Where to store a canoe?

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maddave

Full Member
Jan 2, 2004
4,177
39
Manchester UK
I've toyed with the idea of getting a canoe but I live in the city I have a small shed that wouldn't fit one in.... Where or how would I store one so that it wouldn't get lifted by the darling little light fingered chavs that surround me ??
:confused:
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I looked at paid storage as there's quite a few of them round here, the cheapest I could get was only around £12 per month which I thought was pretty reasonable for the peace of mind it would bring. I went down and had a look at the location in the racking and it looked safe enough and probably out of harms way.
The thing that put me off was hours of access though, most of my trips involve me getting loaded up and on the road at some ungodly hour in the morning, especially if I'm heading north for two or three nights. To get my boat I'd have to arrange to collect it the previous night and then have it at home over night, since we've had the hall and stairs redecorated there's no way Carol was going to stand for that.
Have a ring around though I expect the firms will have different policies and you might find one to suit Dave.

Local council garages are worth a look at too if they're in a decent spot, unfortunately the ones near us are where the chavs and smack heads hang out so I didn't fancy it.

In the end I decided to knock this up in the garden ...
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DSC00947.jpg

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I made a c-shaped bar from 2x2 which slid in behind the seat and thwart and then padlocked onto the horizontal bars. Not bombproof but enough to keep them busy while I get the rifle loaded ;)

I've changed my wee Pack for a 15 footer now so I've had to add some girth to the rack but I've also added some u-bolts to that wall which I can put some chain through at the ends of the boat. That way it can't be slid out even if they do trash everything else in the process.

Depending on what boat you're after Dave you could even get it in the house somewhere, Grooveski had his Pack on top of a wardrobe in his flat for a good while :)
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
I was thinking if you're an active, early riser I've heard rumours of canoeing people I've met who kept the kayak stored above the bed hanging from the roof, I can't be sure how true that is but if you knew the people I knew when I paddled you would not be sure neither. Obsession is a behaviour pattern we all fall into at some point in our lives. Or at least that is why anything to do with kayaks and canoes among my former paddling comrade no longer surprises me. From kayaks with an already crumpled crumple zone or mad, crazy free style canoes that are more stable upside down than the right way up.

Another option is to join a canoe club, get to know people then perhaps store them with the club boats. A long term plan and I would always suggest it is worth while joining a good local club if you have one. They are a good bunch of people (mostly) and well worth giving them a go.

If you have some yard space and the inclination I wonder if you have the opportunity to build a long, narrow and secure storage box. You could build it to fit your canoe then obviously bolt it to secure it some other way to the ground (hard ground such as tarmac or concrete) with a suitable lid to slide it out. Its just something I thought of once at my place for my kayak but fortunately never needed to do so courtesy of parent's barn only 2 miles away. I thought It would make a good secure container that I could make the top into a raised bed container too. The kayak comes out the side via a lift up side flap. Not sure how practical it is but something I thought wouuld fit my yard and a raised bed might mask its true intention.

I've got my thinking cap on, probably why my idea is not that practical (overheating). ;)
 

Alexlebrit

Tenderfoot
Dec 22, 2009
90
0
France
How about a folding or inflatable canoe? Then you can store it in its bag in the house no problem, and if you're like one of the SOTP members you can use it on public transport so you don't even need a car.

Or if you're handy, there's people who have made their own canoes in two parts, so you only have to find space for two 7' sections.
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
How about a folding or inflatable canoe? Then you can store it in its bag in the house no problem, and if you're like one of the SOTP members you can use it on public transport so you don't even need a car.

I'd second that one. Get something like an Ally, and you not only have a quite decent canoe, but also one that you can carry on public transport (coach or rail, for example). If you are one of the expedition people you can save big money; it is far cheaper not to have to transport your canoe on the outside of a bush plane.
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
A guy down our street had a split two man sea kayak. fitted onto a car roof but had plenty of expedition space for two.
 

Grooveski

Native
Aug 9, 2005
1,707
10
53
Glasgow
Have to admit waking up with a face full of sand and salt is more fun when you're lying on a beach in a doss bag than it is at home with a moulting canoe above you.
 

Grooveski

Native
Aug 9, 2005
1,707
10
53
Glasgow
And rightly so; the canoe is likely to go out of shape eventually. Center it over one of the cabinets(?) and it will be a much happier canoe.

That pic is four years old from the day I bought it. Batons were added within a week for the gunnals to sit on. Thanks for your concern though.
 

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