Re: [Paddlewise] kayak storage challenge

When we had our new garage built, I specified that (1) the door had to be
high enough for me to drive in with the kayaks on top of my Accord wagon
and (2) there had to be room to store the kayaks above the open garage
door. The builder obliged by using scissor trusses in place of standard
trusses. Now we could store them 3.5 m to 4 m above the concrete floor.
The problem was how how to raise and lower them without dropping them.

What I did was to bolt a boat trailer winch to a garage wall stud for each
boat and then run two lines for each kayak from the winch through mini
blocks and turning blocks (to redirect the lines) up the wall, across the
trusses, and down to the kayaks. The smallest available winch has a 275-kg
working load and a power ratio of about 60:1. With this setup I can easily
raise or lower a 30-kg kayak with one hand.

I bought the blocks and line from a marine store. Though it isn't cheap, I
trust the strength of sailing hardware and halyard line much more than
what can be found in a hardware store. The 3/16-inch (5-mm) line I use is
rated for about a 500-kg static load -- more than enough to support half
the weight of each kayak. Even the small mini blocks (or is that micro
blocks?) I use have a safe working load four times what I am using them
for.

Be sure to run both lines to the same winch; that way you can raise and
lower the forepart and afterpart of the kayak at the same rate and the
same time.

Chuck Holst
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