Kayak strap noise question....

[Martinjmpr]

We have 2 fiberglass sit-on-top kayaks that we carry with us when we will be camping at a water feature. The only issue is noise - the straps make an awful howling noise on the highway.
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Here's what I think may be happening: Our kayaks have a relatively flat bottom with a pronounced keel. They ride upside down on a Yakima rack so the keel is upwards. We use flat ratchet straps to hold the kayaks down. I think what happens is that the straps go over the keel and then there is an an air gap underneath the strap. I believe this is what is making the noise (vibrating like a guitar string.)
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This photo is from my 4runner but it's the same on the Suburban since I use the same rack:
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If you look where the red strap goes over the blue kayak you can see the air underneath the strap.
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So my question for the group is this: Do you think I can eliminate (or at least reduce) this noise by putting a foam pad in between the strap and the kayak, filling in the air gap? Or is there some other way to eliminate the noise? We have a couple of long trips planned for this Summer where we'll be taking the kayaks and I really don't want to have to listen to that obnoxious noise for 6+ hours!
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Thanks in advance!

 

[Airmapper]

Put a twist in the strap, quiet it right down.

 

[Lucky j]

Put a twist in the strap, quiet it right down.

That is it!

 

[Martinjmpr]

Really? It's that simple?
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I'll give it a try. Thanks for the input! :26_7_2:

 

[slimpartywagon]

I was going to suggest the twist as well

 

[calicamper]

Yup just a twist

 

[Martinjmpr]

Yup just a twist

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Just one twist or multiple twists?

 

[Airmapper]

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Just one twist or multiple twists?

One in every flat section where wind can cause it to vibrate.

So if a strap goes over an object like this /O\ then you would want one twist on each side.

Two or more woulden't hurt anything. But it would make your rigging messy.

 

[dlh62c]

Just add a twist. You'll see truckers doing it too when securing large loads with straps.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Don't use ratchet straps - too easy to crank them down super tight and leave a permanent dent in the hull (especially in hot weather). I much prefer camlock straps.

For a single kayak I used to use 3m straps which were enough to reach over the kayak as you have now and then have a short tail left to tidy up (normally a series of half hitches to lock of the cam lock). An open canoe used a 5m strap as the hull was a bit bigger in most dimensions.

As others have said, the easiest bit is to put a twist in the strap, and then make sure you're using a strap that is a suitable length for the load so you don't have a million miles of straps to tie off (looks like the strap runs slack across the underneath of the kayak at the back to tidy it all up, and at the front the lots of knots option)

 

[Martinjmpr]

Don't use ratchet straps - too easy to crank them down super tight and leave a permanent dent in the hull (especially in hot weather). I much prefer camlock straps.
For a single kayak I used to use 3m straps which were enough to reach over the kayak as you have now and then have a short tail left to tidy up (normally a series of half hitches to lock of the cam lock). An open canoe used a 5m strap as the hull was a bit bigger in most dimensions.
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As others have said, the easiest bit is to put a twist in the strap, and then make sure you're using a strap that is a suitable length for the load so you don't have a million miles of straps to tie off (looks like the strap runs slack across the underneath of the kayak at the back to tidy it all up, and at the front the lots of knots option)

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These are sit-on-top Kayaks (basically they are double-hulled) and very, very rigid (and very heavy - I'd estimate at least 60lbs each and we have two of them.) No worries about straps leaving permanent indentations, they don't (we've had them since 2014.)
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In fact, they're almost TOO heavy. Wife has a hard time lifting them up onto the roof with me and there's no way I can get them up there myself. We've been thinking of switching to single-hulled, sit-in kayaks which would be much lighter, but the problem there is that we like to take our dog and I don't think she would fit (she's a 40lb Red Heeler.) So for now we're kind of stuck with the sit-on Yaks.
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As far as strap length, I learned early on what a PITA it was to have extra material, so I cut a couple of straps and marked them "kayak" so I wouldn't have excess strap to tie up.
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Thanks again for all the tips!