I am looking for some sort of sling that I can use to pull my kayak up to the garage ceiling. It only weighs 38 pounds. I already have some hooks up there. Can anyone head me in the right direction?
What I use.
Raise mine using the grab loops, via a nylon rope/ ratchet gismo from Lowes. About 10$ each. Then, secure to chains using a home made leather sling on each end. I’ll email you a picture if you’re interested.
My $5 solution
I took two of those threaded hooks you would use to hang a bike and screwed them tightly into the wall studs. I hang the kayak from the hooks using the same straps I use to secure it to my truck/jeep. I keep mine at about shoulder height so I can pick it up easily when I need to.
With some attention to detail you can make sure the hooks are just beyond the front and rear of the coaming so the straps hold the boat in its strongest area.
Since I hang it with the cockpit facing out, I also use the cockpit and hatches for storing various gear and accessories.
YMMV,
Brian
storage
I just put up a Hoister system from Harken (Wisconsin), bought it through REI. Not cheap, but it works great. It has a pulley system, and allows you to lower the boat directly on to the car carrier (if you have enough ceiling room). No lifting! The kit probably saved me ten trips to the hardware store trying to do it myself.
www.hoister.com/
I already have a
couple of bicycle hooks in the rafters. I might try using a hoist from those. Do you put some sort of sling around the yak or just hang it from the coaming or a fitting?
lots of straps out there
but if you are looking for a cheap, strong one I am planning on using a piece of fire hose. Slit it up the side and it will be 3 or 5 inches wide, depending on the size you get. Your local fire house probably throws away a length or two every month or so if they are busy enough. One length should see you through till your grandkids need it.
Me Too.
I keep my loaner boat up and my paddlin’ boat on the floor directly beneath it.
I’ve been using a hoist system
I purchased from Campmor several years ago for about $40. It is probably the single most useful paddling accessory I own. It just bolts to the ceiling (or rafters) of the garage and uses a simple pulley system with a cleat on the wall to hold the rope. I use a couple of 1" nylon straps with a spring tension metal buckle which loop under the hull and over the hoist hooks. Another thing I like about this system over “homemade” is that it has an automatic brake, so I don’t have to keep tension on the rope once it is raised when I am securing the rope to the cleat. It was well worth the money.
Me two
Got two of the 'yaks in the overhead with the Campmor hoists which are half the cost of the “other” brand.
Holler paddling to me and it takes 5 minutes to lower a 'yak on the Tracker and buckle it down. Another 5 minutes to grab my gear box and a bottle or two of water and a snack.
Stay safe on the water.
Tie Down Straps
I bought 2 extra tie down straps and put a screw thru the strap into a stud on either side of the
cockpit. Then just strap them to the wall, they
are flat against the wall and out of the way.
hanging the kayak
Could you please e-mail me a copy of how you hang your kayak in the garage? I you greatly appreciate it. I have ranout of room in my garage.
Climbing Slings
Put 2 screw eyes into the beams near the wall and threaded a couple of 4’climbing slings through them. Just pick up each end of the boat and drop it into each sling. This system kept my boat hanging sideways against the wall at waist height.
Dennis
A word of warning
Do NOT hang your boat for extended periods using the end loops or toggles. Plastic boats can take a set, and composite boats should be treated nicely.
Arrange any system so that the boat’s weight is supported by slings placed either near the bulkheads (if any) or at about 1/4 and 3/4 positions on the hull. Comments about webbing and old fire hoses are good. I use a pair of doubled 1 inchers on my composite boat with no damage.
Jim