Tie-Downs

To transport your kayak, you'll need some way of securing it, whether on a roof rack, truck bed, or trailer. I recommend the type of tie-down strap shown above, with hooks on the ends, and cam buckles, not ratchets. Ratchets are a pain in the ass, and you don't need all that much force anyway. In fact, you don't want too much force, your boat is only made of plastic!

When it comes to tie-downs, more is better. On the truck rack, I use four per boat - two to secure it fore-and-aft, and two to secure it side-to-side. If you're good at puzzles, you could figure out how to do it all with just two, but I don't like to think that hard, and tie-downs like this are cheap. In the truck bed, two would do, but I have four, so I use them all. Especially on the highway with high wind loads, you will never regret using extra tie-downs.

Your tie-downs should be at least as long as your boat, so you can reach from anywhere to anywhere else, or have plenty of length to wrap around things. Light-duty tie-downs are perfectly adequate - you're not trying to crush your boat or pull the handles off !!! An inexpensive set of four should run you under $20.

Don't forget to secure the paddle as well, and the seatback. And don't trust the bungie cords to hold your PFD in place at 70 miles an hour!


Great Bay
( 39.52635, -74.35076 )

  1. Absecon Creek - Absecon ( 39.42635, -74.48653 )
  2. Atlantic City - Huron Ave ( 39.38023, -74.42392 )
  3. Barnegat Bay - Beach Haven ( 39.57015, -74.23933 )
  4. Barnegat Bay - Brant Beach ( 39.61673, -74.20110 )
  5. Barnegat Bay - Great Bay Blvd ( 39.56316, -74.34202 )
  6. Barnegat Bay - Little Egg Harbor ( 39.53556, -74.26441 )
  7. Barnegat Bay - Parkertown ( 39.60978, -74.29231 )
  8. Barnegat Bay - Tuckerton ( 39.57671, -74.33078 )
  9. Barnegat Bay - West Creek ( 39.63100, -74.29618 )
  10. Bass River - New Gretna ( 39.57721, -74.45079 )
  11. Cedar Run - Stafford ( 39.64365, -74.24592 )
  12. Chip's Folly Campground ( 39.63281, -74.49799 )
  13. Great Bay - Graveling Point ( 39.53949, -74.38761 )
  14. Great Bay - Great Bay Blvd ( 39.52160, -74.31849 )
  15. Great Bay - Great Bay Blvd (end) ( 39.50902, -74.32008 )
  16. Great Bay - Motts Creek ( 39.51826, -74.43637 )
  17. Great Bay - Rand's Marina ( 39.53934, -74.32614 )
  18. Lake Absegami - Bass River ( 39.62529, -74.42760 )
  19. Mullica River - Hay Road Beach ( 39.57349, -74.53943 )
  20. Nacote Creek - Port Republic ( 39.51768, -74.49363 )
  21. Reeds Bay - Absecon ( 39.44306, -74.46194 )
  22. Somers Bay - Brigantine ( 39.40916, -74.36937 )
  23. Stafford Forge WMA - Manahawkin ( 39.66881, -74.32090 )

The Great Bay Boulevard Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County is 5,982 acres of fresh, brackish and saltwater estuary and islands acquired with funding from hunters and anglers, Green Acres and the sale of waterfowl stamps. The boulevard is a narrow two-lane road that was the beginning of a causeway to the shore that would have connected Great Bay to Atlantic City.

The road was never opened, but now provides access to a great sweep of salt marsh, with opportunities for fishing, birdwatching or simply enjoying the beautiful scenery. Great Bay is considered one of the least-disturbed marine wetland habitats in the northeastern United States.

-- NJDEP