Bow lines also serve another very useful purpose - if you can't (easily) see the bow of the boat your are carrying you won't have much of any idea what is happening with the boat as you zoom up the highway.

Seeing that bowline suddenly veer over to one side means that something is amiss with yor boat atop the car. Seeing that bowlind suddenly dissappear entirely means that something is now probably amise with your boat in the weeds alongside the highway.

Whenever you see a "lost boat - somewhere along interstate whatever type message - you know that there was now bow line on that rig.

Agreed too, I always carry spare rope in the car.

On that "spares in the car" topic, I'd suggest always having a spare set of clothes. I dug out a set of spare duds and keep them in the car 365 days a year.. Useful if you arrive at a take out unexpectedly wet, or are forced to crawl around in the mud changing a tire or manuvering your car out of a ditch.