How to Store Your Kayak for the Winter

Winter is fast approaching, and for many paddlers this means the end of the paddling season. Want to store your boats and paddle craft safely during the colder months? Check out our hot (actually cold!) tips below. 

(And for all of you year-round kayakers, be sure to take a look at our post on cold weather paddling safety.)

Portland Paddle guide Erin Quigley paddling in winter to the Portland Head Light in Casco Bay

Tips for Winter Kayak Storage 

• Clean it well

Before putting your boat away for the winter, your first priority should be to give it a thorough cleaning. Sand and salt corrode metal and scratch plastic surfaces, and water harms fabrics and plastic components and encourages the growth of mold and algae, all of which can degrade the life of your boat or its component parts. For this job, a shop-vac, hose, bilge pump, sponge, and kayak stands are your best friends. Just make sure to let the boat dry completely before closing up any sections. 

• Protect it from the sun

Since UV rays degrade the plastics which make up modern paddle craft (including fiberglass boats), you’ll need to protect your boat from the sun over the winter. Store it inside if you have space, and if you don’t, we recommend treating it with a UV protectant chemical, such as 303, which can be found at marine supply stores. Another option? Cover the boat with a tarp, canvas, or custom-made boat cover. 

• Protect it from snow, rain, and ice

Again, we recommend storing your boat indoors for the winter, but if you can’t, have no fear. Taking a few precautions will go a long way towards keeping your boat in good condition. 

First, to keep it from getting buried in snow or swamped by rain, get your boat off the ground. When finding a place to store your kayak, rest your boat on its side or top deck, instead of on the hull (which can warp its shape). It’s best if the stands, hanging straps, or other support methods are in line with the bulkheads of your boat, since those are the  areas of greatest structural integrity. Never hang your boat from the very ends, as this can curve the boat like a banana! 

Second, store your boat so that the cockpit can’t fill with water, and the snow doesn’t pile up on it, which usually means leaning it at a slight angle. Cockpit covers can help by making it harder for water to get inside the boat, and 

so can a shed roof or tarp, even if it doesn’t cover the entire boat. If snow does build up on your boat, wipe it off quickly.

• Protect it from critters

Mice, squirrels, and chipmunks love to use cockpits as nesting and food storage spots. While this behavior is mostly harmless, rodents can cause actual damage to 

boats by chewing on webbing and lines. Getting the boat off the ground and using a cockpit cover are both great ways to help deter rodent behavior (as well as spiders 

and bugs). Scent-based deterrents such as mothballs, dryer sheets, or mouse-specific scent packs (available at your local hardware store) can also help keep critters away.

• Other considerations

Bungees, decklines, hatch covers and cockpit covers can all stretch with use and when left exposed to elements, so when storing your boat, it’s a good idea to take any tension off these components. We recommend taking tension off of skeg or rudder components, and removing hatch covers (and placing them inside the hatch). Just make sure to protect any openings this creates in your boat from water and rodents.

Do you have tips to share for boat care and storage? We’d love to hear them!

And if you’re already daydreaming about the next paddling season, check out our calendar of upcoming multi-day trips, and don’t forget to keep an eye on our social media for lesson and workshop announcements!

by Eric Nathanson, Portland Paddle guide

Some paddlers like to keep their skills fresh with winter pool sessions. Just make sure to thoroughly clean your boat before bringing it in, to not track dirt and leaves into the pool, then rinse and dry your boat after, as chlorine can degrade the kayak plastic!