Putting your SUP on your roof racks - easier said than done!
Imagine trying to get that SUP up there!
Picture this, it's 20 knots outside and blowing the perfect direction for your favorite downwinder run. You go to drop a car at the downwind point and you find your usual carpark is taken, so you park the car somewhere else and drive upwind. Awesomeness ensues, and you have the downwinder of your life. But when you reach up to slide your 12'6" stand up paddle board onto the roof racks, you find that the wind wants to rip it from your hands like a kite in a cyclone. If you wanted that to happen you would have taken up kiteboarding.
So how do you get it up there? And how do you keep it there while the wind's howling? Here's a few tips that the Seabreeze.com.au forum users came up with:
Ask someone for help. This seemingly obvious choice isn't always easy, but according to DJ, nobody has ever turned him down. You can either get them to hold the nose and lift the board on with you, or you could simply get them to put a hand on top of the board while you strap it down.
Put your tie-down straps on the roof racks before you lift the board up. That way you can quickly strap it down without fumbling with buckles and the windy weather.
Park next to a curb. By standing on the gutter, you gain an extra 15cm or so which really aids in controlling the board as it goes above your head. You could also bring a little step ladder for the same purpose.
Put the board UNDER your roof racks. It was discovered by accident by Dave from Shelley Beach, but one windy day he temporarily stuck the board under the racks while he worked out how he was going to manage the situation. After giving up on the idea of putting the board on top, he strapped it to the bottom of the racks and drove home!
