I found a device at the local hardware store (Ace and Home Depot carry them) and carried by any place that carries Rubber Made products that is ideal for mounting a kayak on a wall. It is a device that is designed to mount to their proprietary wall rack but it isn’t needed…just bolt it directly to the wall studs. It consists of a plate that bolts to the wall and two rubber covered steel struts that stick out from the wall. The two struts are hinged. There are two versions…one has a bit longer struts. The longer one has detents so you can latch it in the upright position when not in use. The shorter one will not latch in place although it does fold flat. A pair of them are needed to support the kayak and can easily support even a very heavy kayak…as I recall their rating is about 60# each so 120# total. The kayak hull is placed against the wall and the sides rest on the four steel bars. The rubber coating protects the kayak finish. I have two sets of them mounted above one another. The one with the longest rods supports my fishing kayak…a Old Town 10-1/2’ Dirigo along with about 25# of gear like paddles, dry bags, clothing, vests, etc. for about 75# total.
The shorter version is used to hold my Hurricane 135 (13’5") Tampico and more gear. If I were only getting one I would get the longer rod version. The Tampico has a lower deck so can get by with the shorter version but most kayaks would be best served with the longer version.
The device is all steel heavy duty paint and after 4 years I have seen no sagging, etc. and figure it is an ideal solution to storage. It looks great and since it isn’t sold as Kayak specific gear it is cheap.
It is sold as a garage type storage device to hold things like rakes.
Bob Berta
J hangers
always good to consider hardware options that are not necessarily paddling-specific.
Oddly enought I too had a Tampico 135S to mount on the brick faced exterior wall.
I found (at Lowes or Home Depot, can’t recall) some large J hangers w. the ‘J’ area wrapped in soft foam, at a very good angle for mounting a kayak on its side.
IIRC correctly they were something like $6.95 each. And could easily be re-wrapped w. foam if the original covering wore out.
And some kayaks are just too wide & tall decked and need a J hanger w. a longer, wider opening than these J mounts would provide.
Weight ratings are important and useful. They depend on the right drill/fastener combo, w. some epoxy or quick setting cement useful in masonry applications.
I use the same Home Cheapo hangers
on the fence, to hold two rec. kayaks. A section of emt at the top holds a tarp to cover the boats for protection from the sun.
I’m the guy who repairs the shared fences - not any of the 4 neighbors I share fences with. So I use the fences posts I repaired to hold my cheaper boats.
I couldn’t weld up, or construct out of wood, a cheaper alternative.