How To Store A Kayak In An Apartment

New owners of kayaks may be confronted with the challenge of how and where it is best to store their new gear. A good response must resolve questions like where is the best spot to safely place it for easy accessibility? And how to store it without eating up all the space required for other devices?

In this article, we shall explore some viable solutions that homeowners, who want to keep their gear safe and accessible without taking up much space, can use.

How To Store A Kayak In An Apartment

The creativity required for safe storage of your kayak extends beyond the “where” question, to the “how” question. Imagine leaving your kayak in the hallway, it would take up much space and will hinder free movement.

Can you also imagine having it with you in your bathroom? Or your bedroom for that matter? What then is the right step to take?

This article contains tips, to show you three different methods of how you can store your kayak in an apartment. These three methods are suspension (from the ceiling), on the floor, or on the wall.

On a Wall

There are two ways by which you can store your kayak on a wall, namely: straps or on a rack.

On a Rack

One of the basic and important tools and supplies you’d need in storing your kayak on the wall is the storage rack. You will find it online or at most stores selling sporting items.

Take correct measurements of your kayak to ensure the rack you purchase fits its dimension. In addition to a rack, screws, a level, and a drill will also be required.

First, take the measurement of the height of the wall on which you intend to keep your kayak.
Secondly, create a mark on the wall, and by using your drill, bore a pilot hole through it.
Next, use your screwdriver-preferably electric- to run the screw into the wall.
Next, make sure that you use the level to check for a balance mounting. The level has to be in a straight line.
Once you’ve placed the screws in the wall, and your level shows a straight line, attach the rack you purchased on the wall but not before you remove the plastic cap beneath your kayak. Adding a ladder to the rack can give you easier access if you want.
Another thing to know is that your rack must be able to support the weight of your kayak, so ensure you take that into consideration to avoid possible accidents.
Lastly, it is not compulsory that you do the mounting of your kayak yourself. If you know you’re not technically inclined in this regard, simply get an expert to help you fix it without any hassle.

By Straps

Kayaks can be so heavy to carry about. Yes, they can do a lot of work as much as be a lot of fun. How do you avoid awkwardly carrying them around, especially if you do not have enough storage space?

Our second option on “how to store your kayak on a wall” is by using straps! Straps, like racks, can also help to store your kayak without taking up much space. All you need are some hooks and some straps.

Below are a few tips on how to mount your kayak using straps:

The first thing to do is to locate a point on the wall where you want your kayak mounted. Ensure where you choose is fit to support your kayak weight.
Secondly, take the measurement of your kayak’s dimensions (length and width), and mark your results on the wall. Take the measurement of the length and width of the straps and mark your results on the wall also.
Lastly, hitch one end of each of your straps to a hook on the wall. You can try using a hook of 3 inches long. By doing this successfully, you have created a storage facility for your kayak.

Strategically hook the ropes and straps on your kayak and fetter the kayak to the wall using the rope. And there you have it, a space-saving kayak storage system!

On the Floor

For kayakers who love to keep their kayaks very close, without minding how much space they take, this storage option is right for you.

Storing your kayak on the floor saves you the stress of measuring, drilling, and marking the wall. It also keeps you from the stress that accompanies constant mounting and removal of your kayak from the wall.

However, there are some instructions you need to take to insure your kayak’s safety. Below are a few points to note while storing your kayak on the floor:

Start by making sure there is enough room on the floor for storage.
Next, remove any obstacles around the area you intend to store your kayak.
Clear the floor of any belonging that could hang on the vessel and cause damage.
Ensure the kayak doesn’t come directly in contact with the bare floor. You can make use of a floor covering as protection for the flooring.
Hold the kayak in place with straps, ropes, or bungee cords to prevent it from sliding around.

Use of Suspension System

Due to their delicate designs, kayaks, if not stored properly, can get damaged easily. Another storage method that is getting wide popularity is the use of a suspension system.

This method of storage removes the need to use a rack or start removing other necessary items from the way all because you want to store your kayak. By suspending the kayak from the roof, rafter, or ceiling, the system prevents it from coming in contact with other items in your store.

