Kayak wall rack for storing a Laser?

[alshain]

I bought an old 1975 Laser this summer and now that first frost is near, I'm looking to store it in my apartment's heated garage. (I figure that's better than letting it sit outside at my local sailing center, especially considering the hull is fairly leaky and I'm worried about freeze-thaw cycles.)

My apartment building will let me install kayak racks in the building garage — if the boat will fit in them. Has anyone used any off-the-shelf kayak wall racks to store a Laser on its side? Any sort of potential damage I should be worried about?

I'm looking at something like this Pelican model or this one from Gear Up.

Thanks!

 

[Rob B]

I don't think they will work. I use them for my kayaks. Kayaks weigh 40 lbs or so max. a laser is 130 lbs. I think the racks will bend and the boat will roll out. My kayaks have a tendency to roll on their racks but they don't roll out.

 

[alshain]

Thanks Rob. Yeah, I was worried about that. What is the weight rating for your racks? The two racks I posted say they're rated for 150 lbs or higher, so if people are putting 150 lb kayaks on them — and it seems some fishing kayaks can weigh that much — I was hoping that they would be able to take it.

 

[Rob B]

Mine are not rated that high. Also, they are not wide enough to cradle a laser hull. It sounds like the ones you're looking at are rated high enough. I would make sure the hull can sit in them well enough to not roll out and then rig a safety line to prevent that possibility.

 

[laser2004]

Could you store it from the rafters with one of these kits? $200 Small sailboat ceiling mounted storage solution

 

[Rob B]

Yes- I have my kids opti hung this way from a rig I made with spare parts. The trick with a longer boat is your garage needs to be deep enough that you can pull your car in far enough that the boat/hoist system does not get hit by the garage door going up.

 

[alshain]

@Rob B Thanks, the safety line is a good idea indeed.

@laser2004 A kit like that would really be ideal, but I doubt I can get my apartment building to spring for it!

 

[Rob B]

Here's my home grown opti hanger. Note all the old laser mainsheet ratchet blocks collected over the years....Disclaimer- this is a one line system and suitable for anything not much heavier than an opti as it takes some "English" getting the boat up and down...