Overhead Kayak Storage

[absentx]

So I have two Hobie Outbacks that after buying discovered that these are simply not "light little kayaks" that are easy to move around!

They require a solid strategy in terms of putting on a trailer or securing to a roof. Additionally, they take up a lot of space so when they are not in use, they can get in the way of everything in your garage and be a bear to move!

Now, this is all fine, I am simply stating that it takes having them a bit to realize that two of them are pretty substantial in terms of storage and transportation.

With that in mind, last fall I set out to design and build an overhead storage rack for both the Outbacks in my garage. Frankly they were taking up tons of room on the ground and because they were awkward to lift and move around, I think it influences how much we use them. So my plan was to build an overhead rack that allowed me to easily raise and lower the kayaks without exerting a bunch of lifting power. My thought from the beginning had always been to use garage door rails and other garage door hardware and ultimately that is what I went with.

I know a lot of people would say "why didn't you just install a hoist??" Well, this was a lot more fun, I think it works really good and it just adds a ton of utility to my garage. I can hang stuff from it and really the sky is the limit.

I have attached some pictures of it. You'll see the one picture where I have it in "retrieval" mode with the safety straps holding at the proper angle I want to just pull the kayak right off the rack. The tow straps ended up being a solution that I improvised after the rack was done. I wanted additional safeties in place so I always put two tow straps under each kayak, those same tow straps end up being what I use to restrict the angle at which the rack can rest during load/unload.

Ultimately, I want to add on some awesome spring loaded system that not only reduces the weight you feel as you raise and lower it, but makes it even more safe...I guess I will add that part on this summer.

Anyways, just wanted to share my storage solution and see some strategies other people have used and talk about spring/weight engineering if anyone felt up to it!

[StinkyMatt]

Very creative, I need that!



Please reply with price and date when you will complete the fabrication of mine.





Does the back end come down too? Or does it slide down at an angle?

[momo fish]

you my friend have a lot of time on your hand..lol

good work and idea......

[Deamon]

Very, very nice!!! Please allow some advice. If you only got rid of all of your buckets and ice chests, you'd have plenty of room...plastic buckets, wooden tubs, round ice chests, square ones...thank me later.

[roadx]

best system i have seen yet. how many beers out in the garage that take?

[oneyedeer]

very nice but one concern....heat. Being up that high it's gonna be hot and it will soften the plastic to the point it might cause imprints and warping. Maybe just flip it over?

[GregAndrew]

Very kewl, especially if they slide right down on the racks and/or trailer. I knew I was saving my Erector set for something.

[jorluivil]

That's one of the best ideas yet.


To bad you can't drive your truck into the garage and drop the yaks on some saddles.


GOOD JOB!!!!

[DanaPT]

that's a friggin cool garage full of man-ly stuff.

Where are the flat screens tho?

[absentx]

Flat screens haha...how would I get anything done out there?

The back end does not come down...basically the wood rack has two rollers at the front and two at the rear, so really the rollers in the back just work as pivot points....but you could work from the back if you want and lower it from that side too. I just put bolts in the front and back of the rails to insure it can't slide off the front or the back.

All the main garage hardware was just about $200 bucks...now over time I spent more on it, but not that much more, and I did it over six to eight months so if it did cost more at least it was spread out over a long time.

Heat I suppose could be an issue...I could flip them over but I have depth finder mounts and such on the top deck, but certainly possible and something I had considered.

roadx -> plenty of beers!

Deamon...I love coolers...but myself and three friends did just go in on a Yeti Cooler which I think will literally render all my others obsolete...

[tomahawk]

Very nice. I had thought of a system like that but was having trouble missing the roll up door with the stealth 14. Basically, I couldn't it all the way to the back wall so the front either had to go under the door or over it. didn't seem to fit over the door and under seemed to low. after seeing how sweet that came out I am going to measure again.

[absentx]

Absolutely...I am lucky this all worked out. I have to put my garage door down just a foot or two when I want to take either one of them down, but it's pretty hassle free other than that. Obviously getting those measurments right is critical because a major let down if you get it all screwed together just to find out nothing fits...luckily mine worked pretty good from the start with just some minor adjustments needed.

The angle iron is priceless because it is so versatile...I recommend it!

[JeffB]

My buddy went over to harbor freight and picked up some small wenches. We bolted them up top and now it's just a push of the button to get them up and down. I like you set up too.

[DanaPT]

Holy crap! Jeff B gets the Man-ly Man-cave award.

[FishNinjaY]

Originally Posted by JeffB

My buddy went over to harbor freight and picked up some small wenches.

Harbo Freight has "small wenches"? I'll have to check that out...

I like your system.. but I notice your yaks are all the way up to the ceiling. You don't have a roll-up garage door? I realized that I could not hoist my longer hobie Oasis tandem up to the ceiling, because it would not allow the garage door to open. If I had a single unit door that swung outward, then a hoist or high overhead system like yours would work. So, if I did a hoist or your system, but had to limit the height to allow the door to open, then the kayaks are probably at about forehead level, which still kind of blocked a section of usable garage space. I guess you could duck a little and move around, and my wife is short enough that she'd clear. I decided to go a different route, and just make a shelf to stack them.

[tomahawk]

Jeff B... Your the inside of your garage looks like a Turners. I love all the things on wheels.
ninja - I keep the S12 in the ceiling. It fits easily with a standard door. The 14 would fit too if i didnt have shelves in the rear. The 14 is on a rolling dolly (stored on edge) and that is hard to beat for access.

[JeffB]

The garage door rolls up like a roll of paper towels. The tracks only go vertical up to the ceiling. I can not take credit for the man cave, it's my buddy's. this is our shop were we build our rods

[JeffB]

We have 4 power wrappers and a station in the back where I pour all of my baits.

[Honcho]

Jeff, man I really like the wench, I put up a Harken hoist and seems to be working pretty good. With the wench setup, wouldn't the straps over time n heat warp/dent the yak?

[absentx]

Originally Posted by FishNinjaY

Harbo Freight has "small wenches"? I'll have to check that out...

I like your system.. but I notice your yaks are all the way up to the ceiling. You don't have a roll-up garage door?

The racks are positioned behind the tracks of the garage door, so there is no interference. I think my garage is officially a 2.5 car garage and its twenty seven to twenty eight feet deep I think (or whatever a standard 2.5 car garage is) and I was able to position the racks deep enough in the garage that the door didn't get in the way.

Yep, like the hoists jeff...it was definitely in the running before I decided on this method. Plus, I am still considering working winches into this design so again there is no lifting involved and so the safety is even greater.