Winter Kayak Storage

So your Christmas tree is propped up on the porch awaiting preparations for its grandiose welcome into your living room. A few flakes were falling Saturday morning while you drank your morning cup of coffee. If you, like most of us, are a fair weather friend of paddling, sorting out winter kayak storage is probably on one of your upcoming weekend to-do lists. Maybe you just bought a kayak or SUP board this past summer, or maybe you just need some new tips on storage.

Before you hoist that fifty pound toy on your shoulders, make sure you know where you are going with it. Is the garage or basement really big enough? I recommend actually measuring. I know from personal experience that my perception of spaces and the truth are often dissimilar. If an indoor space is not available to you, how about a shed or overhang? No indoor space to speak of? Later on we will go over the best way to store it outdoors.

 

So, you have sufficient space indoors. What will you do? It is best to plan to store the kayak on some sort of rack or hanging strap system, or standing vertically on end, rather than simply laying it on the floor. There are many sorts of racks and strap kits available, but if you are crafty you can probably rig something yourself. Here we use a combination of homemade racks and strap systems. Also available are j style cradles (not unlike the ones you keep forgetting to take off your car), and hoist systems.

Alright, now we can get back to your boat or board. In either case, you probably want to wash your boat/board with fresh water and a nice sponge, to rid it of any salt, grit, or insects. Make sure you dry your kayak out completely, especially if you will be using a cockpit cover (which I recommend). Bring your boat or board inside and place/hoist/strap on rack etc... Now is the time to put the cockpit cover on to keep out any unwanted winter residents, leaving the kayak ready to go come spring.

In the event that you lack indoor storage, it is still a good idea to plan out your storage. Pick a shady area or overhang next to a shed. You could build a similar rack or use the same j cradles or straps on the side of a shed. Again it is a must to clean your boat or board. In this case you may want to retreat your boat/board with some 303 UV protectant spray. The cockpit cover in this case is highly recommended. Also you want to make sure the boat is upside down so that it cannot accumulate a large quantity of water. Water sitting and/or freezing inside a plastic kayak could severely damage the integrity of the hull, in terms of both its performance and appearance. Now you may want to use a tarp to create a shaded covering (though not too tight fitting) over your watercraft. This will help protect it from the elements and winter residents.

What about your accessories? Again, I recommend washing your pfd and paddle with fresh water. Spray the inside of the paddle shaft with a bit of WD-40 to keep it lubricated. Store the paddle pieces apart! Ideally store these inside a shed, basement, garage, or even spare closet.

 

Finally I suggest you take your skis, snowshoes, sleds, and skates out of deep storage in preparation for this season's adventures!