Storing Your SUP, Kayak, or Canoe for Winter

Storing Your SUP, Kayak, or Canoe for Winter

It’s time to admit that we are in the depths of winter now. There has been snow, rain, ice, and a couple of named storms thrown in there making our weather pretty unpredictable. This might be enough to put you off getting on the water for a little, and we wouldn’t blame you! Or, you may be motivated to take advantage of any breaks in the weather and hit the water. But what do you do with your kayak, paddleboard or canoe while on dry land in the cold? Here are a couple of our top tips for how to store your craft in winter. 

Kayaks & Canoes 

  1. It doesn’t matter what time of year it is, you should always try to avoid storing your boats in the sun. The UV rays can cause damage to the plastics the craft is made of. Even through the winter the sun throws out these UV rays, so when you put your boat away for the winter try to put it inside, or at least covered up.
  2. To the best of your ability, dry your boat off. This will help prevent any mould growing on the outfittings, enticing you back into it sooner. Also, in the cold weather any water will freeze up. And when it freezes, it expands. This expansion can cause damage when in smaller gaps of the boat. So make sure your boat is nice and dry before storing.

canoes stored on a wrack

SUP

  1. When building a paddleboard, the materials are both stitched and glued together, giving the materials as much flexibility as possible for packing. Any large fluctuations in temperature can cause the glue to weaken and lead to bigger problems. Bringing your packed up board inside when you store your craft for winter can help prevent damage.
  2. Clean off your board before storing it. Even the cleanest water has a level of bacteria in it. So make sure you clean it off to prevent it building up and damaging your paddleboard over winter.
  3. Avoid damage to your fins by removing them (if they are removable). Having it rolled up for a number of months can put pressure on them and lead to them bending. 
  4. Take the air out of your paddleboard. If you are rolling it into a bag then it will need to be fully deflated. But if you are storing it inflated still, make sure you release the pressure. If you keep it fully inflated then it puts stress on the seams and materials unnecessarily when you aren’t using it.
  5. Just like with kayaks and canoes, you should strive to keep your paddleboard out of the sun and it’s harmful UV rays. Keep it indoors, rolled up in it’s bag, and away from the window to help keep the materials as good as new.