I bought these RV Inno racks about 15 years ago - expensive, about $180 now - I have an older design but mine work the same way as these newer ones. I'm so glad I bought them - really a quality piece of goods, well thought out in every way, just a pleasure to use. There's a bit of air space compression in the hard-ish rubber cushions the board sits on so as you click stop crank the steel cables down to hold the board that compression keeps it tight - and you don't need much pressure either. The straps stay elevated when released so its easier to get the board under them when setting it on them at first. And they lock which is great.
We do a lot of 4-6 hour drives to the nicer part of Wildwood New Jersey and Ocean City Maryland with kids and stuff in the minivan so the boards have to go on top. I adjust the board as far back as the minivan's rear door swinging open will allow, putting the rear fin down and in the front over the windshield often allows the board's rocker to rise the front of the board above the rear door so I can open the door fully (and keeps the fin from hitting stuff if you're parking in a lot under a hotel) if not I'll rig a small rope to limit the rear door's opening in some way so it won't hit the board. And I always add a bungee cord attached to the sides of the roof rack in front (not just the center piece) strapped over the surfboard figuring that the front is the worst place to have a single point of failure (I've always used two of whatever in front on long trips).
With the locking feature it's nice to not have to worry in a rest area restaurant or to have to watch the car from inside the restaurant. Even at the hotel, I'll just leave my 10' 6" board on top of the car the whole weekend or week, I use it as a sort of storage locker - easier than taking it up into the room all the time. And if its flat - sometimes I never take it down at all.
I know there's some risk relying on the locks but I think they provide enough deterrent so the thief will chose a different car and I'm fully willing to lose the board some day (cost of convenience), but so far 15 years - something like 30 + trips, maybe 85 nights total out on the roof - no problem yet. Of course I'm not ever anyplace loaded with tweakers either.
he bought the car back in ‘93 or ‘94...