Re: [Paddlewise] Kayak storage ideas

Joe Brzoza wrote:
> 
> I'm in need of some kayak storage ideas.  I'm moving in 2 weeks to an
> apartment without a garage so my 2 sea kayaks will be homeless.
> 
> The landlord told me he had perfect spot for them in his barn and I was
> psyched and said I'd take the place.  So I went over to see it yesterday and
> this perfect spot is 14 feet off the ground - I have no idea what he was
> thinking.

Is it possible to hang them from that spot 14 feet up and raise and
lower them on pulleys?  Maybe that is what he was thinking.  Trouble is
how to get up there to attach the hooks and pulleys.  If you do go that
route you may want to use the stretcher or hammock type holder for your
kayaks that Gabriel Romeu uses in his cart arrangement.  Basically the
kayaks rest on the equivalent of emergency stretchers or canvas slings
that support them over six feet or so of the kayak's length and thus
avoids indenting the plastic if conditions get warm.
> 
> The only ideas I have so far are either to hang them off the back of the
> barn with we strapping and cover them with a tarp, or to build some sort of
> small kayak shed with a tin cover (like 5'tall X 3' wide X 18' long).  I'm
> hesitant to hang them off the barn as it looks rather exposed and I'm afraid
> they'd get too hot on sunny days (they're plastic) and end up looking like
> bananas.

Instead of building an elaborate shed, you could get away with creating
a lean-to of canvas the length of the boats.  You could place the boats
on cradles alongside the barn and then nail a horizontal batten of wood
to the side of the barn to hold the long side of a piece of canvas that
is 6 feet by 20 feet.  The canvas should protect the boats from the sun
as well as from the weather.  Instead of attaching cradles or brackets
to the barn to hold the kayaks you could use Gabriel's rolling cart that
holds at least two boats and gear.  It can be rolled under the canvas
lean-to to store the boats; when you are ready to cartop the kayaks just
roll the cart with the kayaks on it to your car.  I can't find his
website right now but you can email him for it at romeug_at_erols.com for a
description of the kayak storage cart.

> 
> They're no way they can fit inside the apartment.
> 
> Any ideas?  I'm desperate.

ralph diaz
-- 
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Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter
PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024
Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com
"Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag."
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