I strap no small amount of $$$ to my roof, and would be devo if they flew off, so I tend to give the tie-downs a bit of 'downhaul'.

They get a fair amount of tension so they can handle 140kph (hypothetically *ahem*) down the freeway.

Suspect that might not be awesome for my boards, but they won't fit inside the cabin. Am I damaging them in someway? What do you do?

As long as you only hand tighten the straps and don't have the buckles where they could press on the edge of the board the board should be OK.
Don't use a ratchet style of tightener. They can crush boards.

MartinF2 said..
Use these: www.kanulock.com/

Soft and wide. Also lockable so someone can't steal your gear. Best straps ever. Also put foam underneath board on top of racks as suggested above.
Cheers
Marty

You can buy split pool noodle type stuff at Clark Rubber. They can be put on over your racks and will be better to tie onto. Just make sure you take them off when they aren't in use as they can blow off..

Okay, so maybe I won't lock 'em down so hard. They've already got some padding - both boards in bags, and the top of my racks have rubber grip. But I'll look for a touch more padding as suggested.

Where I sail theft ain't a problem, so I don't need locks, just something I can trust, and simple/quick to operate. I've have owned a series of the FCS' for a good ten years - super happy with them.

Wide, strong straps and a real easy locking mechanism that has no moving parts to break. Rock solid. They're not ratchet, but if I put my weight behind it, I can get a lot of tension.

http://www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/showProduct/Racks/Tie+Downs/399122/FCS+Premium+Tie+Down+Straps

Mort67 said...

MartinF2 said..
Use these: www.kanulock.com/
Soft and wide. Also lockable so someone can't steal your gear.

I'd be guessing that a stanley knife would bypass the best lock and would be the weapon of choice for scumbags. Locks will only keep honest people out.

I don't think a Stanley knife would cut through the kanu lock straps. Pretty sure it has metal threads through the straps.

I find over 180km ph its best to leave the fin on for directional stability

Kanulocks are a very good investment. I've had mine for a couple of years now. They have 2 s/steel cables that run through them and although the locks are fairly basic, they work well.

hargs said..

Nah, they'd give up trying to cut thru the Kanulocks and just steal the whole car and kit with it lol!

I know someone that uses Kanulocks... lost his boards, when they cut through the cables with a bolt-cutter.

The first time it happened, they turned up at the local pawn shop.

Imax said...
I find over 180km ph its best to leave the fin on for directional stability

Not in an IMax!