against the rope or strap . The same thing applies with sudden braking ; the canoe tries to move forward , which only means it gets tighter in the strap or rope .
Appropriately done , that arrangement can work perfectly well for short distances , but to ensure the canoe won ’ t budge no matter what , you want to add lines to secure the bow and stern , and that gets a bit tricky , depending on the vehicle . In most situations , the canoe ’ s stern will overhang the back of the vehicle while the bow doesn ’ t go past the front of the vehicle . You want to have the bow and stern lines pulling in opposite directions . If the stern line pulls the canoe towards the front of the vehicle , the bow line must pull the canoe towards the back of the vehicle .
SUDDEN BRAKING
The most convenient place to attach bowlines is somewhere under the front bumper . The problem there is that it means the canoe is being pulled forward at both the bow and the stern . If a situation arises that requires sudden braking , the only thing preventing the canoe from sliding forward is the strap or rope on the front crossbar of the roof racks .
Tying the bow lines at the very front of the vehicle also means the ropes or straps will be in contact with the paintwork , and vibration from the wind will cause abrasion and damage to the paint . If this is your only option , don ’ t attach the rope at the stern to the back of the canoe ; tie it to a seat or thwart inside the canoe so that both ends of the attachment points pull in opposite directions .
Most often , on the front of a typical vehicle , the location of the front of a typical canoe will be resting somewhere between the windshield and the front grill . The best place to secure bowlines is as close as possible to the windshield , and there are several ways . Nylon webbing is your friend in this case .
PLASTIC TUBE
An available accessory is a plastic tube attached to a nylon web loop . You open the hood / bonnet of the vehicle , place the plastic part under each side , leaving the web loop outside , and then latch the hood / bonnet in place . That gives you a place to tie the bowline behind the front of the canoe , which will prevent it from sliding forward . Those work well , but they aren ’ t perfect . There is a chance they can slide around , and if , for some reason , there ’ s a sudden increase in tension , there ’ s a chance they might bend the metal of the hood / bonnet .