I currently have 2 kayaks that are stored in suspension straps under a large covered patio with no issues.
Both kayaks are rotomold.
im moving soon to a VERY small house that has nowhere to fit them indoors, no storage bldg., no covered patio.
as it stands, my only option is to set them on foam blocks in the grass and cover, although I worry about the weather. they are outside now, but not getting rained on, etc...
any advice on storage out in the open? I really don't want to get rid of them
room for a rack? I have several friends who store boats on a free standing or wall mounted rack. Either mounted to a fence or the side of the house or 4x4 posts. A small roof over the top of the rack keeps the weather off. The racks are home built from 2x4 and 4x4’s but you can buy high load shelf brackets that will hold a boat and mount a 2x4 with foam over the top.
All the walmarts around here have theirs (Atwood brand) on clearance except for the ones that sold out Large covers made for most rec boats, but not a pungo 140.
Another low cost option is buy the cheapest 6x 8 tarp from Harbor Freight and use bungee cords under the coaming to hold it on. The cheap ones are better as they will form to the coaming easier.
A slightly more expensive variant, go to an Army Navy store and buy mosquito netting inked of tarp for breathability
Or order one made for boat from a Pnet advertiser.
Nothing sux more than finding a wasp nest under the bow at an improper time.
A Frame Kayak Plans I always thought this was a great simple home built kayak rack that only requires very basic skills, just how to use a hand saw and a drill.
I store my four kayaks outside year round in the NE. The rack I built looks something like this but with out the roof and also stores a cargo box on the bottom. I just use a large tarp to create a roof and walls. So far that tarp lasted two years with tons of snow on it. I do live in the woods so the sunlight doesn’t destroy the tarp quickly. The tarp takes the sun abuse for the kayaks so expect to replace it on occasion. Storing outside you want cockpit covers.
indestructible Roto boats (any decent brand) are pretty much indestructible. I have stored mine on outside racks for going on three decades now. Have also sometimes stored glass boats outside. We have a Pungo we’ve had since the mid-90’s, and try as we might we just can’t kill it. Kids drag it everywhere. I use a cheap tarp, a cheap piece of line and a trucker’s knot to make a cockpit cover in winter. Seals cockpit covers on all other boats. I cover the rack with a good (brown or grey) tarp, and give them all a good cleaning inside/out in spring to clear out critters. The only thing that can hurt these boats is long-term exposure to sunlight (and that’s just a coloration issue mostly). May have to replace rigging every 5-8 years, minor cost and should be done anyway.
