Let's say I want to tie a hard object to the top of my car, like a kayak. What is the preferred knot for cinching it down tightly?
I often run into this problem with boats, lumber, and the like. In the past, I've used a tautline hitch with success, but I've heard that it's not safe under critical loads. I've also used a trucker's hitch several times, and that seemed to work well, but I'm not sure what the norm is.