eneumeier Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I made a big mistake yesterday morning. I was heading out to join the NSPN group at Odiorne and forgot to tie my bow line. I noticed right after backing out of my driveway and starting forward. To get out of the way of others on my one-lane road, I pulled into a neighbor's circular driveway. Alas, I ran over the loose line and it wrapped around my axle, slamming the kayak down onto my windshield before finally snapping off. The result is in the photos. Safelight can't get a windshield until Wed. so it will be fixed Thursday morning. Not sure about my beloved Nordkapp. It leaks on both sides. Another lesson learned... Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Berkovitz Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 So sorry to read this. I almost did it to myself the other day but someone noticed the loose line as I was pulling away. I wish you swift repairs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inverseyourself Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 I am so sorry! It's unfortunately a classic. Tom Berg always tells the story of exactly the same occurrence at a paddling symposium (Autumn Gales?). It's one of those famous "it's only a short distance" last words incidents. I hope that you can save the Nordkapp !!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted September 6, 2020 Share Posted September 6, 2020 (edited) That's just awful! The Odiorne crew heard you'd had a "car/boat incident" but figured you'd "just" bumped into something with the boat. This is worse! So sorry! Looks as though your bow tie down hooks under the car chassis. I have one of the things that allows you to hook just from hood of car...so line isn't long enough to do that nasty business... Edited September 6, 2020 by prudenceb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaKayakNE Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Hi Liz, So sorry to hear about the incident. If you’d like to bring the boat by my house in Wells Maine I can take a look over the boat to see what would need to be done to repair it. Let me know. Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David M Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Liz, So sorry to hear this. Thank you for sharing as a reminder to the rest of us. Like, Andy wrote these stories abound. Like Joe, I had a close call. It prompted me to look for an alternative to the longer lines like Prudence referenced. See links below. One is bolt on under the hood, but the challenge on many vehicles is the amount of plastic. The "quick loop strap" allows it to be positioned under the hood, trunk or tailgate with no tools required. With every best wish for speedy repairs! https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-and-water-sports-carriers/kayak-roof-rack-accessories/thule-quick-loop-strap-_-530999 https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-and-water-sports-carriers/kayak-roof-rack-accessories/thule-hood-loop-strap-_-529999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 The gizmo I have is the Thule quick loop strap. I've been very happy with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhabich Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 If you use the Thule line with a ratchet and an S-hook, throw away the S-hook and replace it with a carabiner. The S-hook will fall out out the car's tow eye if the line loosens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prudenceb Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 1 hour ago, mhabich said: If you use the Thule line with a ratchet and an S-hook, throw away the S-hook and replace it with a carabiner. The S-hook will fall out out the car's tow eye if the line loosens. I should do this. But even if falls out, it won't wrap arou d your axle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaKayakNE Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 1 hour ago, mhabich said: If you use the Thule line with a ratchet and an S-hook, throw away the S-hook and replace it with a carabiner. The S-hook will fall out out the car's tow eye if the line loosens. Second this advise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Cooke Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 I have a small body shop in Rowley that did some paint and gelcoat repair for me and it came out great at a very good price. I can help you get the structure and gel coat like new and then you just have to paint that section. This saves a lot of money. Let me know if you want to talk. I'm a friend of Dana Sigall's and live in Ipswich. I just did both of my kayaks this past spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eneumeier Posted September 8, 2020 Author Share Posted September 8, 2020 I have noticed the S hook doing just that! Will use a carabiner from now on and shorten the line to what I need. My Prius has NO place to tie anything on in the front. This is what I rigged up. The loop works fine and shows no wear. When not in use I can tuck it under the hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kinch Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 On 9/7/2020 at 7:57 AM, David M said: Liz, So sorry to hear this. Thank you for sharing as a reminder to the rest of us. Like, Andy wrote these stories abound. Like Joe, I had a close call. It prompted me to look for an alternative to the longer lines like Prudence referenced. See links below. One is bolt on under the hood, but the challenge on many vehicles is the amount of plastic. The "quick loop strap" allows it to be positioned under the hood, trunk or tailgate with no tools required. With every best wish for speedy repairs! https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-and-water-sports-carriers/kayak-roof-rack-accessories/thule-quick-loop-strap-_-530999 https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-and-water-sports-carriers/kayak-roof-rack-accessories/thule-hood-loop-strap-_-529999 Same as above but cheaper. Work great https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0024AVPO4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NPearson Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Oh crikey Liz! I winced looking at the photos, I think a repair like that would be beyond my skills I have a friend back in England that did exactly the same thing Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detorres Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 I had switched to Nite Ize polymer Cam Jam tighteners and polymer hooks to minimize potential flyng metal but now I see I need a polymer carabiner. Just got a Prius Prime so I look forward to learn the best way to tie down to Thule bar. They don't make it easy Pablo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eneumeier Posted September 14, 2020 Author Share Posted September 14, 2020 They think you are not supposed to carry anything on the roof because it will cut down on your mileage rate. So, no place to tie down! Look under the hood. there are ways to do it. