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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Canoe storage hoist system
 
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Humdinger
10/22/2009 07:56AM
 
Since this thread re-surfaced...
I hung up my "walmart" pulley systems for my two kayaks this summer and I am not happy with the durability or performance. Don't waste your money on them and build your own. Even cheap pulleys will work better than the china hoist systems bought at menards or walmart.


 
Koda
10/22/2009 01:55PM
 
I made my own several years ago. Check it out here:
http://www.codabone.net/canoeing/canoes/garage.htm

In the text I indicate the blocks are available from Defender.com for $4.50. Unfortunately, that's no longer true, since it's half - or less - of what they cost now. Whatever the price, the best hardware is Harken and its competitors (Ronstan, Schaefer, et al.) and it's worth what you pay for it. Even the small boat blocks are very heavy duty, with working loads well over 200 pounds.

Koda

 
3DSteve
07/31/2009 10:43PM
 
For my "Big Boat" I have a homemade block and tackle. Works great.
For my "Little Boat" I rigged up a garage door opener to do the work.
Its really sweet, just pushing a button and having the canoe down and ready to load.
 
motdur
08/03/2009 04:54PM
 
thanks for the input...I will make my own.
 
Humdinger
08/03/2009 05:13PM
 
Go for it. One bit of advice on pulleys; if you can find the nicer national brand pulleys shown in Kanoes picture, they have a 4X+ higher load rating than cast pulleys and will roll smoother.

 
tg
07/30/2009 04:47PM
 
love my harken hoist system-they have a number of systems-you can get the model rated to 60# at Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis for ~$100 and they often have sales or 20% coupons available. i actually have two and the canoes hang above my cars and you can drop the boat down onto the car roof with one hand.

tg
 
kanoes
07/30/2009 04:48PM
 
make your own. mine uses 4 pulleys, 2-3' pieces of 2x4, and 3/8" rope.
 
OBX2Kayak
07/30/2009 08:58PM
 
I use a homemade setup similar to Kanoes. Hoists up from the car in the garage. Just drive in, drop it down, remember (usually) to fasten it and off you go.

Uh, forgetting to fasten the boat down can have consequences. Recommend you don't talk to neighbors while loading boat.
 
motdur
07/30/2009 04:24PM
 
I would like to store my canoe up and out of the way in the garage. I am looking at the hoist/pulley systems. Any reviews/feedback/recommendations would be great.
 
Humdinger
07/30/2009 05:35PM
 
I used a $15 bike hoist kit from Wally World for my kayak and it kind of works (or I got what I paid for...)

Do what Kanoes says and build your own. Just look at the picture of the bike hoist kit, reverse engineer it, and hit the hardware store. You will be happier and feel like "MacGyver".
 
tg
07/30/2009 06:09PM
 
the only thing i will say is that the harken uses a block and tackle type of setup which gives you good mechanical advantage and makes raising and lowering the boat a piece of cake-like lifting a phone book effort.

tg
 
rlhedlund
07/31/2009 05:03AM
 
OBX - the same goes for hooking up boat trailer to tow vehicle. :) LOL
 
kanoes
07/30/2009 06:06PM
 
here is half of my setup.


 
Merganser
07/30/2009 11:12PM
 
I made my own. I used a block and tackle form Northern Tool, I think it was under $15. I used three inexpensive brass pulleys from Menards and some big old lag bolts with eyes on the end. I pried the eyes open to accept the pulleys. I put one lag-eye on the wall just below the ceiling and attach the block and tackle to it. The cord hangs down along the wall. Two pulleys go on the ceiling directly across from teh block and tackle. One is for the rope that goes to one end of the canoe. The other goes to the third pulley which is positioned about 10ft away, where the other end of the canoe will be. A length of rope, runs from the block and tackle through the appropriate pulleys to support the ends of the canoe. On each end I have a have a piece of webbing and 1" dowel to actually hold the canoe.

I tried a bunch of other designs and this one worked the best. I have two rigs like this in my garage. The cheap pulleys generate a lot of friction and the block and tackle was need to overcome that. Way cheaper than investing in ball bearing pulleys.
 
612er
10/20/2009 11:59AM
 
Where can you find good pulleys? I went to Home Depot and Menards over the weekend and was not impressed.
 
gbusk
10/20/2009 12:22PM
 
I have found the best pulleys at a marine shop, but they a pretty pricey. Maybe try a local Hdwr store, the one near me has decent pulleys.
 
mc2mens
10/20/2009 01:11PM
 
612er. I just made my own pulley hoist in the garage. Found everything I needed at 7 Corners Hardware Store on West 7th in St. Paul. They have everything you'll need.

Mac