Paddle boards on roof

[cstork]

Good use of the roof rack.

 

[StealthP3D]

View attachment 437785 Good use of the roof rack.

I love it! Those paddleboards look like they belong on the roof of a Model 3!

 

[KenC]

Nice. Is there any rule on which way to load boards? Back in the day, I used to put my windsurfers on my Saab, tail first, upside down, since the bow of the hull would curve downward matching the invisible airflow over the back of the car. At least that was the theory back in the day.

 

[Watts_Up]

I think that I would prefer having the curved front turned down toward the road so the wind would push down the boards.

I am not too confident that the roof rack braces would handle too much wind pressure. There is a 150 lbs weight limitation for some reason.

Note: could you show a side view picture? I noticed that my front rail was lower from the ground than the rear rail.

 

[North75]

I think that I would prefer having the curved front turned down toward the road so the wind would push down the boards.

I am not too confident that the roof rack braces would handle too much wind pressure. There is a 150 lbs weight limitation for some reason.

Note: could you show a side view picture? I noticed that my front rail was lower from the ground than the rear rail.

The factory rack bars are very solid. They are way stiffer than the factory bars on my 2014 Acura MDX (which granted are probably the worst factory bars I've ever seen)
I wouldn't be too worried about wind pressure.
150 lb. limit sounds pretty typical to me.

I always used to go tail first, upside down with my windsurfers as well. Mainly because it looked the coolest.

 

[North75]

View attachment 437785 Good use of the roof rack.

Those look inflatable. Wouldn't you be better off pumping them up once you get to your spot?
Aero efficiency must be horrible with that stack on the roof.

 

[mekberg]

Tail first, upside-down is the preferred mounting orientation. This way if your straps stretch and a board slips it will be caught by the fin and not end up on the highway.

 

[North75]

Tail first, upside-down is the preferred mounting orientation. This way if your straps stretch and a board slips it will be caught by the fin and not end up on the highway.

That reminds me, I once forgot to tie my windsurfing boards to the rack at all before driving. I'm amazed at how far I made it before they finally blew off the roof. I probably drove 3 or 4 miles on local roads. It wasn't until I hit the highway and got up to 60 or so that they flew off.

I was extremely lucky that they flew up and into the grass median on the highway as opposed to into the road or somebody else's car.

Let's just say that I never made that mistake again.

 

[KenC]

I hope those were polyethlene longboards, and not expensive shortboards.

 

[Watts_Up]

>> I think that I would prefer having the curved front turned down toward the road so the wind would push down the boards.
>> I am not too confident that the roof rack braces would handle too much wind pressure. There is a 150 lbs weight limitation for some reason.

The factory rack bars are very solid. They are way stiffer than the factory bars on my 2014 Acura MDX
(which granted are probably the worst factory bars I've ever seen)
I wouldn't be too worried about wind pressure.
150 lb. limit sounds pretty typical to me.

I was talking about those tiny 1" braces clamped under each corner of the glass roof

View attachment 437785 Good use of the roof rack.

Note: could you show a side view picture? I noticed that my front rail was lower from the ground than the rear rail.

 

[1speed]

Tail first, upside-down is the preferred mounting orientation. This way if your straps stretch and a board slips it will be caught by the fin and not end up on the highway.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm thinking of getting a Model Y with roof rack. I think the other reason to do it upside down is that you can use the ankle strap ring to tie it down to the front of the car (to prevent the up-force of wind on the boards).