I have no problem organizing boats and paddles in the garage, but what do some of you do to store your PFD’s, straps, and skirts?
Currently the skirts hang on pegboard hangers. I have a cabinet and padded hangers that works well for the neoprene,dry tops,etc. The PFD’s hang on “L” shaped hangers similar to those you can buy to hang ladders on. Even though they work fairly well, the PFD storage area still looks unkempt.
I welcome your suggestions.
Thanks a bunch!
Once everything is dry . . .
items of gear go into large Tupperware-type boxes, arranged according to the boat or person who uses that gear. Stacking in the box, from bottom to top: seat under-pad (cut out from yoga mat; Thermarest seat bottom; bilge pump; tow-bag; compass; rolled spray skirt; PFD. There is space to add shoats/booties, wetsuits, etc., depending on the trip. One box for my boat; one for my wife’s.
There is another box for incidentals containing smaller clear partitioned boxes: one for kayak repair and maintenance materials/tools; one for lights and safety gear and first aid kitting; one for fishing tackle, and then the remaining area holds flags; rope; sponges; extra tie-down straps, dry bags and bungee material.
A duffel bag holds paddling clothes, fleece and paddle jackets; sometimes shoats/booties and wet suits.
When we planned a paddling trip, we just put the appropriate boxes in the wagon - ready to go.
Since I got the fishing SOT, and we have been also using the SOTs and the twin Loon again, things are in transition at this time, because one trip might be fishing, the next down a Level I/II river or the coast, using different boats. We keep adding gear for different functions and for paddling needs in general.
REI is having a major duffel bag sale, so I just bought their largest bag, which will hold the paddling gear for most trips. It also will take up less room in the wagon, being soft. So it will probably store the go-everywhere gear, with the boxes storing gear for specific boats - to be transferred to the big duffel as needed for trips.
I stack these boxes against a wall in my office, where they are protected from pest and dust intrusion.
organize gear?
who does that???
Paul
pfds and helmets
– Last Updated: Feb-21-10 8:49 AM EST –
stay in the truck so we don't forget them. Paddles and poles are stood up next to the house. Small boats(C1's) and Kevlar boats (squirt and OC1) stored under the deck, Royalex boats strewn about the yard, drysuits stored in the back(camping/sailing) room, neoprene mukluks, gloves,shoes,skirts get stored in the third bathtub with the aquarium maintenance gear, drybags stay in truck or family room if the towel is moldy.
Just a neat freak, what can I say?
http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/574539339QlebiM?mediaPosition=1
Drysuit maintenance and gasket repair "kit" is in a coffee can and sits on my desk. Bilge pumps, batteries and charger is over by some fish tanks. Thwart for my poling boat is next to the 4 drawer in house roll-away, hardware in roll-away. Aarons thwart and hardware is in the shed. Cold weather under garments is on sofa in my bedroom. Minicell in one shed, glues, epoxies, fiberglass, abs, acetone stored in "in house" rollaway while it's sub freezing out, out to shed when it's warm.
http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2248166620094366337tGxpwU
if my gear was in my garage
how would I use it?
I hang everything on the trailer bunks
and then it is back in my gear bag once dry. Seasonal stuff goes in a rolling storage box, while hardware, tuiliks, skirts, helmet, and foam stay in the trailer storage box. Paddles once dry go into the pvc pipe mounted on the trailer. If I did not have my trailer, man what a mess! Bill
Big pile…
on de floor.
FE
2 kayaks hang in the garage
New addition wenonah solo plus sits on foam blocks on the floor under the kayaks. All gear hangs from pegboard area roughly 8’x8’ just to the right of the kayaks. I also keep small essentials and clothing accessories (gloves, hydroskin, whistle, noseplugs, river knife, etc) in a small Northface Daypack along with a towel and my Tevas. This bag is packed for grab and go and always ready. I’m considering moving all the stuff to the basement…but that would be much less convenient.
garage is full
of boats and bikes. everything else is in my closet.
everything I could possibly need
is in the back of my car. (subie baja) everything is in containers or IKEA bags.
2 greenland paddles in the car because they just don’t fit.
big yellow tempest on my car calling me. I get off work in about an hour and I am off to the lake. high 60’s today and i simply cannot pass that up!
paul
Mesh duffel bags
I keep my pfds in mesh duffels from Campmor. That way they can dry out pretty well, and don’t get tangled with all the other crap. Actually I keep all my gear in three large mesh duffels. They stay outside the car until they’re dry, then go right back in the boot so I don’t forget anything. Interesting to think of a garage being organized - I wonder what that’s like?
Andy on the other hand
keeps everything in Fat Elmos canoes right next to his coolers.
Canoes are good for hanging stuff from…
Paul
Unkempt? Isn’t that part of paddling?
I built the BHC and it sits on 2
sawhorses and holds all my camping and paddling gear.
PFD’s hang well on …
… regular cloths hangers , flat against a wall on a nail , or on a cloths pole .
You know , you can hang pipe or cloths pole in mid air right off a cieling anyplace you want (don’t need a dedicted closet or sidewalls to work with) .
When it comes to organizing “much stuff” in limited area , keeping as much floor space open is the key . Keep as much as possible up off the floor .
Your stuff get’s dry?
Nothing wrong with unkempt and disheveled …kind of sexy in my opinion.
mr. organized
6 most often used boats go on the trailer, 3 go on back wall on large ladder hooks covered with pool noodles, and 3 more hang on a triple suspenz loop system. Everything is off the floor this way. The Grumman rests outside on T shaped racks. In the spring I bring the trailer to the front garage from the man shed. When dry, PFD’s and cushions go in hanging mesh bags. They dry on suit hangers. Skirts and wetsuits, booties, etc. hang dry then go in mesh bags or totes. I like totes in winter for pool sessions, gear can ride in the truck without freezing on the return trip. A cabinet and a few high shelves keep all the loose stuff together, and footwear hangs in a cheap canvas shoe organizer. I’m working on a way to store the growing supply of paddles better.
Wow! A lot of great suggestions.
Thanks to all. Both for the helpful suggestions and humorous comments.
We live next to a river so PFD’s need to be accessible at all times. The grandkids live next door (love it!) and their kayaks are stored with ours.
My two stall garage (25’ X 18’ ID) houses 12 kayaks plus my vehicle so this is why I need to keep it organized. Plus I like things in order. But, that’s just me and as I get older it helps due to those CRS moments.
Hubby has a larger garage which to me is in total disarray, even though he says, “Don’t touch anything. I know where everything is.” So it no touchy–but, I did borrow, with permission, a small barrel to store the paddles in. They’re taken apart and inserted with the blades pointing up. The shafts of identical paddles are marked with a “1, 2, or 3” as I’ve found over the years that some are matched fits and it’s less frustrating than trying to push the pieces together and it doesn’t work.
Thanks again. I appreciate all who shared your expertise.
My wife says I suffer from CRS…
Is that a symptom of male menopause?