One BIG WIN of this week is that I FINALLY managed to figure out how to strap stuff to my roof bars securely!
It's not the heaviest or largest of loads, but trust me, for me it's a big deal getting these poles strapped on (oo er!):
I need these 2.5 metre Eucalyptus poles for my cabin in Alpedrinha - they're just the perfect supports (along with a 200 year old Cork Oak) for a very large triangular sun sail (shade) I intend to put up before it starts to get really hot in the summer months, and I had to transport them from my land in Aranhas which is a 30 minute drive away.
My first attempt at strapping these poles to my roof three weeks ago - they were already cut, in my inherited storage barn - ended in a dismal failure. I basically just wound two of my then brand new ratchet straps around the roof bars and poles, but on checking their taughtness realised there was quite a lot of movement, then failed to figure out how to undo them and so just cut them off in frustration, leaving the poles in Aranhas and a pile of butchered ratchet strap on the floor of the car!
Fast forward three weeks (trauma takes a while to get over) and I hit on the strategy of just ratcheting through the windows rather than 'around' the roof bars, and it worked a treat - which is precisely what ratchet straps are designed for:
On 'ratcheting up' (correctly this time) I got that nice 'ping' sound when I strummed them - different tones on each side as they weren't quite central - closer to the edge side of the road rather than the oncoming traffic - seemed safer.
NB this was after a bit of a practice session with some other wood during which I finally learned which way around to have the straps at first, and how to actually feed them through the mechanism AND (importantly) how to release them!
I bought a pack of four straps originally, ruined two in my first 'impatient' experience (first day on the land, I wanted to 'harvest' something!) but I could only find one of the remaining two - I'm sure the other one will turn up!?!?
The ratchet straps 'cinched' the poles to the bars, but I couldn't trust this to stop lateral movement, so I also use bungees and cord (with a bowline, how cool am I ?!?!) to deal with that:
I did experiment with paracord, but that was too slippy - so I've hit on cheap regular twine, it does the job and sticks quite nicely.
I then tied a little luminous ribbon to the end - so at least I got some legitimate use of that butchered strap:
And I also realised that it comes in handy in the rear view mirror - if it moves and especially if it disappears, you know your load isn't secure!
As it transpired, the load was very secure for the entire 30 minute journey - even when I got back to Alpedrinha when I shook the poles, the car shook along with it, which is what you want.
HOWEVER, when I took the ratchet strap off, the chord and the bungees alone did allow for some movement from the poles - so hats off to the ratchet straps!
All I need to do now is find my other strap and I'm ready to pile more wood on the roof bars in the future!
Which is just as well, because I have the urge to build shit!
looks like we got the very same ratchet strap brand.. congrats on getting home safely.. man id be nervous driving with that on my roof ... \
onwards and upwards!
It was fine actually, and I needed the practice for a trip to Caesar's (excuse spelling).
TBH I'm more terrified about being a laughing stock spending 20 minutes trying to strap wood to my roof that I am anything falling off it en route back home!
Not so much fun in the rain is it!?!?
lol.. fair enough! i think the portuguese dont seem to take the piss quite like the Brits do!!
as for the rain.. Mmmm. ENUFF already!
This is a @meesterboom bait phrase.
Good job on working out the ratchets. But, why didn't you just feed the poles through the window and wind them up? ;D
Yes I did pause for a moment with the wood phrase!
They would have stuck too far out of the side - they are 2.5 metres long, much safer cinched on the roof bars!
It is only an issue in traffic ;D
And a few narrow streets to go through too!
With all the wood in this post I was should for choice to be baited from!
I need to get some roof bars, I quite fancy one of those space canoes that for on top of the car for extra storage. Well done for figuring the strapping on as it were :0)
I have a roof box - it does make you feel like a bit of a Norman but I can get a lot of stuff in there!
I had fun negotiating those innuendos!
That's the ones, I need to get one. But I will pretend it's a space ship attachment for the coolness in my head!
I've not carried anything on a car roof in a while, but was always a little nervous when doing so. We used a rear bike carrier on some long trips and getting that secure was tricky with the various straps. It didn't fall off though. I do fancy a sun sail, but needs to be well secured.
Ah yes the next task is to cement those poles in place - I want a good half a meter into the ground!
What's the Portuguese for Postcrete? Will take a few bags.
I've got 50 Kilos of concrete, maybe postcrete would have been better!