You should always tie down the bow and stern of your kayak especially if you are going to transport your kayak without a roof rack.
Carrying a canoe without a roof rack.
A roof rack is ideal as it provides the most secure tie down.
If you don t have a roof rack there are still other options out there for you.
If you don t want to get a roof rack there are these beautiful and cheap foam canoe blocks that easily attach onto the gunwale side edges of the canoe.
How to tie down a canoe to a roof rack.
If you like the idea of carrying your kayak on the roof of your vehicle but are lacking the necessary side rails cross bars needed for a roof rack then a foam car top carrier is a great solution.
You can do this with a variety of tie down straps.
Transporting a kayak without a roof rack things you ll need.
If your vehicle has a roof rack you have one of the best situations for tying down a canoe.
Thread the straps through the front and back carry handles or toggles and secure each one to a tie down spot underneath your car either with a carabiner or a hook.
This probably won t work for longer kayaks over 12 ft but if you have a shorter kayak it could be a great alternative to buying a roof rack.
Yes pool noodles or in fact any form of soft polyurethane tube with a hole in the middle you can find pool noodles or similar items in a range of outdoor stores supermarkets and even hardware stores.
Another option for transporting your kayak without a roof rack is to make use of your hatchback or third row seat if you happen to drive an suv.