How to Tie Down a Kayak Alone

If you spend time kayaking solo, chances are good you mount the kayak to your vehicle's roof by yourself. This tends to be an awkward job, with the kayak being long, heavy and unruly when lifted. In addition to the mount, the kayak needs to be tied down to the rack preventing, it from slipping around the vehicle's roof. Learn a knot used for such purposes, the Trucker's Hitch.

Things You'll Need

  • Foam pad
  • Two 12-foot lengths of 5 to 7 mm nylon cord
  • Red flag
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the foam pad onto the roof of the car. Use camping sleeping pads if you cannot find foam pads or sheets. Lift the kayak up with the combing over your shoulder. Push the front of the kayak up the back of the auto and then onto the foam on the roof.

    • 2

      Position the cockpit and combing so it is in the middle of the roof and on the foam. Tie the cords to the rear and front carrying handles, making sure there is one cord per handle.

    • 3

      Run the front cord down to the tow hook under the front bumper. Make a "W" with the working end of the cord. Twist the cord three times to form an eye-loop. Form a single loop and pass it through the eye-loop. Take the working end of the cord and wrap it around the tow hook and bring it up toward the loops. Pass the working end through the single loop on the hitch made in the cord (the wraps and eye-loop). Wrap the working end loosely around the hitch. Leave this slightly loose.

    • 4

      Run the rear cord down to a tow loop, or the non-exhaust end of the bumper. Follow the Trucker Hitch instructions in Step 3 and go back to the front hitch. Unwrap the working end and pull down on the working end. Once tight, push the working end back through the hitch eye-loop, wrap twice around the main line and tie a square knot to close the knot in place.

    • 5

      Go to the rear Trucker's Hitch and tighten the hitch as in Step 4. Tie the hitch closed with a square knot.