Is It Ok To Store A Plastic Kayak Outside?

[TroutRinger]

To make a long short, I can no longer keep my kayak where it is now (a very comfy living room) so I have to store at my girlfriend's uncle's house. It is either going to go in the garage or under his deck. He would probably not mind me leaving it in the garage seeing as they only use it for storage themselves, but I don't want to have to bother them every time I want to go fishing. Anyway, if I was to store it outside, is that bad for it. I plan on putting a tarp over it and taking it home to put in my parents' basement during the winter. Also, I hear you are supposed to stand them up on one end when you store them long term? Is there any alternative? It is a standard 9'6" sit-in plastic kayak.

[RSBreth]

Store it hung upside down from eye-hooks installed in the hallway. Or somewhere like that. Don't store off-site or it becomes too easy to not use it, which is bad. I once had a canoe in a hallway for a couple of years. (When I wasn't using it.) People had to duck and always complained about it, I told them to go home or deal with it - it's MY home.

[TroutRinger]

Store it hung upside down from eye-hooks installed in the hallway. Or somewhere like that. Don't store off-site or it becomes too easy to not use it, which is bad. I once had a canoe in a hallway for a couple of years. (When I wasn't using it.) People had to duck and always complained about it, I told them to go home or deal with it - it's MY home.

I wish I could do that, but unfortunately, the living room it is in now is in my girlfriend's apartment. Though her roommates haven't said anything yet, I'm sure they are sick of seeing it, and I can't do anything like that in my dorm. I think that when I do move it out of the apartment I will use it more. Now I don't like bringing it in and out because I don't want my girlfriend's roommates to think I intend to keep it there permanently. Plus the place where I am going to store it is less than ten minutes away and is in the same direction as a couple places on the James.

[jjtroutbum]

Something like this maybe?

...lol j/k

Maybe beer paid as rent for your stuff? College aged persons always need beer. Well at least in the movies. lol

[ness]

Sounds like under the deck is your best option. I don't know about storing them on-end, but ideally you want something that spreads the weight around rather than taking a chance warping it. I'd put a couple timbers down so it's off the ground and store it upside down so the gunwales bear the weight.

Props to you for getting it out of the apartment BEFORE it becomes a problem.

[Gavin]

My canoes sit outside uncovered behind my shed...Its not an ideal situation but it doesnt seem to hurt them much...Remember to hose out the spider webs before you use it. Cheers.

[BlueWave]

If plastic bottles last 10,000 years in a landfill, I would guess that you could store it outside.

[Ham]

Wilderness Systems advises owners that the boats have an expected lifetime of 8000 hours of exposure to sunlight. Sounds like a lot, but it adds up fast if you boat is left fully exposeed day after day.

If you are "forced" to store it outside, I'd have it under a tarp to block sunlight on it AND store it so that the boat doesn't warp over time.

BTW, after the 8000 hours, the plastic becomes brittle and is not repairable.