I recently bought two Old Town Adventure XL125 kayaks, and have a couple of questions about storing them.
During the week when they’re not being used, I ended up buying 2” wide cam straps (positioned under their bulkheads) to hang them on their side under our cottage. I think this is the best solution, but I’m open to suggestions.
During the day (and at night) when we’re not using them we’ve been pulling them out of the water and resting them on a tarp in the shade. I was debating storing them upside down or right side up, and we ended up setting them on their hulls. I know resting a kayak on its hull isn’t an ideal situation, but I would assume this applies to long term storage. Would leaving them on their hulls in the shade for short periods of time do any damage?
For long term winter storage I had planned on hanging them on their side the same way we do during the week, but inside of our garage at home rather than under the cottage.
Any thoughts?
I have two ten year old
Perception long boats, (A Eclipse and a Shadow) that have been kept laying flat on their hulls for the past ten years, (except when they are in use)and they have suffered no ill affects.
I personally think the best bet would be on cradles with the cradles placed under the bulk heads, and my second choice would be on their sides - Naturally all of this is out of the sun.
I have two small poly rec boats that have been kept for the past twelve years on two 2x4’s and you would think by now there would be dents in them , but there aren’t any.
Cheers,
JackL
I always stow my polyethylene CD Kestrel
on its side. It bows in the middle during a long trip with I believe was the result of weight on the bow and in the dry storage plus sitting flat every night. On the last trip I elevated the bow so the kayak was resting on the bow and stern only and this solved the problem.
I noticed that Old Town uses a harder plastic on their 12’ kayak.
Storage
Just make sure that you use cockpit covers to keep spiders out.
Owner’s Manual
From the Old Town owner’s manual:
“Store your kayak cockpit-side down, on its side or on end. The best way to store your polyethylene or composite kayak is to run webbing straps under the bulkhead points (or widest points) and hang the boat or place on cradle type saw horses. This will keep the decks from being distorted.”
The part I find confusing is “store your kayak cockpit-side down, on its side or on end”. How do you hang a kayak on its side cockpit-side down?