I just bought my first kayak, a dagger blackwater 11.5. What would be the best way to store it? Will it warp if stored, sitting on the floor. Right side up or upside down? Or would it be better to store it standing up? Or any others?
Thanks!
Hang it up.
– Last Updated: Feb-25-05 12:12 PM EST –
When I bought my kayak (also my first) last spring, I was told that the best way to store it is with 1" nylon straps and hanging it. So I bought some straps and hang my Dagger (a Catalyst 12.8) from my garage ceiling. It's real easy (if you have the room), as the straps are just large slings, which slip over the ends of the kayak.
~ Arwen ~
“Side” the best…
The stiffest part of a kayak is the side, or edge. If you are storing on a rack, or hanging, have the kayak on it’s side.
If it is a poly kayak, and you hang or sit it on it’s bottom, you may get dimples on the bottom where the rack or straps contact it. Over time, it is possible to deform the hull enough to change the way the kayak handles. Especially if it is stored in a hot location. Composite kayaks are not as fussy as poly ones.
Another good way to store it if you can, is to stand it on the stern end, and tie it to something so it doesn’t fall over. It is harder to do this with a longer kayak.
Just rememebr the edge is the stiffest part.
Storing my Kayak
I have a pair of Precision Swifty’s and I store them in my garage over the hood of my car. I placed vinyl covered bicycle hooks (normally used to suspend bikes) in the ceiling joists of the garage. Actually, any strong eye hook will do. Then I bought a set of tie-down straps that are used in the beds of pickup trucks. Over those straps, I slid 3-foot lengths of the plastic foam sleeves used for insulation on water pipes, and as found in any plumbing department. The straps form two “U’s”. The kayaks are stored on their sides and are further protected by the foam.
1" straps
hanging upside down in my shed . Going on 3 years, and no warping . i have a rotomold Perception.
wall mounts at home depot
When we got our new garage we went to home depot to find the perfect thing to hang our kayaks on… it took for ever but we found these wooden posts that are 12 feet tall and they have wooden “arms” that stick out from them. 3 arms per 12 feet of post The arms are nailed togethere and then re enforced with wood brackets. We bought 2 and have had all 3 kayaks resting on them. About 2 months after we put them up we went into the local paddle shop low-and-behold they had the same things there but they had to build them. ( now they get them at home depot too!)