Below are a few points on how you can successfully create a suspension system for your most cherished kayak:

It is important that you be able to reach your kayak whenever you need it, so get the measurement for the ceiling height. Getting the height of the rafter or ceiling is also important to know how long your straps will be.
Find the side of your kayak that is best for suspension. Kayaks are generally best suspended with the hull facing the ground because it will make your kayak free from getting in the way of the straps. If you choose to follow this method, have the straps installed on the base of the hull.
Next, determine how long you’d want your suspension to be. This is highly dependent on how much weight is there to carry and the height you want your kayak suspended.
If the weight is much, then you’ll need more straps to give your kayak enough support. Also, if you want your kayak to be suspended high, you’ll need more straps. You’ll need a minimum of four straps for the suspension.
Next is to find the weight limit for each side of the kayak. You can choose whatever length of suspension but ensure that the one you choose gives you easy access to your vessel and does not have so much weight to cause a problem when you or anybody else is staying on the rear deck.
In conclusion, once you’ve done the hardest part, that is, setting up your suspension system, you can then store your kayak comfortably in your home without much hassle and use the available space for other important storage needs.

Where To Store A Kayak In An Apartment

One gets separate storage space in many living apartments at a premium. And for this reason, one needs to be creatively endowed on how to best store their personal properties.

Having a kayak among these gear even requires more creativity to ensure it doesn’t take all the space. Below are a few hints that you need for storing a kayak in your apartment:

The first of all things to consider is where you’ll store your kayak. Where you choose should allow you easy access to it the next time you need it. Your garage or balcony might be a great option to store the gear.
The next thing to consider is how securely can you place it. Kayaks are delicate pieces of equipment, so you need to ensure that it doesn’t get broken wherever you place them.

There are two well-known methods of securing your kayak in your store:

By anchoring or
Mounting on an overhead rack.

Anchoring the Kayak

By using this method, you secure your kayak by using an anchor. The anchor keeps it in position and doesn’t allow it to shift away from the spot.

There are many ways or things you can make an anchor but the most commonly used is a weight-it stake. More so, you can find some specially designed kayak anchors in the market to help keep your kayak in position.

Those who live near the water often store their kayak this way and you can too if you’re sure of your kayak’s safety outdoors.

Mounting the Kayak on an Overhead Rack

Mounting on an overhead rack is the second method you can use to store your kayak. It helps keep your kayak secure. However, there are a few things to note before setting up your kayak for the amount.

First, ensure you check whether or not the rack you intend to use can support your kayak’s weight. After that, check thoroughly, if the kayak is clean. Once that is settled, you can spray it using a lubricant. The purpose behind the lubrication is to help reduce the occurrence of friction between the rack and your kayak.
The next thing after spraying is to securely clamp your kayak onto your rack.

Note: It is important to be conscious of how environmental factors can affect the state of your kayak during storage.

To guarantee its lasting use, wherever you choose to store it, ensure there’s limited exposure to factors like moisture, heat, cold, and sunlight.

How Environmental Factors Affect Kayak Storage

Moisture

Although kayaks are designed with materials tough enough to withstand the harshest of weather and environmental conditions, they’re also vulnerable to moisture attacks, capable of causing damage.

Consistent contact with moisture, especially if the moisture is coming from saltwater, can spoil the kayak over time.

Heat

Heat has a great effect on the performance of the kayak. And it is important you take into consideration its effect on your stored kayak.

Materials, when exposed to a high level of temperature tend to expand and when this exposure is prolonged, they crack. Therefore, it is advisable to store your kayak in a cool place with a shade cover if possible.

Cold

As heat can cause damage to kayaks, so can cold. When the temperature is very low, plastics exposed to it become brittle and crack over time, causing water leakage.

And if you’re a lover of colors, you might be disappointed when the color of your exposed kayak begins to fade due to cold weather.

Sunlight

Kayaks are best advised to be packed away and stored under shade when not in use. A kayak constantly exposed to sunlight suffers brittleness due to the action of ultraviolet radiation. The radiation also affects the color of the kayak, causing it to fade over time.

