Hi... I'm in the market for a tandem canoe that can be used as a solo and was thinking of going with the Northwind Polaris 16. However, living on a small lake with a 1200 sq. foot home and a 2-car garage, I have no room to store a canoe, but outside.

After reading a few posts and having the old aluminum canoe approach of flipping over beside the garage, this would not work for non-aluminum canoes such as Kevlar canoes. What about covering with a tarp? With the costs of these canoes, I'm not sure it's worth buying as I certainly don't want to see it get wrecked by storing outside.

Any suggestions? Just learning about these canoes. How do they hold up?

I’ve seen photos of them stored outside - an outside wall-mounted rack, so off the ground - and covered with a fitted sheet of Tyvek.

Covering with a tarp is fine. I prefer silver sided tarps to keep the heat down, but whatever works. I have a couple of 25+ year old fiberglass canoes that have done fine - never stored inside. I keep them off the ground on sawhorses.

Cretbo,

Can you hang it from the ceiling in your garage? I have a 2-car garage and hang four canoes from the ceiling.

Wally13: "Cretbo,

Can you hang it from the ceiling in your garage? I have a 2-car garage and hang four canoes from the ceiling. "

Not sure as there are a lot up in the rafters and a big garage door. What kind of hooking straps are we talking about?

Cretbo,

Do a search of posts on ceiling storage for canoes on this forum and you will see many hang options. " store bought to "do it yourself". Many use pulleys and ropes. Google and you will find a lot of options.

Some like to store their canoe on a side wall of their garage. Here are some links to give you some ideas.

Canoe Hoist Storage

Hoist Now Canoe System



Wall Storage Mount Suspenz

Cretbo: "

Wally13: "Cretbo,


Can you hang it from the ceiling in your garage? I have a 2-car garage and hang four canoes from the ceiling. "

Not sure ...as have a lot up in the rafters and a big garage door ... What kind of hooking strap are we talking about"

Something like this:

For about five years our Kevlar canoes lived under a deck in Ely with tyvek canoe covers we bought from Piragis. They did fine. If you get a lot of snow, you might think about some way to keep it from building up on them. Maybe just build a rack where the old aluminum canoe is above the new one.

Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe.

Dooger: "Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe. "

Why not?? I've done it for years, with no noticeable effects.

Perfect!!! Thank you guys!! Now, just looking for that perfect good deal on the canoe! :)

Perfect!!! Thank you guys!! Now, just looking for that perfect good deal on the Canoe :)

I use a similar hanging setup without the use of a hoist. It is a 4" eye screw going into the ceiling studs, light chain, 3" eye bolt going through a 2"x2". I can unhook one end of the chain connected to the 2"x2" and let it swing out of the way while I support the canoe or kayak and walk it out off the other 2"x2". The hoist method is probably easier to use but I didn't want my kids and their friends messing with a hoist rope while I am at work.

Leave the car outside and put the canoe inside. You've got to get your priorities straight :)

MReid: "

Dooger: "Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe. "

Why not?? I've done it for years, with no noticeable effects."

On a Kev? You’re nuts.

Dooger: "

MReid: "

Dooger: "Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe. "

Why not?? I've done it for years, with no noticeable effects."

On a Kev? You’re nuts. "

Why? What is the tarp going to do to Kevlar? It hasn't done anything to fiberglass, which has the same resin. I've had my Kevlar Wenonah under tarps (touching) for the last year (in sunny/snowy Montana), and I've seen no effects of the tarp. I'm really interested in your concerns.

Dooger: "

MReid: "

Dooger: "Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe. "

Why not?? I've done it for years, with no noticeable effects."

On a Kev? You’re nuts. "

I’m curious as well. Why not?

good thread for me to follow. I built the rack this spring but have hesitated to trust just a tarp. I did use a tarp on an old kayak I really don't paddle and had a build up of mold. It cleaned off, but...perhaps if I made sure things were clean before this could have been avoided. Other's experiences?

Dooger: "

MReid: "

Dooger: "Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe. "

Why not?? I've done it for years, with no noticeable effects."

On a Kev? You’re nuts. "

Dooger, maybe instead of saying it like that and making everyone guess, you could simply explain WHY.

Jackfish: "

Dooger: "

MReid: "

Dooger: "Don’t let the tarp touch the canoe. "

Why not?? I've done it for years, with no noticeable effects."

On a Kev? You’re nuts. "

Dooger, maybe instead of saying it like that and making everyone guess, you could simply explain WHY."

Sorry, had to work.

