Just got my new Pungo 140. The manual clearly states you should not store it on its side on the floor. What’s up with that? I’ve been storing my Perception Sundances like that for several years, in the garage, on an old rug, on the floor against the wall, tilted at an angle. My dealer who sold me the 'yak said I’m doing the correct thing, contrary to what is in the manual.
Comments?
From the WS website
How should I store my kayak?
The best way to store your boat is on end, upside down or on its side. Don’t hang it by the grab loops, and don’t store it in direct sunlight. The color can fade and the plastic can lose its suppleness because of prolonged exposure to sunlight. Use a cockpit cover to keep dust and critters out. Harmony has a Yak Rack made of webbing which is designed to make storing your kayak easy.
However…
the new owners manual states on page 6…
" storing your kayak resting on it’s side on the floor can cause a flattening or deformation of the side of the hull."
Slings
If you have the space, many hang their kayaks from slings. Motorcycle tie-downs or ratchet straps work well for this. You could just keep it where it is and support the kayak with tall wooden blocks a few feet in from the ends. Carpet or foam scraps help cushion the hull. Anything to keep all the weight from resting on one spot.
Might be a Pungo issue
I agree
Most boats are fine stored on their side, but others may not have the lateral strength to do so, as a compromise for eitehr design or lightweight construction. I wold guess that this is primarily an issue only if you store it on a hard surface. I use an old lawn-furniture seat pad under the boat, which distributed the weight better and discourages any deformation issues.
-rs
Soft material?
– Last Updated: Apr-17-08 9:35 AM EST –
If the Pungo is anything like the WS Tsunami 145 I bought, you should be very careful how you store it and how you tie it to your roof rack as well.
The hull material is a really pliable plastic and changes shape at the smallest pressure. I think carrying it sideways on a car rack is OK (did this a few times and it seems OK). Carrying it with the seat up on the car rack seems to be a big "NO" for mine - the shape of the bottom deforms visibly and quickly from the tie-down pressure and takes quite a bit of time to regain shape.
I carry it upside-down on the rack now or sideways if I need to fit two boats (using Yakima stackers, and some fat foam insulation on the bars).
I hang it upside-down off the ceiling with a home-made belt suspender that seems to work fine and leaves no deformation traces.
The boat eventually regains its shape in most cases, but having it lay on its side for a while I suspect it might bend and track one-way for a while, until it straightens-up again.
I've seen similar behavior with my Cobra Explorer sit on top kayak when tighly tied to the roof rack (I see the deformation on the bottom from the tie-down belts) but it is much sturdier and recovers its shape faster than the WS Tsunami 145 - never really had to think much of how I store it or carry it...
I agree
I had a Pungo that was stored on its side in hot warehouse. I bought it, it pulled to one side. After complaining and Pungo investigating, they figured it out, took it back and destroyed the boat. They did not want anyone else to have it that way.
lucky you
a few years back WS was sending out lots of flawed boats,i mean lots, leaving dealers and customers to deal with the consequences. A friends shop rejected 25% of one shipment. Some were made from molds that were shifted fore/aft 1/2" leaving mismatched halves. I saw an old Pungo with an obvious twist to the stern, a Pamilico 135T that had one rail caved in 4",would not come out under any persuasion. That’s all cleared up but I don’t doubt a lot of substandard ones were sold.
The duralite boats are definately not to be stored on their sides or any surface with hard edges.