It looks like I may not have room over my PT Cruiser to store our 2 yaks in the garage. In the summer, I can store them outdoors on 4x4s in the driveway, but I’d like to move them out of the way for easier winter snow blowing.
Is it OK to just leave them outdoors with cockpit covers, upside down and covered with a tarp?
yes
Just keep them covered with tarps. I keep 4 boats outside all year under tarps.
Andy
Canvas or plastic?
My first season with a fibre glass canoe and was wondering if it could be covered with cotton or plastic material The inexpensive tarps seem to be reinforced plastic. I do store it on saw horses up side down but in the sun (no shade in area)covered with old Mexican cotton blankets. Apprensive about sun damage to bottom. Is plastic tarp OK? Buy more Mexican blankets?
Thanks for the info.
Storage Tips
I have done a fair amount of research on storage methods and tarps. For starters checkout this page on Storage Tips: http://www.suspenzkayakstorage.com/storagetips
There is info. in there on tarps…
If you store your kayak inside or outside make sure they don’t rest on a hard surface… you will get dents. I just rec’d a few photos of dented boats that could not be fixed because they were stored on wooden sawhorses. They should rest on straps and stored on their side so you can avoid hull distortion and dents. The side (chine) of your kayak is the strongest part of your boat. Hope this helps.
photo of dented kayak
Here is a photo of a kayak with a big dent in it… Just be careful on how you store your boat:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Wilderness-Systems-Zephyr-15-5-Touring-Kayak-Used_W0QQitemZ330258060924QQihZ014QQcategoryZ36122QQcmdZViewItem
If you can store it wrapped…
in a tarp and one on top it is better. Help keep snow and rain out. Try getting it as close to the house as possible.
Storage Outside
I store my fiberglass and cedar Navarro Canoe outside all year. I don’t think storing fiberglass craft with tarps directly touching the sides is a good idea. I used heavy duty PVC piping to build a frame to put around the canoe. I then put a heavy duty aluminized tarp over the frame and canoe and bungied it to stakes in the ground. The canoe sets upside down on two saw horses inside the frame. The roof of the frame is slanted on both sides of the peak at 45 degrees so that snow and water run off easily. Total cost of my set up was about $55.00.
There is a company that makes canoe covers which are breathable which are fitted tightly over the canoe which are for outside use. Cost through Piragis Catalog is $85. Don’t know anyone who has one, but it might fit your needs.