I just bought my first kayak (polyethelene) and I’m looking to find out how to store it in my garage without any negative effects. Is it ok to stand it up on end for long periods like they do in the kayak shops? Can you store it sitting on the hull? Can you hang it from the grab handles at each end? Anything that you can think of? It doesn’t seem to me like you could hardly hurt these things as long as you keep them from UV rays. Thanks in advance.
kayak storage tips
Here is a link to help get you started in anwsering some of your questions: http://www.suspenzkayakstorage.com/storagetips
All of the above work fine…as long
as you are moving the boat every so often !
cheers,
JackL
Time proven results
– Last Updated: Aug-19-08 8:11 PM EST –
I have a polythylene 12' kayak that is and has been stored outside in the full sun for over three years.It is leaning on its side at a 45 degree angle against a concrete flower pot with the bottom side up and hasn't been hurt by the sun or anything else. It is in fine condition and gets used many times a week. The kayak has never been washed by a hose or had any UV protectant applied and the bottom which faces the sun is no more faded than the top.
Paddlin' on
Richard
Put some eye hooks in the ceiling
in the same plane and hang it from 2 straps ,1/3 the distance from each end, on its side. My friend has hung his for years like that with no issues. takes up very little room also.
Plastic boats usually strongest on side
So if hanging, may be best to hang them on an angle similarly to how they’d sit against stackers or on J-hooks in a car rack system.
That said, we have a plastic Elaho parked at an angle along a wall, stern down and bow up each end resting into foam against the wall. We realized that geometry is wonderful and it would exactly fit along a wall that has almost right angle corners (old house). It’s worked well and the boat is fine.
Storing Kayak
I purchased a bicycle storage system - the kind used to lift your bike to the ceiling of the garage. The max weight is 50lbs; my kayak is slightly heavier (Wilderness Systems Tsunami 140). I spaced the brackets so that the pulleys align with the front and rear bulkheads . Then, I used the straps from my car top carrier to lift the boat.
Later I’ll probably buy thicker supports for a more even distribution, perhaps those rubber swing set seats.
Tim Balassie
NE IL
My System
Check out the other thread, “Kayak lift for garage” for more ideas. This is the one I posted there for my sit on top kayaks:
I have a large 2 car garage w/shelving on one side.
My kayak is on the ground next to the shelving. My husband attached (screwed in) 3 short pieces of 2x4 to the middle shelf that extends out above my kayak which his kayak sits on. The 3 pieces of 2x4 are placed evenly apart, one in the middle, and the other ones towards either end of the kayak.
It’s used for year round storage and daily use, easy access, and cheap as hell to make.
-Capri