Where To Store Your Kayak

The question of where is best to store kayaks has been for years. As popular watercraft, what does one do with them after usage?

One of the solutions to the question is storing your kayak in your home. But if your home doesn’t have a storage space, you can decide to rent a storage space.

Ensure you take the correct measurement of the space so that you can know if your kayak will fit. If you have a friend whose storage space is free for use, you could ask them to allow you to store your kayak temporarily.

A cool, shaded, dry, and secure place would be the best place to store your kayak. Also avoid storing it on the floor for a long time as this could possibly damage the hull, making it exposed to moisture and dirt.

Lastly, since we have established that space is often premium in an apartment, it is therefore important that you bring out your creativity when storing your device. Although the type of kayak you own plays a big role in helping your creativity.

For instance, having an inflatable kayak may not cause you a problem because they’re easily foldable and compactly take up just a little bit of space. Generally, you can store your kayak by mounting it on an overhead rack.

Frequently Asked Questions On Kayak Storage

How Is A Kayak Best Stored Indoors?

Many people find much pleasure in kayaking as a recreational activity. And a large percentage of them are often faced with the challenge of how is best to store a kayak without causing damage to it indoors.

There are many ways to store a kayak. However, the safety of your kayak during storage is dependent on the situation you’re confronted with.

If your garage or store has a large space, you can choose to store it on the floor. If not, you can alternatively store it on a wall using rack, or straps, or suspend it from a ceiling if that’s preferable.

Is Storing A Kayak Vertically Correct?

To ensure safety, and to save enough space for other major items in the store, kayaks are generally stored vertically. However, when storing your kayak vertically, there are things you should keep in mind:

See that the kayak weight is not too much for the surface you intend to place it on.
Make sure the kayak is laid on a firm surface.
Ensure the straps, cords, or ropes you intend to use are strong enough to hold your kayak securely in place.
You should take your kayak for use once in a while as storing it vertically on the same spot may cause damage in the long run.

Is Leaving My Kayak Outside In Winter Okay To Do?

Some kayakers prefer to leave their vessel outside their apartments. And that’s fine. But here comes the question of whether it’s fine to leave your kayak outside in the winter. Kayaks can be made with different materials.

If yours is constructed using polyethylene then there’s nothing to worry about, you can leave it outside for as long as you want but it’s made from other materials, you may want to reconsider as they may not be so durable under cold weather conditions.

It is therefore important to consider environmental factors like temperature, precipitation, etc when deciding whether or not to store your kayak outdoors.

How Can A Kayak Be Stored Safely In A Shed?

Kayaks are important pieces of equipment for kayakers. And if you’re one of them, you would agree that keeping your kayak safe is paramount to enjoying your next water adventure.

Often, you will be faced with the question of how you can store your kayak in a shed if you have one. You can either store your kayak in a shed by suspending it from the ceiling, hanging it on a rack, or using straps.

How Do You Hang A Kayak?

Have you ever tried hanging a kayak? If yes, you’d agree with us that it is not as hard as it seems. There are a few approaches to adopt, however, the most common approach is the use of a post or tree.

When trees or posts are used, the kayak is suspended upside down using straps or cords attached to the kayak hull. There are a few tricks to hanging your kayak on trees if you have them around your backyard.

Locate the two trees you want to use, making sure they’re in close proximity to each other. Also, these trees should have strong branches that can easily withstand the weight of your kayak.
Figure out the best positioning of your kayak on the tree, keeping your straps or rope close. You can use a rope of about a length of 6 feet and a diameter of about 1 inch.
Having an anchor point can be an advantage. However, if there isn’t, you can use a strip fastened across the tree to give strength or hold your kayak in position when you hang it.
With your cord close by, attach it to the kayak ensuring it is straight and not twisted up.
Using the anchor or the strip for leverage, fasten your kayak to the already suspended ropes on the trees. And there you have it, your kayak stored safely.
In addition to the above common way of storing your kayak, there are other options.
One is the use of two hooks with the letter J shape. Another is the use of hooks and a pulley system for lifting the kayak off the ground.

How To Store A Kayak In An Apartment