Hard to explain, but a tarp traps moisture and often transfers to the resin. Where it touched for long periods of time, it’ll dull and degrade the finish. Sometimes you can see the patterns of the tarp on the canoes; or crease marks. It won’t come out with buffing usually either. I’ll try to find a pic. I’ve seen it a lot on canoes that are for sale.

I know Northstar warns of this somewhere on their website and Wenonah did at one point too. Not sure if they still do.

Found both statements from Northstar and Wenonah:

Let’s try that again....

Not sure what’s up with the pics.

On Northstar’s site, find “Owners Manual” then “Storage”.

On Wenonah’s site, go to the frequently asked question and then “How to store my canoe”.

Even Old Town’s site too:

Northstar’s site says tarp shouldn’t touch. Wenonah just says to use a breathable tarp. I think the covers by Whitewater Designs, which is what I’ve used, are breathable and our SR Q17s spent most of 5 years in them with no issues. They are more expensive than a basic tarp but not compared to the cost of the canoes.

Whitewater Designs Tyvek covers

Important protection from sun's UV rays too, Cretbo. The sun will do terrible damage to a canoe's appearance & integrity--excepting aluminum. A lean-to or pup-style tarp covering covers all bases. Recommend Aerospace Protectant 303, too, for conditioning and protecting finish/color maintenance.
I keep my UL kevlar Prism hanging from the garage (unheated) rafters, bottom side up, with 2 flat straps. Someday, I'll install a pulley system. Taking it off the straps by myself can be tricky. I also back off the screw on the Prism wood gunwales. Not much--about 3 turns.

at Tomcat >>> sharp truck racks!

Dooger: "Found both statements from Northstar and Wenonah:


"

That’s great info, Dooger, thank you. Mine are stored upside down in my garage. But if my fleet grows, I may need to put one out under the deck or something.

Dooger: "Not sure what’s up with the pics.


On Northstar’s site, find “Owners Manual” then “Storage”.


On Wenonah’s site, go to the frequently asked question and then “How to store my canoe”.


Even Old Town’s site too:
"

Good information, thanks. FWIW, I've not had any mildew buildup or discoloration on any of my boats stored outside under tarps on sawhorses for decades. One canoe I've had since 1983, the other since 1993 (bought it used!).

Storing outside is ok. Temperature won't hurt it but be aware of a couple things. UV protection and snow load. The weight of accumulating snow and especially snow coming off a roof can damage the canoe. A canoe rack with UV and snow protection from above is desirable.

I built a lean-to like roof on the side of my garden shed. Three canoes are stored open, uncovered, underneath the roof and out of direct sunlight.

Hey Cretbo, if you post a pic or two of your garage we may be able to give you better indoor storage recommendations.

As far as your basic question about composite canoe durability the answer is that they are not fussy...I have left a Kevlar Swift with aluminum gunnels out in the woods for a year with no problems and that includes a snow load. But for sure it's good to take care of a fine boat and give it the best storage option you can. If you end up having to store it outside where it is likely to get wet repeatedly then I recommend that you go for the aluminum trim since wood can rot and that's about the only thing on the boat that can rot other than the webbing on the seats. If your boat is outside but sheltered you can get away with wood trim and just give the wood a little more love (oil) than you would need with indoor storage.

So you're considering a Northwind 16 Polaris eh? Um, Northstar makes a Northwind 16 and they also make a Polaris. Two different boats. The specs are similar but the key difference is Polaris is one inch narrower at the waterline so it's a quicker/faster boat and probably a bit better as a solo. But I may be biased since I have one. Mine has a third seat instead of a kneeling thwart since for me a seat is more comfy than a kneeling thwart.

I thought the only way I could fit a canoe in my garage was to hang it across my garage, past where the door stops. This year when I got a second canoe I finally broke out the tape measure and measured the distance from the ceiling to the garage door exterior side when the door was opened. Then I compared that measurement to the sheer (both measured and manufacturer spec) and discovered that I could hang canoes above my garage door, and in fact I can store up to 4 18' canoes in my garage like that. The first opening of the garage door when I had one canoe up was mildly terrifying, only because I had visions of the garage door plowing into my nice cherry gunwales.....

So, Cretbo, it might behoove you to get out a measuring tape and compare the distance between the joists and the door to the "height" of your canoe, most likely at the bow.

Thanks everyone!! Passed for now on buying a canoe ... going to rent different ones and really find out what I want. Polaris is what i am leaning towards right now .... but i got a great idea about mounting my future canoe in the garage thanks to you all!! Love this site!!

Bob

Two cheap sawhorses and a tarp should serve you just fine as long as you don't have gale winds.