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Paddleboarding is an incredibly fun water activity that is becoming increasingly popular, with more and more people buying their own paddleboards to use, especially during the summer season. Whether you’re paddleboarding in the sea, in a river, or in a lake, it’s an easy sport that the entire family can enjoy!
But seeing as how you need a body of water in order to paddleboard, what do you do if you don’t live near the sea or a river or a lake? The answer is obvious, you need to travel to the right place, and take your paddleboards with you!
As a general rule, the easiest way to transport your paddleboards, in your car, is on a roof rack. It’s secure, easy, and convenient. But…what if you don’t have a roof rack? How are you supposed to transport your paddleboards then?
Don’t worry, there are plenty of other ways in which you can transport your paddleboards, so it’s not the end of the world if you don’t happen to have a roof rack on your car. We’re going to guide you through different methods of paddleboard transportation for your car, and hopefully, that gives you the right solution for you!
Does that sound good? Then let’s get right into it!
Table of Contents
Top Methods For Transporting 2 Paddleboards Without A Roof Rack
If your two paddleboards are rigid, and therefore can’t be deflated and packed away tidily, to fit inside the car with ease, then these are the methods for you. And don’t worry, all of the methods included are for those that don’t have a roof rack installed on their car!
Without further ado, here are our solutions!
Use A Soft Rack
A soft rack is one of the best alternatives for those that don’t have a hard roof rack installed on the top of their car.
This is because soft racks can easily be placed on your car, and taken off, and they also work with SUVs and trucks! They are essentially foam pads that are attached to your car with the use of straps, and then you place the paddleboards on these foam pads and secure them.
It is important to note that a soft rack is not as safe or as secure as a hard roof rack. So it is not the best option for long trips, but it should make for a quick escape to the water so that you can enjoy your paddleboards every now and then.
The straps used to attach these foam pads onto your car will run through the inside of the vehicle, through the door openings.
This means that if you’re really tall, your head might bump against them! But as a general rule, they should be fine, as they are compatible with most types of vehicles, and are highly convenient.
That being said, there are a few things that might not allow a soft rack to work properly with your car. For example, if your car has a panoramic glass roof (as you risk cracking it with the weight of the paddleboards). Another example is a car with only two doors, as this doesn’t allow for much space when securing the paddleboards.
Use Pool Noodles
If you don’t have a hard roof rack on your car, and you want to make a quick trip down to the water, to enjoy your paddleboards, you can always go down the DIY road and make yourself a temporary rack with the use of pool noodles. It sounds a little silly at first, but this method is easy, cheap, and convenient.
Here is how to do it
- Buy some pool noodles. Two should be enough, but make sure they are long enough for the car and the paddleboards in question. Also, make sure they are as thick as possible, the thicker the pool noodles, the safer your car and the paddleboards will be.
- Cut the pool noodles to the right length, so that they fit your car’s roof perfectly.
- Take 2 cam straps, these will be used to secure the pool noodles onto the car. To do so, take one for each, and thread it through the entire noodle, leaving a few inches to spare.
- Position the pool noodles on the car roof, and secure them by placing the cam straps through the inside of the car, through the door openings, and securing them tightly.
- Wrap the straps inside your car tightly, so that they don’t move. This will prevent the pool noodles from moving.
- Use another 2 cam straps to secure the paddleboards on top of the pool noodles. Make sure everything is secured tightly, to prevent anything from moving!
Use A Pickup Truck Bed
If you have a pickup truck with a bed, you don’t need a roof rack in order to transport your two paddleboards. You can simply secure them onto the bed, and cover them for extra protection if needed!
For this, make sure you position the paddleboards with the tailgate down and try to puzzle them in together so that they’re not hitting each other with the car’s movements. Then, simply use some straps to keep them down and secure, and if you want, place a cover over them and secure that down too! Super easy!
Use A Trailer
If you were transporting a single paddleboard, using a trailer would be a bit of an overkill, and not necessary. It would be more of a hassle than a solution.
But since you are transporting two paddleboards, meaning that they take up more space, a trailer might just be the perfect solution for you! It is easy and convenient, that is, as long as you have a trailer or know someone who can lend one to you!
And then, you just have to be extra careful when driving, especially if you’re not used to having a trailer!
Place The Paddleboards Inside The Car
This method is a bit of a farfetched solution, and it certainly won’t work for everyone. But if you have a big enough car, and you’re not taking any passengers with you, you can put the seats down and lay the two paddleboards inside, making it super easy to transport.
Final Thoughts
If you don’t have a roof rack on your car, there are still ways in which you can transport your paddleboards, you just have to get a little more creative! We hope that the methods we listed are a solution, and if not, maybe they can serve as inspiration!
Just remember to double-check everything, and ensure that the paddleboards are tightly secured, before you start driving. After all, you don’t want them falling off mid-journey!
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