Overhead canoe storage, ideas?

[Dave Osborn]

Dan,
I don't recall exactly what the load rating was.....125 lbs sticks in my mind....
I'm sure there are some that don't make the grade...., but mine have served well. Bought 6 of them for the cost of one Harken.

 

[Dan Lindberg]

125 lb would be great, the ones I got were in 15-20 lbs range, very light.


My pole barn plans have been on going for the past 3 years, I've collected or bought cheep most of the materials, and cleared the site and cut 4-6 medium trees to make room as the building size got larger. It will 21 x 30. I've had 190 yds of fill brought it and now have a very nice pad to build on. Maybe next summer.

Dan

 

[jenshen]

I love this, great imagination and determination.
Any chance you have drawings/sketches you could post in case others might want to try this?

Dan

Additional info, pictures, and sketches of the home-made canoe lift.

1. The canoe lift cart consists of three sub- assemblies (a) base -28”W 46”L (b) posts – 22”W 72”H (c) lift case - 23.5”W 30”H / forks – 42”L
2. Dual-load-path pulley system: two identical sets providing redundancy and un-skewed lifting action. Each pulley set consists of two single blocks and two double blocks.
3. The lift has four hinges that would allow the lift to be folded flat on the base or unfolded for use in a minute. The folded cart would be 8” x28”x80”. My cart does not currently fold flat because some cross pieces get in the way.
4. All parts and material are available from Lowes or Home Depot: 1x4, 2x2, and 2x4, cheap pulleys, bolts/nut, screws, and ropes. It probably costs less $100 to make one.
5. The heaviest canoe the lift has handled was OTCA 18. I once put an Old Town Guide 20 on it – it stood, but I did not try to lift it.
6. It can lift a canoe to a height of 90” (6’ post height + 18” of lift case extension). The lift can be made to lift higher if needed, by increasing the height of the posts or the lift case or both.
7. Putting a canoe from the lift to shoulders is easier than from ground to shoulder (especially for those older than 55).
8. It has never failed on me for the last 15 years. With the lift, hanging or lowering a canoe becomes a one-person operation. Works quite well for those who own multiple canoes.
9. It occupies less space in the garage than one thinks it would: the base can slide under a car and the forks can be positioned above the car hood.
10. If someone wants to make one, there are areas where he can improve: adding a winch, reducing friction between sliding wood surfaces (how?), modifying the fork brace so that the lift can directly put a canoe on the car rack or lift the canoe off the car.

Jen

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Jen,

Thanks for providing the additional info and sketches of your lift.
I've made copies for future reference.

Even more impressive is that you made this 15 years ago.

I am a bit concerned however, the space you show with the car and canoes is way too clean and uncluttered to be a garage or shop, where are you storing the canoes?

And more pics of the canoes is always welcome.

Thanks again,
Dan

 

[Greg Nolan]

10. If someone wants to make one, there are areas where he can improve: . . . reducing friction between sliding wood surfaces (how?) . . ..
Jen

very clever machine.

I recently came upon a product called Slipit and used it on an old wooden chest of drawers that were sticking and binding very badly -- after one application, the drawers slide in and out quite freely. It comes in silicone-free and silicone formulations -- I used the silicone free. < http://www.slipit.com/prodline.html > I got it from Lee Valley < http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=69805&cat=1,43415,43440 >. It also claims also to be a rust inhibitor on metal items -- I haven't tried it for that. But it might lessen friction in your forklift.

Greg

 

[Benson Gray]

The door opener tracks and doors occupy too much valuable space!

I have found that a low car allows you to hang 18 foot long canoes between the top of the car and the bottom of the door as shown below. The black car in the other picture is higher so the shorter canoes go there. The spaces above the doors are good for long paddles, racks, sails, and other small things.

Benson

 

[Dan Miller]

Cars go in garages?

 

[pklonowski]

I'm with Dan... whoever heard of such treachery????

 

[Benson Gray]

Cars go in garages?

Please note the curved ends of the disassembled canoe rack in the lower right corner of the first picture for the happy time when I have one less car and more space for canoes.

Let me also add that the canoe fork lift described here previously looks like a great idea. I had considered a scissor lift but this looks like a much better approach. Thanks,

Benson

 

[Dan Lindberg]

I just spent the past xx weeks organizing, re-organizing and packing and repacking the garage,
and just tonight the wife could drive her car in the garage, 1st time sense about Apr.
And this in a 26x33 garage, getting to anything buried deep will be impossible.

Dan

 

[MGC]

I have found that a low car allows you to hang 18 foot long canoes between the top of the car and the bottom of the door as shown below. The black car in the other picture is higher so the shorter canoes go there. The spaces above the doors are good for long paddles, racks, sails, and other small things.

Benson

Take another look at the picture in my post...I have a canoe above the doors. I have them three layers deep if you count the Swift jammed in there. If you look closely, there is a car under the Swift. The reason I do not hang front to back is to make room for a canoe I have on the back wall. That shortens up the room I have front to back.... the Gerrish has a treasured spot. If it was removed I could do as you have, but I would not fit as many canoes....I also have a tandem bike jammed in the space between the doors. I also have sails and gunwales up in the rafters but paddles are more accessible (family room)
I think Dan hit the nail on the head...my wife and I have have been discussing that very point for 35 years. Who says a garage is for the car, other than my wife.....................