# Rope Wrap for Cross Bars



## lncoop (Sep 10, 2010)

Anyone wrapped their cross bars with rope? If so, what kind did you use? 7 mm accessory be good, or...? I've been given a gorgeous canoe with ash gunwales and I'd like to keep them purty as long as I can. I'm actually afraid to paddle this thing.


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## Kirks (Oct 6, 2011)

Upload a photo of this beauty! I have no idea what cord to use but I imagine foam on the crossbars would be better. I think NRS sells one with velcro.


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## JBlotter (Mar 20, 2019)

Would love to see your boat!
I also have a couple canoes with nice wood gunnels I like to protect. What I do is grab some pipe insulation from the hardware store and wrap it with colored duck tape. The tape wears down and fades over time and I just keep rewrapping it.


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## lncoop (Sep 10, 2010)

As you wish. Behold, Kidney Rogers!


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

Man, that is one good looking canoe.


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## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

I also use pipe insulation, but rather than duct tape, I use 20 mil PVC tape. It lasts for years, is UV stable, and doesn't get sticky on the outside.

Another trick, if you have round bars, is to cut the insulation into three pieces per bar. One piece goes between the towers and can rotate. The other two pieces go outside the towers. You do have to sort of tape those in place or risk them leaving. The advantage of having the middle section able to rotate is that the foam will last longer. It does compress over time, but if it's pressing on a different area each time it takes longer to really get squished down.

I never worried about the gunwales on my canoes. I added the padding to cushion the bottom of my sea kayak hull. I have some kayak saddles, but it's a pain to take them on and off depending on which boat or boats go up there. 

I just replaced my foam after maybe 12 or 15 years. Lasts and lasts. The PVC tape isn't as cheap as duct tape, but it sure lasts.


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## Roseldo (Aug 27, 2020)

Gorgeous...I just picked up a Legend 16, but it has the aluminum Gunwales. I'm super excited about getting it out next year.


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## SBuzz (9 mo ago)

For years used various foam cushioning setups on the cross bars. Now we use gunwale brackets mounted to our cross bars. I find that the gunwale brackets keep the boat more secure (side to side, fore & aft) on the cross bars than foam, and require less tension on the straps to do so. Once set to fit your boat, loading is quick and easy.

What we had was more like a simple "L" shape with padded contact surfaces.

Below is a link to what Yakima has to offer

KeelOver


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## BastrdSonOfElvis (Mar 24, 2005)

SBuzz said:


> For years used various foam cushioning setups on the cross bars. Now we use gunwale brackets mounted to our cross bars. I find that the gunwale brackets keep the boat more secure (side to side, fore & aft) on the cross bars than foam, and require less tension on the straps to do so. Once set to fit your boat, loading is quick and easy.
> 
> What we had was more like a simple "L" shape with padded contact surfaces.
> 
> ...



Either I'm very confused...or you are. It's me.


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## lncoop (Sep 10, 2010)

BastrdSonOfElvis said:


> Either I'm very confused...or you are. It's me.


Ha! Open boater talk fun-ny. Gunwale brackets are great under the right circumstances. I actually have a couple of sets somewhere unless I gave them away, but ultimately I found them too limiting. As the guy with the longest cross bars I've often wound up with three or four canoes on my rack, at which point gunwale brackets become an impediment.


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## lncoop (Sep 10, 2010)

okieboater said:


> Man, that is one good looking canoe.


Ain't it, Mr. Dave? It was a gift from my old friends at Ozark Mountain Trading Company. First tandem canoe I've had in years, which works out well since I have a new tandem partner!


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

You are a lucky man.

I have solo and tandem canoes and these days paddle my solo canoe most of the time.

Paddling tandem canoes is a lot of fun and takes excellent communication skills along with paddle expertise. Finding and keeping Tandem Canoe partners makes for more canoe floating fun.


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## lncoop (Sep 10, 2010)

okieboater said:


> You are a lucky man.
> 
> I have solo and tandem canoes and these days paddle my solo canoe most of the time.
> 
> Paddling tandem canoes is a lot of fun and takes excellent communication skills along with paddle expertise. Finding and keeping Tandem Canoe partners makes for more canoe floating fun.


I'll have to get her off that SUP board first!


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## Taku (Apr 7, 2016)

i use carpet on the rack that is held on with paracord with the wraps spaced out about 3" and it has been on for years.


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