Actual vs. advertised kayak weights

Here’s the hanging method but it’s not very transportable. My barn is messy with ropes in the background, so I circled the hanging rope (white), second hanging rope (red, goes to bow handle but could go anywhere to keep the bow from dropping), electronic luggage scale (silver) and a small chain hoist that I used to conveniently lift the kayak (orange). Using this method, I got about 1/2 lb less than lifting each end separately and adding the two numbers. Some of that is because I didn’t have read the slightly changing reading on the scale while holding up one end of the kayak. Here, I could let it hang and stabilize and read the scale “at my leisure”.

Put a block of something on the scale so you can read it the the hull on top and balance it. Easier if you had 2 more hands when you do it.

Your hanging method is definitely better … I suppose spring scale accuracy & precision is the determining factor. On the other hand, my bathroom scale is probably has a standard error of at least a few ounces, so summing the two results from the mark and block method may be one of those “good enough” solutions for me.

Oy! Take bathroom scale to kayak. Pick up the kayak. Get on the scale. Note weight. Put kayak down. Get on scale. Subtract.

5 Likes