I have a Wilderness Systems Piccolo, about 14 feet long and 45 lbs, polyethylene. Unfortunately I need to put it in storage for at least a couple years, possibly longer. I’m thinking of suspending it from the ceiling via the carry handles. However, I worry that the middle of the kayak will sag over time. Does anyone have advice/experience with storing kayaks this way? Thank you!
Don’t suspend from the carry handles, as an amazing amount of heat builds up at a garage ceiling, and your boat will distort over time. Use 2 wide straps and suspend upside down (cockpit facing down)from either side of the cockpit. I hang several kayaks from the garage ceiling, and have never had an issue.
If you want to make your life easy, buy a pulley bike holder and modify the hooks to grab straps tied around your kayak. It will make raising and lowering the kayak incredibly easy.
Another good way to cradle a hanging kayak is to use nylon or polypro rope but thread it through 2 or 3’ lengths of those firm foam “pool noodles” they sell for kids to play with in the water. The foam distributes the weight and cushions it… I agree it should be hung upside down or on its side, NOT right side up… Place the hangers nearer to the cockpit than the ends. Even the manufacturers will tell you to never suspend a kayak by the handles.
By the way, use a cockpit cover or tape a garbage bag over the coaming. Lots of things like to build nests in stored kayaks.
Thanks for the responses! To clarify, it will be in a temperature-controlled, enclosed storage unit (not a garage) but it still makes sense to hang it from the cockpit area rather than the handles.
The best way to hang a kayak is using wide webbed straps and position them under the bulkheads.
@JackL said:
The best way to hang a kayak is using wide webbed straps and position them under the bulkheads.
Yes and you can buy wide 4" web strapping by the foot on eBay.
I have several kayaks hanging from my garage ceiling. Most are on 3-4 inch thick straps - the fore strap is one continuous oval strap whereas the rear strap is constructed of two with a caliber or hook sewed at the bottom of one and a loop sewed in the other so I can join the two halves. I slide the nose of my boat into the continuous piece then lift the stern between the two pieces on the other end and connect them with the caliber. I do own one plastic kayak - an Ocean sit-on-top that I have hanging from each end but have a support strap in the middle. Been doing it for over 20 years with no warping. Originally had my sea kayaks on a pulley system but found this system faster and easier.
