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what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:05 pm
by waikikikichan
What's wrong with this surfboard on the car / soft rack installation ? I found three things. Can you ?

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Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:24 pm
by oldmansurfer
I only see two pads on the wrong side and straps through the window

Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 4:53 pm
by surf patrol
That leash will be taking out pedestrians at some point during the drive.

Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:05 am
by BoMan
And the fins should be on the front.

Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:04 am
by waikikikichan
Good eyes guys:
1) deck down is good, but fins should be at the front of the car.
2) straps inside of the front doors good, but rear straps going thru the window. Doors can’t open.
3) soft rack pads should be between the car and board.

As for the leash dragging, there probably wont be much of the cuff by the time they reach the beach.

Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 2:12 pm
by BaNZ
Why fins in the front? Sometimes I reverse them to fit more boards. I think it is a personal preference thing.

Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 5:04 pm
by waikikikichan
Some think the reason for fin(s) forward mounting is that the fin(s) will catch on the straps if somehow they get loosened.
But the real reason is board longevity. As the car rolls down the highway, what does the wind flowing across the roof sees ? The rocker of the nose creates a fulcrum point that constantly pushes down and down. That leverages at the front mounting strap. If the fins are forward, the tail rocker is flatter. Less for the wind to “see”.
Try sticking you hand out the car window. With fingers flat to the palm, your hand sliced thru the wind. Now try finger just so slightly below the palm, the wind forces the hand downwards. Same happens to the nose of your surfboard.

Re: what's wrong with the soft rack ?

PostPosted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 5:55 pm
by BaNZ
The way I see it is that the nose is designed to streamline the water flow. Therefore if the wind is blowing down the nose, it is creating less friction and tension. Whereas the tail has the fin and is probably thicker which will catch more air flow and creates a bigger tension to the board.

Plus when the wind pushes your board down, this means that the strap won't come loose.

Anyway, I always have my fin forward as that's how everyone else does it.