[Paddlewise] New kayak storage rack (CHEAP)

hello again,

  I have found a new way to store my boats. I figured
that if I had a "shelf" that would stick out from the
wall I could rest my boat on that.
   Headspace is a consideration, as my wife parks her
car there too. So, not wanting to have her hit her
head on an empty shelf, a fold up model would work.
I had a little design figured out on paper and I
headed to the hardware store, thinking plywood,
twoXfours and hinges.
 I always walk every aisle in the store, being a
technophile, and I stumbled upon shovel hangers. They
look like this,  but have two prongs 2 inches apart
           |________,
           | 
for about a three inch spread total. The back plate
mounts with two wood/masonry screws and is about 4
inches wide to distribute weight over the stud and
sheetrock. The prongs flip up on the back plate and
out of the way when boatless. 
    To protect the boat from prong induced
deformation, I went to the local wakeboard shop that I
knew carried Hyperlite Wakeboards. Hyperlite boards
are shipped in heavy card board boxes and the tips are
protected by large foam pads  that are shaped like so.
          ___
         |   |
         |   |
 the pads are 1 in. thick and sit atop the prongs
great. The prongs have no problem holding my weight
150lbs. - I did a pull up to test it and then hung
there for a min or so. 
   SO, I bought two of these shovel/ladder setups
          $3.99 each 
I placed them 6 feet apart - fore and aft of the
cockpit with my Wavehopper resting on its rail. 
Note, this boat has very thin flexible plastic walls,
and is supported completely by the strength of its
rails. It is an incredibly easy set up. Albeit more
expensive than my $1.29 rack I still use for my other
boat out at my parents house, during winter break when
the pool is closed.
   
    Note, now I have a crowded garage. 4 well used
bikes hanging from ceiling, 3 kayaks (1 is a friends)
properly stored on the walls, all my camping gear - 
backpacks, stoves and etc. hanging or on shelves, my
pickup storage box, a couple suspended armchairs
(extras), couch and endtables too; not to mention the
Honda 4 door Accord that insists on parking there
everynight with room for her to shimmy out her side.
Apartment garages are not as big as you might think.
(I am waiting for her to "slip" this winter and ram
the car into something I love).
    My wife is coming down hard, saying "if that new
toy won't fit in the garage with my car, then you
can't have it."  Is that fair? 

Well, hope someone finds this new rack idea useful.
It's worth not paying the extra $25 for another
garage.

Later,
Phil Huck 
small time Canuk smuggler living in Fargo ND
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