Stand up paddleboards are wonderful, but is it easy to move them around? A lot of people struggle to take these paddleboards to where they need to go on their car. If you are in this type of situation, it makes sense to learn how to transport a stand-up paddleboard on your care as safely as possible.
Here are some of the most important tips that are going to play a role in the process.
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1. Use Crossbars or a Rack
Some vehicles are going to come with crossbars, which are ideal and can easily be used for this purpose. Otherwise, you are going to have to buy a rack for your make and model. This will be used to hold the paddle board as soon as you put it up.
The goal is to make sure the rack is in place as well as it needs to be.
A lot of people don’t think about this and that is what holds them back. You need something to hold the paddleboard in place or it is going to be slipping all over the place.
The ideal setup is to have a perfectly fitted rack that is going to hold the paddle board in place for as long as you want it to be.
2. Use Cam Straps
It’s one thing to have the rack in place, but another to ensure the board doesn’t start slipping out of place as soon as you put the board up. This happens a lot, and it is not a pleasant sight at all. The goal should always be to stay patient and make sure you are using high-quality cam straps.
These straps are made for this purpose and are going to hold the board on top of the vehicle. If you are not using one of these straps, the results aren’t going to come, and the paddle board will slip off. This is even worse when it is moist outside, and it has been raining for a while.
The paddleboard isn’t going to stick even if you are using other methods to secure it into place.
3. Always Set Up Waterproof Materials
The idea of using something like this is to make sure you have a way to secure it. It is ideal to think about what you are going to use to hold the paddle board and what is going to be done to make sure it doesn’t slip off.
The issue people tend to have has to do with using the wrong type of materials.
You need to think about your options and make sure the materials are in line with what is required. This means whether it is raining or not, the paddle board isn’t going to move.
If you are regularly thinking about this problem, the paddle board will slip. This happens all the time and it can lead to dangerous situations on the road, which is the last thing you are going to want!
4. Think About the Balance
Balance is key when it comes to something like this.
Since you are going to be setting up the paddle board on top of the car, it makes sense to stay as patient as possible with the balancing process.
The idea of balancing means to ensure you are putting it in the middle of the vehicle. This is one of the biggest issues people deal with and it is not a good spot to be in.
Stay patient and ensure you are focused on having it centered before putting on the straps. If you don’t do this, it may swing to the side even with the straps on!
5. Go for a Short Test Drive
Have you taken the time to see whether or not your setup is in line with what is required?
Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t think about going for a test drive with the paddle board in place. This leads to average results that are not going to work out as intended.
You have to make sure a test drive is taken around a safe part of the neighborhood at different speeds. This will let you see whether or not the paddle board is in place the way it is supposed to be.
Final Thoughts
Transporting a stand up paddle board on your car comes down to these steps. As long as you are focused on what is needed, you are going to see the transportation process become a breeze. Too many people don’t think about how they will secure the paddle board, which leads to inefficiencies developing.
Focus on setting up a good rack and ensure the cam straps are as rugged as they need to be. This is the only way to see appropriate results.