Official Kayaking/Canoeing Thread

I got a REI about an hour north of me, and a bass pro shop about hour and 15min northeast of me. Ill surf CL for a while and try to find something closer (and cheaper).

 

Picked this up to do some kayak fishing. First kayak I've owned. Old Town Vapor 10. Only thing I've bought for it was the cover for the back storage area.

 

That's pretty nice, I like the pole holders. I picked up a used Old Town Loon 10 a few weeks back.

 

I used to do a lot of canoeing and have been wanting to kayak for a few years now. I just recently picked up 3 sit-on-top, Perception, Tribes; I got a good deal from a friend of a friend. The 2 greens are almose brand new with minor scratches; the white & green had been used more, but stiil in great shape. We've had them out a couple times already and to my surprise, my wife really likes it.



I have seen a few storage solutions in this thread and was hoping to see more. 3 boats have crowded the garage really quick and I'm looking to rack them somehow. I'm thinking of an outdoor rack that I could keep covered from the sun and Winter. If you have anything like this or other ideas, I'd like to see them.

Thanks,

 

How do you have them mounted now?

We have two of ours mounted on j-hooks & straps against the wall in the garage. You could probably fit a 3rd....

I can't remember the name of the j-hook setup we bought...
http://www.lieblweb.com/cpg/displayimage.php?album=157&pos=47

 

I bought some hanging straps that hook into eye hooks, but they're not very convenient, or easy to hang (primarily, the top one). The "J" hook that you have shown is a good idea, with the bottom one strapped to it. I had looked at wall mounts and they were pretty expensive... x3. So I'm trying to come up with an economical, easy to access system.

 

Dave - you can add them. Pretty easy to do. I added them to both my yaks. I have pics in here somewhere of me adding mods to my yaks.

I got my gear here http://www.yak-gear.com/

Put eye hooks into studs in ceilings. Tie rope in a loop through the eye hooks and hang them. Super simple, cheap, and easy to do. I bought pulleys and all kinds of hardware and ended up scrapping my "great" idea for keeping it simple & stupid.

 

Thanks, I'll check them out. My son took the kayak out the other evening and went bass fishing. He said he was kind of uncomfortable and had a tough time with balance. Maybe he's just not used to a kayak. I think I'd be fine with balance. I Just put an icon on so I can check it when I have more time..

 

Question for you guys with roof racks. I have a Yakima rack with the wind fairing attached. I plan on using Yakima foam pads to transport a kayak. Do yall leave the fairing on when using the rack to haul a kayak or take it off? I thought about just cutting out parts of the foam to fit over the places where the fairing attaches, but then was thinking the fairing would be pushing all the wind into the face of the kayak, so maybe I should just take it off when hauling the yak. Thanks for the help.

 

this is how i carry mine with my yakima racks....
dont have foam pads tho just like j hook things....
all works sweet

 

and very tree resistant surprisingly

 

I just cut a notch out of my foam block. Fits perfect around the fairing clip. No issues and I have been using this system for over a year.

 

We use the Yakima Bow Down racks on my husbands Acura. It didn't come with a fairing.

It came with straps to attache to both ends of the kayak straps and down to the vehicle - so both ends of the kayak are held down to help against the wind.

 

Thanks Janster and XXXX for the input on storage ideas. I did some searching and came up with an idea that should work out nicely. It's a sturdy, easy to access rack that I can cover up for winter and also the summer... to keep the sun off. All the accessories I have inside for winter.

This is my rack in progress. I copied the shape of the arms from the "Home Depot" brackets that other people have used. That was another option...



This is a close-up of the arm and the cheap pipe insulation / padding.



Here is the finished product, complete with a 4th boat that I recently picked up from Craigslist... Now no-one is left out in my family of four

.

I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out. Today I covered it with a tarp and it tied up quite secure.

Let me know what you think.
Thanks,

 

Looks great!!! I just put the kayak away for the season. Not going to have any time now that I started a second job and will be moving down to FL in March.

 

^^^Yah mon .... mtbiker.... what kind of bike do you have??? I just got my hands on a 2011 Stumpjumper...... took it off road once, I love it !!!!!

 

Very Nice!!! You should make them and sell them!!

 

I have gone through 5 bikes (had them all at once since I worked at a bike shop) Now the only bike I have is my 04 Rockhopper comp. I think I have replaced everything but the frame. lol. Those new stumpys are nice! I had an 06 stumpy disc. Enjoy the ride! I don't bike offroad anymore due to a back injury. Just keep it on the bike trail.

 

I will thanks, I want to get back into like I did in the 90's. I just got rid of a 1995 Cannondale Killer V 900. I had to sell it so that I can get the new bike according to the wife. This bike is night and day different from the last. Can't wait to get used to this bike and start hitting the trails hard.

 

WTF? No kayakin? Damn...............................me neither, lol. Need to, want to. Waitin for it to snow so I can use it like a sled.