With spring coming up, I've been wanting to get my Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 Angler out of the basement, and stored in a way to make it a little easier to get it on top of my Cherokee.
My plan was to mount it on a hoist system in my garage, over top of the Jeep.
Here is the space I had available...
Looking toward the (closed) garage door, there is a bulkhead that runs across the garage, right about at the point where the garage door stops when fully opened.
From that bulkhead to the back wall is 14'. The kayak is 12', so it's time to do a little engineering...
After looking around, I selected a Harken Kayak Hoist from KayakFishingStuff.com because it looked like the best solution for the area I had to work with.
http://kayakfishingstuff.com/Mercha...arken-Kayak-Hoist&Category_Code=Kayak-Storage
Since the kayak is 12' long, I decided that my lifting points needed to be 4' each from the bow and the stern.
I then started looking for attachment points on the 10' 6" high ceiling.
With the ceiling joists on 24" centers (verified with a stud finder), a 5' long 2x6 would be able to capture 3 joists, so I assembled the wood, and attachment hardware, then began the task of laying everything out on the ground.
Everything was measured on the ground, and all of the holes were pre-drilled for the lag bolts going into the ceiling, as well as holes for 4" wallboard screws and the hoist attachment hardware.
Once everything was ready, I located where the Jeep would sit, then transferred the measurements to the ceiling where the hoist attachment points would have to go.
Satisfied that everything was going to fit, I took the first 2x6 aloft and temporarilly attached it to the ceiling joists with 4" wallboard screws.
Once the board was in place, I drilled the holes for the 5/16"x4" galvinized lag screws, and bolted them into place.
This is the point where I discovered that it was possible to wring off a 4" lag screw with a standard 3/8" drive ratchet. Doh!
Solution? Coat the threads of the lag screws with liquid dish detergent before screwing them in. No more wrung-off lag screws.
After the first board went in, the second followed.
The next step was to locate a 2x6 on the rear wall to be used as an attachment anchor point for the hoist mechanism. With the wall joists being on 16" centers, a 3' section of 2x6 fit the application nicely.
Even though the Harken Hoist mechanism has an integral locking device, for safetys sake I located a galvinized cleat on the wall to tie off the hoist line.
The next step was to install the attachment hardware, and then begin the task of running the hoist lines through the pulleys, and weaving everything through the appropriate attachment.
The next step was to locate the kayak under the lift, attach the sling straps, then lift it into place.
My first attempt didn't go too well.
This is an example of how not to rig your lifting straps.
My error was rigging the lifting straps for a two-point hoist, rather than a 4-point hoist.
I corrected that error the next morning.
Wrong way...
Right way...
Notice now how the lifting lines go straight up to the pulley assemblies.
Much better.
All in all, a very worthwhile project.
The kayak snuggles into a 14' ceiling space with room to clear the garage door in the open position. I can set the yak down from its stored position right onto the rooftop carrier, and drive out the door!
Later this spring, my next project will be mounting the kayak on the Parker "mother ship". The plan is to mount the 'yak so I can take it with me to other river systems where I'll anchor the "mother ship", then use the 'yak to fish the skinny-water tribs. :wink:
My plan was to mount it on a hoist system in my garage, over top of the Jeep.
Here is the space I had available...
Looking toward the (closed) garage door, there is a bulkhead that runs across the garage, right about at the point where the garage door stops when fully opened.
From that bulkhead to the back wall is 14'. The kayak is 12', so it's time to do a little engineering...
After looking around, I selected a Harken Kayak Hoist from KayakFishingStuff.com because it looked like the best solution for the area I had to work with.
http://kayakfishingstuff.com/Mercha...arken-Kayak-Hoist&Category_Code=Kayak-Storage
Since the kayak is 12' long, I decided that my lifting points needed to be 4' each from the bow and the stern.
I then started looking for attachment points on the 10' 6" high ceiling.
With the ceiling joists on 24" centers (verified with a stud finder), a 5' long 2x6 would be able to capture 3 joists, so I assembled the wood, and attachment hardware, then began the task of laying everything out on the ground.
Everything was measured on the ground, and all of the holes were pre-drilled for the lag bolts going into the ceiling, as well as holes for 4" wallboard screws and the hoist attachment hardware.
Once everything was ready, I located where the Jeep would sit, then transferred the measurements to the ceiling where the hoist attachment points would have to go.
Satisfied that everything was going to fit, I took the first 2x6 aloft and temporarilly attached it to the ceiling joists with 4" wallboard screws.
Once the board was in place, I drilled the holes for the 5/16"x4" galvinized lag screws, and bolted them into place.
This is the point where I discovered that it was possible to wring off a 4" lag screw with a standard 3/8" drive ratchet. Doh!
Solution? Coat the threads of the lag screws with liquid dish detergent before screwing them in. No more wrung-off lag screws.
After the first board went in, the second followed.
The next step was to locate a 2x6 on the rear wall to be used as an attachment anchor point for the hoist mechanism. With the wall joists being on 16" centers, a 3' section of 2x6 fit the application nicely.
Even though the Harken Hoist mechanism has an integral locking device, for safetys sake I located a galvinized cleat on the wall to tie off the hoist line.
The next step was to install the attachment hardware, and then begin the task of running the hoist lines through the pulleys, and weaving everything through the appropriate attachment.
The next step was to locate the kayak under the lift, attach the sling straps, then lift it into place.
My first attempt didn't go too well.
This is an example of how not to rig your lifting straps.
My error was rigging the lifting straps for a two-point hoist, rather than a 4-point hoist.
I corrected that error the next morning.
Wrong way...
Right way...
Notice now how the lifting lines go straight up to the pulley assemblies.
Much better.
All in all, a very worthwhile project.
The kayak snuggles into a 14' ceiling space with room to clear the garage door in the open position. I can set the yak down from its stored position right onto the rooftop carrier, and drive out the door!
Later this spring, my next project will be mounting the kayak on the Parker "mother ship". The plan is to mount the 'yak so I can take it with me to other river systems where I'll anchor the "mother ship", then use the 'yak to fish the skinny-water tribs. :wink:
