Why Proper Kayak Storage Matters
Owning your own kayak can be a wonderful but costly investment. It’s important to protect your investment with proper storage. If you don’t, you could be leaving your kayak susceptible to damage and deformity.
Protect Your Kayak from Damage and Deformity
When a kayak is stored incorrectly it can cause damage and deform or distort the boat’s hull. It is important that the weight is distributed evenly when a kayak is stored. This is especially important for extended storage during the fall and winter.
Here are common errors people make when storing their kayaks that end up causing more harm than good.
Storing the Kayak on its Hull
The main culprit for uneven weight distribution is storing your kayak on its hull. It places an abnormal amount of pressure on the part of the kayak that is in contact with the ground or other storage surface. When the hull bears the brunt of the weight during storage, it gradually begins to alter its shape. This can make paddling your kayak more difficult as a misshaped hull changes the way the kayak glides through the water.
Standing the Kayak on End
The same type of damage and distortion that happens when you place a kayak on its hull can happen when stand your kayak on its end. This position also puts extra pressure on one end of boat which can deform the bow or stern and even cause cracks. Standing it up can also be rather dangerous if it falls. Falling could cause more damage or hurt someone if it happened to fall on them.
Hanging the Kayak from its Handles
A kayak should never be hung from its grab handles or straps. These are not designed to bear the weight of the kayak in that manner. They were designed only for carrying the kayak. Hanging your kayak from its grab handles will weaken them and eventually cause them to erode or break. It will be much more difficult to move your kayak without these straps. Or worse, your kayak could fall and be damaged or damage something else.
Supporting Only the Bow and Stern
When a kayak is stored with only the bow and stern supported, over time the weight from the middle of the kayak can change the shape of the hull. This, again, will change the way the kayak glides through the water.
Storing on a Hard Flat Surface
Even upside down, a kayak stored on a hard, flat surface leaves various contact points where the kayak can become scratched or dented.
Protect your Kayak with Proper Storage
Hull damage, distortion, material wear & tear and cracks all result from improper kayak storage. Kayaks were made for the water and leaving them unprotected and lying on the ground means they are susceptible to damages that would otherwise not be present. Log Kayak Rack has crafted some of the finest selections of freestanding kayak storage racks, from weather resistant cedar logs.
Whether you’re in need of a single storage spot or eight, Log Kayak Rack can create a custom storage rack that will last years and will be perfect for your needs. Browse through our standard kayak storage racks or contact us directly for a specialty kayak rack online or by calling us at 1-715-543-2006.