Buying a stand up paddleboard is a great idea and a very good investment. However, transporting it properly can be very challenging and it can have its fair share of issues. Which is where the need for a Paddleboard Car Rack comes into play. You don’t have to inflate and deflate your paddleboard anymore, you just put it on the Paddleboard Car Rack and secure it, then you are good to go. It’s a much better approach, and it helps you save time. Plus, it makes transporting such items way less frustrating and challenging than it would normally be.
How to transport a SUP board on a car?
When you want to transport your SUP, the vehicle type you have will influence the process quite a bit. For example, if you have a truck, you can easily add the board in the truck bed, then support the nose with the tailgate. However, not everyone has a truck, so van, station wagon or sedan owners will just have to put it on the roof, which can actually be a very good idea.
What do you need to secure the SUP on your vehicle’s roof?
Crossbar
The crossbar is running across the vehicle roof, and most of these are attached via the factory installed bars. Of course, the vehicle type matters here, since you can have different setups, and those will influence the results and also the overall performance of the entire process, which is always something to keep in mind. Some crossbar systems go in the bed of the truck, which can be really helpful.
Cam straps
Cam straps do a very good job at keeping your SUP and holding it down. If you want to use them for your SUP, then you do need 2 of these, 12 feet or longer. They can deliver great results, and the value is definitely impressive. It’s one of those affordable investments that can make transporting your SUP a whole lot easier.
Rack/padding
You will find some SUP rack systems that are attached to the crossbar. Thanks to this approach, the transportation process is very simple and convenient. With that being said, it’s also ok to use padding and foam blocks, they can also work very well and still convey the results you want.
Bow and stern lines
Dedicated ratcheting lines can be very helpful, even if you can go with a non-stretched rope. We recommend to have a line for the stern and one for the bow. These, combined with the other items above can make it easy to place your SUP on top of your vehicle and keep it there without any issues.
Using a railing carrier
Some vehicles have roof rails, using a railing rack is still a very good option. The reason here is that you don’t need to have your SUP directly on the car’s roof. That might end up damaging the car, and it’s a thing that you want to avoid. The better approach in such a situation is to use a railing carrier, since it helps protect your vehicle.
The great thing is that you can find different systems, so they can fit most SUP boards. You don’t need to focus on a high load capacity, since SUPs are light, so that’s not really an issue. It’s a good idea to note that there are ready-made systems created specifically for SUP boards. You just have to attach these to the car roof rail and you are good to go. It might be a good option for newcomers that don’t want to buy straps or padding. Everything is already there, and that makes the entire job a whole lot easier. Such systems can also be locked.
The downside is that they can be very expensive, certainly more expensive than trying to create a Paddleboard Car Rack system on your own. You also have less flexibility, which is something to keep in mind. In case the board doesn’t have roof rails, you can add a luggage railing rack too.
Learning how to tie down your SUP
In case you just need to transport a single SUP on the car roof, tying it down is not exactly a hard thing to do. What you should focus on is to place it on the railing support. The standing surface has to be downwards. Additionally, the SUP has to be centered on the supporting surface of the rail. You don’t want it to protrude more than a meter beyond the rear of your car. That can lead to problems like having to mark it with a red flag. Of course, you don’t want the SUP to block your field of vision in any way while you are driving, so try to take that into consideration.
Steps to help you tie down the SUP with cam straps:
- First, you want to have the SUP so it can run parallel with the car
- Then you take a cam strap and put the buckle so it’s actually resting on the board, but near the edge. We recommend having it close to the crossboards if possible. Then toss the other strap’s end over the SUP.
- Go to the other side of your car and then loop the strap under the crossbar. You will then have to toss it back over the SUP. You do want the strap to be on the inside, since it can prevent issues like randomly slipping, which is something to avoid.
- Now you want to go back around the vehicle and loop the strap right under the crossbar, then you go up towards the cam buckle. Cinch it down, while making sure it’s on the inside as well. Repeat this with the other strap for the other crossbar.
- After you do that, you want to tighten these straps, but make sure that they are not overly tight. The problem here is that if you tighten it too much, that can deform or sometimes even damage the SUP.
- It’s recommended to tie the strap’s loose ends under the cam buckles. Then you can tie all the other slack on the crossboard.
- At the end, you want to shake the SUP a little bit and see if there are any signs of movement. This is incredibly important, and it will help you ensure that there are no problems as you’re transporting your SUP.
Things to consider if you are transporting an inflatable SUP
The thing to keep in mind is that the inflatable SUP board has a very flexible outer material. If you end up tightening too much, the inflatable SUP will twist and warp. Because of that, you might not be able to use it properly, so this is very important. Additionally, you want to prevent using excessive force, and we recommend not to pump the inflatable SUP at its maximum pressure. That’s especially true when it comes to the longer trips. The idea here is that these tensioning straps add extra pressure to the material.
The air will also expand within your board, and that means you will have damage where the board is fixated with tension belts. It’s a good idea to keep the pressure a bit lower than maximum, and then you can add the extra air pressure via the pump upon reaching the destination.
Other tips to keep in mind when you are transporting your SUP
- Even if you may want to use some complex straps or knots, the truth is that you want to keep things simple. The focus has to be on safety, as that’s what will convey the best results.
- In case your vehicle is tall or you have a hard time fastening the inflatable SUP, it’s a good idea to use a ladder. This makes it easy to reach all the straps and lock your SUP down properly.
- We recommend finding the widest point between the cam straps, as it will prevent sliding without any issues. You can also add a twist in the cam straps. This is a good idea since it will help you avoid strap vibration as you drive.
- It’s imperative to lock the straps, since you will know everything stays into place.
- Ideally, you want to stop and check everything to ensure everything is secure. Doing that every 20-25 minutes as you drive is very handy.
- You want to store the paddle within the vehicle. If you can’t do that, you can find some paddle holder attachments for the roof rack, and that’s certainly something to keep in mind.
- In case you want to transport more than an SUP, you want to place the longer one at the bottom, and then the others on top. You always want to have the largest one at the bottom, and stack up accordingly. You should also add some padding between your SUPs to avoid any type of damage.
Conclusion
It’s always a very good idea to take your time and identify the right methods that will help you transport your car rack properly. We recommend giving it a try because it’s efficient, it conveys great results and the value is indeed very impressive. That being said, a good paddleboard car rack and SUP can be very helpful, since it makes transporting everything quicker and convenient. We recommend taking your time and giving it a try, it’s a great idea and it will convey very good results.
That being said, it’s imperative to fasten everything and stop every 15-25 minutes while driving to ensure it’s all good and there are no problems. At the same time, you want to avoid tight fastening because it can lead to SUP damage. Use these ideas and tips, then you will have no problem making sure your SUP is transported properly!
