Surfing Waves

Please help if you can. I have just received my first board. I'm concerned about attaching it to the roofbars on my car. I've bought the padded rollers and straps, but still worry. The board (Circle one 8ft5in complete with bag) seems so long when compared to the gap between the two roofbars, which is only about 2 and a half feet, following the car manufacturer's guidance.
What is the most secure way to strap the board on?
Thanks for your help.

If you have padded bars, I wouldn't worry.

My techniqe is this:

- Put the board on the roof
- Take some straps and TIE the end with the metal clip to the roof bar, leaving enough lose strap so that the metal bit is on the flat, top part of the board (so you don't damage the rail).
- Loop the long end of the strap over the board, under the bar, then back over the board.
- Put it through the metal clip and pull it tight.
- Go round the other side of the car and pull it even tighter - the fact that you tied it earlier will let you get a lot of tension. make sure the board doesn't move when you push it.
- Tie off an remaining strap.


There won't be any problem with the length if it's firmly held down.

Cheers

Sinista

Cheers Sinista, I had an image in my mind of my new board flying off the roof at 70mph and being shattered into thousands of little pieces.

It's never happened to me.

I once strapped 14 sponge boards to the roof of a minibus, using only their leashes. They survived a 4 hour journey like that.

With one board, what happens is that it actually creates lift and holds itself against the straps to a degree.

I don't think you've got anything to worry about - I've taken my mate's 9'6 board on a 3 hr trip using my technique and it was fine!

Cheers