tow with boards in the racks or not..

[sandm]

been pondering this for quite some time. do you tow the boat to the lake with the boards in the racks or in the tow vehicle or boat?
I have seen all ways here and have tried all ways. on the board racks are the easiest, but wondering about any long term effects on the tower mounting points by doing this.
for reference, I drive 25 miles one way, mostly 60mph to our lake.

what does everyone else do?

[Razzman]

I never tow with boards in racks, too much chance for error unless your right near the lake. I've seen boards come off and seen them laying on side of the road. To me it's just not worth it.

[Jeff W]

Nope. Put em in the boat til you get there. Not worth the financial risk or possibility of them flying out and hurting someone to look cool.

[sandm]

flying out? can't see that happening with the strap as the loads are all front to back and up/down, not side to side, but something to consider. can't say that I've ever seen one on the road, but sure there are dumba$$es that don't secure them.

[jester]

I have seen someone almost lose a board driving down the road with the boards still on the racks. They did not understand that wakeboarding your doing 20-25 but down the road you are going 65-80.

[RobertJ]

I always go with them in the rear lockers. This issue is like most safety related issues. Most of the time where you put them won't matter. It is that one in a million time that something does happen and you lost a $500 dollar board or worst you killed someone driving behind you. Plain and simple I don't think youu will find a rack manufacture that will tell you that their racks are designed to hold boards at highway speeds with the boat on the trailer. So put them in the boat and if they are not in a locker make sure they are secure so the won't go flying out.

[sandm]

hmmm..

mine won't fit in the rear lockers.
perhaps time to buy a tonneau cover for the pickup :)

[SEARK]

Travel with mine in the boat unless it is a long distance, over 5 miles, then they go in the back of the truck. Would never tow with them on the rack, to much of a chance they come out and hit a passing car. Just not worth the risk.

[STANG KILLA SS]

never travel on the road with boards in the racks.

[Razzman]

Sandm, i just put them in board bags and lay them in the bed of the truck, they don't move at all. If camping i'll lay them on top of the gear, again in bags, and use a spider net to hold everything in place. Surfboard and grom board goes in the lockers.

[K_E_N]

I typically place my boards in the racks before heading to the lake. However, I live VERY close and don't exceed 20mph. So my answer in the poll is a bit misleading. If I'm visiting another lake, I typically place the boards in the boat in a manner so that they cannot catch a good gust and fly out.

[sandm]

yea, will change my way of thinking. tonneau cover is next.
my rear lockers are not big enough for most of the boards we take (not to mention that's where the cooler and campchairs go for the ride up), and I don't want them banging around in the boat. I don't trust them in the back of the truck without a cover. I have hauled them in the rear seat area, but then I'm limited to 3 peeps in the front..

good information to see how others do it, and I guess a few will change their habits :)

[mcdye]

in the storage locker, with the jackets as cuschions. Never thought about them in the racks on the highway.

[deafgoose]

Wow... I must have drank to much tonight.

All I could see in the thread title was "broads and racks"

lmfao!

[yearround]

i store the boat in the garage with the tower down, so the boards come out and are on the floor or in the rear storage. when we pull the boat out, i leave the boards where ever they are.

the main lake we ride is about 10 minutes from the house. it would not bother me to put the boards in the rack for that short of distance and the low speed, 30 mph max. i would not travel at speeds greater than boat speeds with boards in the racks, or for significant distance (10+ miles)

we have carried the boards in the back of the truck, in bags, on towels, whatever.

[yearround]

Wow... I must have drank to much tonight.

All I could see in the thread title was "broads and racks"

lmfao!

that would be the boat bun thread on wakeworld

[MEDIC151]

I carry them in the racks if I am going to the lake closest to me, which is 7 minutes from driveway to water and all less than 30 mph. Longer drives, they go in the boat or truck. Surf board doesn't fit into racks, so it goes in the rear locker on top of my ballast bag with padding.

[Spaceball 1]

Boards are in the racks on the way to and from the lake for me about 15 min ride. If i drive for an hour to another lake they are in the truck bed for sure.

My boat does 50 mph on the water and the boards don't move a inch so why can't the boards stay in the racks on the trailer at 50mph?

Also how often do you boards fall out when the boats on the water? The boat is even rolling and pounding on the water and not on the trailer.

[Ian Brantford]

My boat does 50 mph on the water and the boards don't move a inch so why can't the boards stay in the racks on the trailer at 50mph?


Drive by a semi and you'll get turbulence that will add up to possibly double that speed for a moment. Plus, the turbulence will not necessarily be head-on. It could swirl around in any direction.

[Membrain]

Don’t do it on purpose! We’ve lost one before going down the road. It flew right off the boat!!! Going down 820 doin’ 70 mph+, and it was gone when we turned around to go back and get it! Now, we’ve actually woke up the next morning and saw that we forgot to take them down from the racks the night before! Luckily they made it home. Dang Coors Light!!!

[Eric Z]

If I am just going by my house in town I will leave them in the racks...40mph tops. If I get on the freeway (65-75) I put two in back of the car and two in my snowboard rack on top of my rig. I love my racks they work great in the summer for the wakeboards and in the winter for my snowboards.

[csm]

I have a Bakflip tonneau cover on the truck and the boards go in there. Just not worth the chance of injuring someone else or causing a pileup IMO. If I'm behind someone keeping them in the racks, I either go around, or fall way back. Maybe a little overly cautious, but the thought of a wakeboard coming at your windshield is a scary one.

[flex]

only time the boards are in the racks is when the boat is in the water. it's less than 5 min to the launch from the house and the boards are inside the boat.

[zegm]

Boards are in the racks on the way to and from the lake for me about 15 min ride. If i drive for an hour to another lake they are in the truck bed for sure.

My boat does 50 mph on the water and the boards don't move a inch so why can't the boards stay in the racks on the trailer at 50mph?

Also how often do you boards fall out when the boats on the water? The boat is even rolling and pounding on the water and not on the trailer.

Spaceball,
I see your argument but the one variable you left out of it is the car behind you with the beautiful young mother and her 2 kids following real close! Sort like I got the hammer pulled but my finger is not on the trigger.