Besides always looking for the perfect wave, surfers also keep seeking the perfect surf rack. Desperately seeking
surfboard rack?A rack that is strong, easy to use, doesn't rust or discolor and protects the surfboard against scratches, dents, and dings.
You can't get to the beach with your board unless you have something to put it on. ASk most surfers and they will tell you tales of having a favored board damaged by a bad rack.
Surf racks have progressed from hard, rustable steel with thin plastic- coated straps to pliable rubber ones -- perfect for trips -- to super strong, anodized aluminum with rubber pads, weather resistant nylon straps, and a $200-plus price tag.
Thule, pronounced Too-Lee, is a leader in versatile, superior quality, high-end roof racks, offering dozens of specialized attachments to haul bikes, skis, lumber, luggage and all sorts of watersports equipment.
The company's surfboard carrying system has been basically a pad that wraps around the crossbars, and a nylon strap to secure the board to the padded bar. Now Thule has introduced its Hang Two Surfboard Carrier, $35, a major step in convenience and protection of your precious wave-riding vehicle.
The Surf Carrier uses a padded cradle design for great lateral stability because it prevents the board from shifting. The cradle holds the board on the cradle -- rather than the crossbar -- with the soft, thermo-plastic lining. The Surf Carrier carries just two surfboards with the additional board requiring the accessory 504 Surf Straps, $12.
Once you've fitted the Surf Carrier cradles on the cross bar to the width of your board, all you have to do is lay it in the cradle, then pull the Surf Straps over it sliding them on to rigid plastic hooks.
The cradles are adjustable so there's no problem changing width sizes between long and short boards.
Thule products are available at surf shops, including Local Motion and Hawaiian Island Creations.
Tim Ryan, Star-Bulletin