. Bow and stern lines can be found online or at your local store. Ratchet straps are strong, durable, and easy to use, making them the perfect choice for securing a kayak or river raft. The video also covers the dangers of ratchet straps and how to install them.
📹 Ratchet Straps vs. Cam Straps: Best Way To Secure Your Kayak To Your Car Or Truck
When transporting your kayak, it’s much better to use straps than ropes or bungees to secure it to your car or truck. It’s easier to …
📹 How To: Secure Kayaks in a Truck Using Ratchet Straps
This is how Jake straps his kayaks into the bed of his truck. There are probably many ways to do it so share your way below in the …
Although I do not fish (yet), I do like to go out in my canoe. However, the essential basics, such as: How a cam strap actually works, are not always easy to figure out for a non-technical person like me. Tough and capable guys tend to just ‘know’ how these things work, which often means the basics are not explained or mentioned in any instruction manuals. For instance, I might buy a new telephone, but the manual doesn’t tell me where the on/off button is, just to name an example. I am therefore very grateful to you for showing me something as simple as How To Pull The Strap Through The Teeth In A Cam Strap, in order to secure the canoe to something like a car or canoe carrier. So: THANK YOU! 🙂
* Caution * Many cam, or cam-buckle, straps slip when wet ! I loaded kayak on roof rack night before trip. It rained overnight. Good thing I checked straps before heading out the next morning. The straps appeared to be tight and secure but a (not too vigorous) few tugs and they slipped loose! I had to switch over to the “evil” ratchet straps.
I use ratchet straps. They are fine, just don’t overtighten. They do the same thing as cam straps, just they’re capable of tightening down wayyyyy tighter. So the solution to not ruin your kayak? Don’t overtighten! Simple as that. Put the same amount of force that you would with a cam strap and it works just fine and won’t damage your kayak. For delicate lightweight materials, definitely go with cam straps to avoid the risk of overtightening. But if you just have a standard plastic kayak, it’s fine to use ratchet straps. In either case, you should ALWAYS have bow and stern lines tied down to make sure if anything slips, then you have something to catch the kayak from flying off the roof onto the road or another car, so you can safely pull over and resecure the load.
No!! You DO NOT need ratchet straps on long road trips either!! I just drove 1,000+ miles each way with my 90+ pound Hobie kayak on side rails above a tonneau cover, using 2 cam straps and some paracord as bow and stern lines. (See how I did this with my kayak on top of my tonneau cover on my website). Ratchet straps would have definitely damaged the kayak.