Thule mast holder no. TU539 (Square bars only)

Can be used with: masts (1x)

Includes straps: 2 x 45cm

Weight: 200g

Fits square bars: yes, up to 32 x 22mm

Fits aerobars: no

Guarantee: 5 years

A specific watersports carrier will make carrying your gear much easier. The aim of this note is to persuade you that kayaks (or boats etc) should always, also, be tied to the carrying vehicle at both bow and stern.

Untied kayaks have, in our experience, the greatest potential for a roof bar or kayak carrier failure. The massive forces that untied kayaks can generate have even been known to snap roof bar fixing bolts with the result that a complete assembly of roof bars and kayaks has ended up on the road. We know that this has happened with almost every brand of roof bar, and regardless of whether the kayaks are on a special carrier or just strapped to the bars.

You need to fix bow and stern lines, probably using the front and rear screw-in towing eyes to get strong and accessible fixing points on the vehicle. You can use, for example, 'paracord' for this purpose. Alternatively, Thule makes the QuickDraw 838 which we have listed together with every kayak carrier we sell. The Quickdraw is really simple to use - just hook it to your car and boat/kayak, give it a yank and you are ready to go.

Please note that kayaks should be strapped to the roof bars, or to kayak carriers, using straps that are suitable for the purpose, e.g. 25mm polypropylene straps with strong buckles. Most kayak and other watersports carriers come supplied with such straps. We also have a range of suitable straps available, click here for details. Bungee cords must never be used.

Please also note that all roof bar instructions point out the dangers of carrying unsecured long items, as of course do all kayak carrier instructions.

If you tie down your kayaks you almost certainly won't experience a product failure. If you don't you may or may not get away with it. If there is a disaster and the kayaks end up on the road, separated from the vehicle, then you were not using tie downs and you have subjected the roof bars to forces for which they were not designed. The costs of sorting this out are yours, not ours, and you may also have difficulties with your insurers.

We're sorry to be so firm about this, but "things coming off the tops of cars" is the stuff of nightmares, and we want to do all we can to prevent accidents of this sort from happening.