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Sylvester Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 (edited) I thought most small cars have a recovery hook just under the front or rear? It is a dedicated steel loop for pulling you out of a ditch. You just have to reach under a bit. Subaru's have a screw in bolt with a loop. I just put my bolt in when I carry my kayak. It goes right through the bumper and is strong enough to lift the car. Sticks out 2-3 inches. Going under the hood could be dicey..It takes very little to distort sheet metal on cars. Edited September 14, 2020 by Paul Sylvester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave M. Posted September 19, 2020 Share Posted September 19, 2020 Sorry Liz. This almost happened to me. I had untied the bow line and decided to move the car when I heard this loud pop. Luckily for me it was the line and not the boat. I also use the Thule quick loop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eneumeier Posted September 20, 2020 Author Share Posted September 20, 2020 It turns out that my Prius does have screw-in bolts, one on each side of the front bumper. You have to pry the cover off with a butter knife or other tool, dig the bolts out from where they are stored with the spare tire, and screw them in. Since I would not want to drive around with bolts sticking out of my front bumper all the time, I would have to reverse that process for each use. No thanks. The auto body guy warmed me against my loop system, saying that the loop would wear the paint. I pointed out that I have been doing this for 4 years, 68,000 miles, with no wear or ill effect. He also told me the hood is made out of aluminum. Well, life is risky these days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scamlin Posted September 22, 2020 Share Posted September 22, 2020 @scamlin Liz: If I remember, that's Gene Cosley's Nordkapp which had a kevlar deck and hull, so I'm guessing that while some fibres are snapped, most will have just flexed. From the photos, the cracks are well behind the bulkhead and easily accessible from the cockpit--so a repair like that is very doable. I should know. My story goes back to 1997 on Peaks Island. It was fading dusk at The Landing where our group was deep in contemplation with Mr. Bergh about the lessons of the week. It is possible more than one craft brew was involved. Suddenly, we noticed the ferry arriving from Portland. Knowing I had a long drive back to MA, Tom gave me a quick ride up to Luther Street to retrieve my car, with my 1990 vintage kevlar Arluk III on the roof rack...securely tied down bow and stern. While the Peaks Island ferry take cars, it doesn't take long to load so I knew I was tight on time. It's quick trip to the wharf, but when I arrived it looked like all the cars were onboard except mine. I was eager to make it so headed down the ramp with some urgency, perhaps too much. Floodlights on the dark ramp played havoc with depth perception, a bad mix of glare, shadows and tunnel vision. The bad news was that there was a cable across the bottom of the ramp about mid-bowline--which I discovered only after the bow of my boat dipped down to touch the hood. The good news was that this fortuitous omen prompted me to apply the brakes, which along with the cable prevented me from going over the edge to the rocks 15+ feet below the now-retracted ramp. When I got out to inspect my boat and then looked down, I realised how close to disaster I came. A cracked kayak would have been the least of my worries. If I remember correctly, the dock attendant offered an incisive assessment of my intelligence and some pointed advice . If I also remember, Tom was relatively measured and supportive, no doubt due to his deep commitment to experiential learning. He offered to repair the boat, so we offloaded it to his racks and went back to The Landing for a subdued debrief while waiting for the late ferry. A couple of weeks later, I went up to retrieve the Arluk III. The layup had cracked on the sides like yours, but the deck and bottom were fine. So the patches were relatively small in size and if I remember included only one layer of kevlar cloth on the inside. The idea was to maintain the fairly flexible layup. Good as gold and never gave me any problems--though it is true it has lived under the cottage in Ipswich for the past 20 years once Tom sold me the Explorer. So, Liz, unless there is a wider de-lamination either side of the cracks, there is a good chance it's a simple repair. I believe Valley used a baked epoxy layup, so your Nordkapp may be stiffer than the admittedly low-tech early Necky build (the keel is stiffened by a glassed-in 1/2" wooden dowel). So it is possible your Nordkapp didn't flex like mine and has more cracks or de-lamination. In in any case, it will be easier to fix than trying to match the colour of the gelcoat . The English Oak over our deck is just now leafing out, the fantails and silvereyes are making a racket, and I turned my herb garden under on Sunday, so maybe we'll get the kayaks in the water soon. After a brief return to lock down in August, COVID levels are stepping down and we're close to eliminating community transmission again here in New Zealand. So hoping summer will be pretty relaxed socially. We did miss our New England summer, friends and family this year. Despite the 2020ness of it all, it's home. Ngā Mihi . Mā Te Wā. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eneumeier Posted September 22, 2020 Author Share Posted September 22, 2020 Hi Scott, Good to hear from you. I recall hearing about your Arluk adventure. Yes, this is Gene's Nordkapp, very stiff which I love, carbon deck and hull. I'm delighted that it is repairable and in capable hands as I type. This is the first major repair any of my boats has needed in my 25 years of paddling so I count that as good. Hopefully you and Beth can visit next year. I follow with envy how well New Zealand has been coping with this new virus. But, it may be that mother earth is just a bit fed up with homo sapiens and has decided to remove a bunch of us to rebalance the planet. I would not blame her. Enjoy your spring! Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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