I’m on holiday right now and the place we are staying at has no indoor space for the kayaks. In addition, the beach is down a steep cliffside so now that the boats are down there we were thinking of keeping them there.
Any advice on storage for the week we’re here?
We have them under a tarp to protect from UV etc but have been letting them dry out before covering. Should we be concerned about mildew or any issues causes by the tarp sitting on the kayak over the night and during the parts of the day we’re not using them? We aren’t wrapping them tightly and they are getting out on the water most days. Would it be better to just have them sit uncovered–the weather has been mostly overcast.
My wood composition boats will be on the truck rack in the sun for 8 weeks this summer. I think your boat will survive for the whole week without the tarp.
You might want to tie them down. (Mooring line) Boats on strange places by themselves near the water often go exploring for unforscene reasons.
Under tarp for 10 plus years. One of eight with folded tarp on top few bungee’s. They’re not saltine crackers you’re storing outside and expect to be crisp.
My boats (2 come with me) are on stands on the beach that no one makes any longer, but also tied off with a bowline knot to a tree. My sister and one visitor every other year thought they had the boats pulled up high enough. Then the highest of the tide cycle came in while they slept…
100% this. I had one kayak stored at the beach. I bought another one. Next day, big storm. I was walking to the harbormaster’s office for my “beach parking” sticker for the boat and I saw a boat right in the sand, a few feet above the high water mark. I laughed to my self, “what a loser, didn’t tie up their boat.” Got back from the harbormaster’s office, went to apply my sticker and my new boat was gone.
Yes, that one on the beach my mine. LOL.
I’m so lucky that some kind soul dragged it out of the surf and up on the sand, it only travelled a few blocks.
If so, I wouldn’t sweat over one week of UV exposure in a maritime climate. Kayaks on long camping trips are outdoors 24/7 for weeks at a stretch.
The pigment in the gel coat protects the underlying resined fiberglass.
BUT I would worry about whether you are storing them high enough to be out of a storm surge’s or very high tide’s or giant boat wake’s long reach. Tie them up securely!
My composite under tarps for 11 years plastic for 12. A composite one has a cockpit cover on it untouched for two years or maybe three. It was dry as a bone. Sitting 2’ from a bulkhead right side up.
My wife and I kept our composite fiberglass/Kevlar boats upside down, and with cockpit covers on, for a year on our community kayak racks. We did rinse them off after each saltwater use but apart from being a bit dirty after a South Carolina winter the boats were absolutely fine and a bucket of soapy water and a sponge made them look like new again.
And we often take our kayaks with us on vacation and they spend a couple of weeks or so outside.
