I’m just getting into kayaking and would eventually like to buy kayaks for the whole family. That would mean four kayaks…
I do have a two car garage that is roomy but I’m wondering if I really have enough wall space for all these.
Any suggestions on space savers?
Also, could I hang a kayak on an outside fence with a cover over it?
I live in NJ and we do get snow in the winter time.
Thanx for your advice…
Build or buy a rack
I’m planning on building something like this (see link below) to store my boats, but you can always buy these.
http://www.talic.com
~wetzool
If they are new composite ones…
move the livingroom furniture out and put them in.
Seriously, you should be able to hang a few of them overhead and put some on the wall.
I had a two car garage and made a freestanding rack for one side which held four of our kayaks.
I kept the extra vehicle in the driveway.
cheers,
JackL
IF YOU’VE GOT THE GARAGE SPACE
– Last Updated: Jun-21-05 8:57 AM EST –
on the wall or overhead -I agree with Jack -do it that way. If you have enough space to store them over where you normally park your hauler, that's even better. You can hang them from pulleys hooked to the ceiling and drop them down, really easy, onto you hauler and after cinching them in, off you go. When you return, uncinch, pulley them back up off your hauler, and tie off the ropes. Voila, EZ duzzit!
We have an open carport in a typical urbanized area, and we don't like keeping our boats out where passers-by can get ideas, not to mention easy access. Besides, I couldn't hang all six there anyway.
So I designed and built a freestanding rack and put it in the back yard. If you decide you want the garage space, this was a Home Depot special and was easily constructed of commonly available matrials for under $100. It's really sturdy, and can easily be adapted to hold more/fewer boats.
See it at
http://topkayaker.net/CGI-BIN/YakAlbum/cgi-bin/album.pl
Click on the "POPULAR" button at the top of the page & scroll down for several views of the Yak Rack Out Back...
(or cut & paste:
http://www.topkayaker.net/CGI-BIN/yakalbum/cgi-bin/album.pl?photo=Misc.%20Member%20Photos/DigiPix2005_0123_115759AAS2.JPG;photo_height=-1;photo_width=-1)
It works for us to hold our fleet securely out of the way, up off the ground, and easily accessible, in between the times we
PADDLE ON!
-Frank in Miami
Kayak storage
I went to the local Target store and bought a bicycle storage rack that hangs a bike from the garage ceiling. For $18.00 I use it to hang my kayak. It is a neat system of two pulleys and a locking device. Check it out.
Martin Creek
– Last Updated: Jun-19-05 9:50 PM EST –
go here
http://www.martincreek.com/mcmain.asp?Option=CatList&Category=kystorage
to see the Martin Creek rack which mounts to your garage wall. I have one pair, and will be getting another for my other yak.
They also have a free standing unit, in case you don't want a wall mounted unit.
They do have an ad here on p net under the accessories section, boat storage
I used a shed fron coverit and
build a rack like two T’s with three crossbars.]
It is not legal by the zoning commission but it will hold 7 boats through a blizzard and 60 mph winds with no fear.
My main posts are 4X4 dug 30 inches into the ground (power auger fron home depot).
Here is a storage rack from bnystrom who posts here:
http://community.webshots.com/album/203614238zNopWk
Cheaper and easier than mine, though the shelter is not as wind resistant; his total cost was about 1/5 of mine or less.
Boats Everywhere
I got boats in the basement, under the porch and on home made racks in the back yard. Most important thing is keep them out of direct sunlight. I cover the boats on the rack with tarps. Some folks use cockpit covers to keep bugs and other critters out. I haven’t. Once in awhile a spider is lurking in the cockpit. In the warmer weather, I fill the cockpit with water, slosh it around and dump out to get rid of the bugs, then I launch.
sing
Look Above
I have 3 kayaks which I store in the overhead of my garage on pulley-lifts. This frees up floor and wall space plus it allows me the luxury of being able to back-up, load up and drive out in minutes. Ditto for when I return.
SYOW
Cal
I just intalled
– Last Updated: Jun-20-05 6:54 AM EST –
2 harken hoists in my garage for a pair of yaks. I went with that particular hoist because I likes the block and tackle. (There is a PNet review of these, and here is the link: http://www.hoister.com/)
It has a 3:1 ratio, so it is real easy to get them up there. More importantly, there is a brake so you can't drop the boats, if you loose grip of the rope it will just stop. I was very worried about hoisting composite boats 7 feet over a concrete floor. I read some people had issues with the buckles on these hoists, to I installed a large eyebolt on either side of the pullies. Got a $12.00 set of 4 tie down straps at home depot, once they are up there I just hook up the tie down straps and cinch them up. I use those extra tie down straps for the bow and stern lines once the boat is on the car, and I don't have to worry about the plastic buckles on the hoists when the boats are up. (You could just go with the tie down straps and the eye bolts if you had some help getting the boats up.) Works great! And I don't have to lift the boats up on to the roof rack anymore.
Real Easy
I made a couple wall mounted clips that my Malone cradles hang from.
Take the cradles off the car, hang them off my garage wall and my boat is safely and correctly stored. Does it get any easier than this?
a water pipe kayak rack
can be made easily and on the cheap by using 1/2 (or larger) water pipe, 45 degree elbows, an entrance plate, and pipe foam or pool noodles. Check out my pictures here: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pastrad/album?.dir=855b&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/pastrad/my_photos
if that link doesn’t work try photos.yahoo.com/pastrad
and click on kayak rack.
I have since moved this rig into a building and upgraded from pipe foam to noodles. It works really well but I think I’m going to remove the elbows and just use straight pipe and bungees or straps as a safety line. It should be easier to load them onto the rack without the angled pipe.
hope this helps,
P
Home Depot Brackets
I store my 2 kayaks outdoors on my fence on 4 metal brackets that I picked up at Home Depot. They’re called “Rubbermaid White Heavy Duty L-Brackets” and are rated to hold up to 1000 lbs.
After bolting them to my fence posts, I cut 2x3s to fit the bottom contour of the boat hulls and screwed them to the top of the brackets – it works great and is very solid.
If I remember correctly, the brackets cost about $8.00 each (Cdn).
Dan
http://www.westcoastpaddler.com
Campmor.com
was the source for my lifts which also had brakes. Cost me about $57.00, including shipping.
Carabiners and Slings
I used to hang my boat from the garage ceiling. I screwed 2 eye bolts into the beams and hung two 4’ climbing slings from them using 2 carabiners. The cost was under $20 and worked great.