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How to Store a Kayak

Krista Diamond | February 20, 2018 @ 9:00 AM

As partial as we are to the idea of using a kayak as a seating area instead of a couch, not everyone enjoys having a seaworthy vessel in their living room. And thus comes the need to store your kayak.

Kayaks and self storage—as opposed to your garage, shed, backyard or bedroom—are a match made in heaven. Kayaks are best stored inside, away from moisture, extreme temperatures and sunlight. Store your kayak outside during the winter and the cold weather and precipitation will essentially cause the boat to freeze and thaw repeatedly, cracking the fiberglass. Extreme heat can also warp the kayak. Sunlight—and exposure to the rest of the elements—can eat away at the outer layer of the kayak, leaving it vulnerable to further damage.

If you’re ready to get that kayak out of your living room and into a storage unit, here’s how.

Choosing Your Storage Unit

You already know that a kayak needs darkness, mild temperatures and low humidity, but here’s what else you should look for. When choosing a storage unit, the first thing you’re going to want to opt for is climate control. Your storage unit already offers your kayak that sweet, sweet darkness, but a climate controlled storage unit offers stable temperature and humidity control.

Next, think about what size storage unit you want. Kayaks can range from five feet long to 14 feet. If you’re storing a shorter kayak, such as a whitewater kayak, you won’t need a massive storage unit, but if you’re storing a longer kayak, such as a sea kayak, you’ll need a 10x10 unit or larger. The kayak will not be stored upright, so choose your storage unit size based on the length of your kayak horizontally. If you’re storing a folding or inflatable kayak, you’ll be able to rent a 5x5 storage unit, which is about the size of a closet.

Other factors to consider are drive-up storage for easy loading and unloading and storage facilities that offer boat-specific storage.

Preparing For Storage

Before bringing your kayak to your storage unit, hand wash it with a mixture of warm water and dish soap. Rinse with a hose and let it air dry. Repeat this process with kayak accessories, such as paddles.

Storing Your Kayak

Once you’ve transported your kayak to your storage unit, it’s time to put your boat to bed. Kayaks should never be stored directly on the floor of a storage unit, but suspending them from the ceiling is pretty much never possible at a storage facility, as your self storage lease probably won’t allow you to modify your storage unit in any way.

Your best option is to opt for a freestanding kayak storage rack like this one. There’s no installation required and it’s just as safe and reliable as suspended storage.

Remember, the default self storage lease is month-to-month, which means that if you just need kayak storage temporarily, there’s no need to be committed to a super long contract. Many storage facilities also offer great features such as online bill pay, 24-hour access and on-site moving truck rental.

Find and book kayak storage today, and you can float your boat for years to come.

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