I’m looking at buying a used royalex canoe (OT Pack) and as far as I can tell from the photos it’s in great condition. The one concern I have is that it has been stored in a boathouse, hung from the rafters by the carry handles, hull side down. Summers are hot and obviously the boathouse isn’t temperature controlled. I’m worried that there might be some damage to the canoe because it was stored this way. The gunwales are pulled up against the rafters, but the weight of the canoe is still supported completely from the carry handles.
I haven’t had a chance to look at the canoe in person. When I do, what should I look at to make sure there isn’t anything wrong because it was stored in this way? How concerned would you be about this storage method?
Thanks!
S/B no harm done
At 33# the Pack is a lightweight 12 footer. That’s 16.5# per handle. The handles are the same construction as those used on the longer and much heavier Old Town tandems. I have never seen one in good condition pull out of a hull or gunwale. Much better for the hull to be hanging right-side up in heat than upside down with ropes over the hull. The heat required to warp a boat in a boat house would be too hot for people to enter the boathouse and remove or stow a canoe.
Don’t worry about it.
Bill