Even the smallest canoe, kayak, or sit-on-top takes up a lot of space. Unless it’s an inflatable or skin-on-frame folder that can be stored in a bag, a boat needs a safe and secure berth when it’s out of the water. The small photo on the right shows one way to store a boat—in this case, our veteran trekking canoe, an Old Town Tripper. It rests on a simple rack made of dimension lumber nailed to the side of a shed, with tie-downs to keep it from being blown away by the Old Woman. The shed roof and the trees shade the boat from direct sun, yet the canoe is always accessible and ready to go for a quick departure.

There are as many ways to store boats as there are paddlers, of course, and in the months since I showcased Dave Birren’s “better boathouse,” I’ve gotten letters from other In the Same Boat readers who’ve come up with alternative storage solutions. These were simply too good for me to keep to myself, so I asked permission to pass them on. Here goes! Read more…

 

 
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