Best Kayak Rack for Dock

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BEST KAYAK RACK FOR DOCK – INTRO

Having the best kayak rack for dock storage of fishing kayaks will keep your kayak dry, out of the way, easily accessible, and clean. It is a HUGE space saver if you want to place the rack in any place like your garage or somewhere else, though the best place to use it is your fishing dock!

Not familiar with kayak racks for docks? You can learn more by checking out our Ultimate Guide!

Best Kayak Rack for Dock – Overview

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In this post, you’ll find all the information that you need to buy the best kayak rack for dock oriented storage. It is a comprehensive post that will guide you in the right direction. I’ve broken it down into small fragments and subsections to make sure that it remains very easy to understand, and the flow of information remains consistent.

First of all, you’ll get to read the basics associated with a kayak rack for the dock. In the next section, you’ll find a checklist on how to use a kayak rack for a dock.

There is also a separate section that contains the list of important features that you must consider when buying a kayak rack for the dock. If you memorize these important features, and make sure that your dock storage system has each of them, you will be very pleased with your purchase!

Moreover, I’ll provide you with the link to one of my favorite best kayak rack for dock storage systems I’ll review it and will list down its pros and cons in the My Experience section. Now, I want to be clear, it is not the ONLY high quality dock storage system on the market – but it IS one of the very BEST!

Best Kayak Rack for Dock – Basics

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Buy the Best Kayak Rack for Dock Storage

Storing your fishing kayak is very important if you want to keep it in top condition. It’s essential because, when you are ready to take it out on the water, it needs to be ready too! Therefore, the best practice to store your kayak is storing it on your fishing dock, mere steps from the water!

This practice will save your kayak from any damage associated with simply being left to sit on the ground. If you wrap it in a kayak cover, it will also be well protected from the elements. These elements include moisture, sunlight, and UV rays. Such elements can have severe effects on your kayak. Therefore, storing them on your dock and inside a high quality cover is your best option.

This is where a rack for dock comes in to play its role! You can use it as your stand-alone solution, or you can mount it directly on your dock. This way, you won’t have to haul your kayak from your home to the shore. Your kayak will be there ready for you – you simply need to lift it off of the rack and place it into the water. Then you are on your way!

Some of these kayak racks for the dock systems allow you to store up to 4 kayaks at a time! You can use both sides of the rack with ease. Others only focus on storing 1 or 2 on one side of the rack. It is better to go for all metal constructed racks because they are very sturdy, and they tend to hold any kind of kayak on their hooks (even those that are built of a slightly irregular size).

How to Install a Kayak Rack for Dock?

Setting up a kayak rack on your dock is no big deal. You just need to go through the instructions manual that comes with your purchase. It will allow you to go through the steps on your own a lot more comfortably.

Of course, you can use this rack as a free-standing or mounted rack. I’m going to list down the steps for the installation of the free-standing option because that will be useful for you even if you don’t have a dock nearby! These steps, combined with your users manual, should set you WAY ahead in terms of making the installation. Of course, if you have questions, we encourage you to post below and we’ll assist!

Begin by unboxing your kayak rack and identify the different items that are there inside the box.
Be sure not to misplace any of the small pieces!
There will be some metal rods, hooks, and mounting hardware.
To begin with, you need to have a distance of at least 68 inches between the two holding points.
This measurement is not very impactful because you are already installing the rack as a free-standing option.
Connect all the parts of the rack carefully by going through the instructions.
There are three horizontal parts, and you need to connect them.
The rest are all vertical parts they need to remain in line.
On each of the vertical poles, you need to install the hooks within the small brackets that come with the mourning hardware.
Now cover the hooks with the nylon cloth that is included in the package.
You are all set to place your kayaks on the rack!
Keep the bottom surface of the kayak facing you and place it on its one side while the top side will be resting against the hook.

Side Note: If you liked learning how to make this installation, you might also be interested in learning how to use kayak outriggers or learning how to install a kayak anchor trolley!

Best Kayak Rack for Dock – Important Features:

There are some important features that you need to keep in mind when buying a kayak rack for dock based storage. In this guide, I’ve highlighted each one of them for your convenience. If you find a kayak rack that has EACH of these important features – you can be assured that you have found a winner!

Types

There are typically three different types of kayak racks for dock based storage. You can find fixed mounting racks that come with hooks and which have a cradle to hold the kayaks.

There is also a sling or pulley system that has a lifting mechanism that can hold you kayak high on the dock. Finally there is a shelf based rack featuring a flat wood piece made of rigid materials, and it is attached to the dock wall.

Each of these serve the same purposes… to hold your kayak (much like a kayak paddle holder will hold a kayak paddle)!

Durability

The rack that you are considering needs to be made of high-quality materials. It is likely going to hold at least two kayaks; therefore, it needs to have a sturdy build. There shouldn’t be any flimsy parts, and the rack needs to hold its place well. It better needs to be genuine metal or hardwood.

These two materials are very long-lasting. Also, you’ll want to make sure that the rack has features that help it stand up to the elements, like nylon wrapping on the arms and treated metal surfaces. It’ll ensure that the kayaks and the rack itself remain out of harms way when exposed to UV rays, wind and water!

Versatility

It would be a better option for you to go for a rack that is designed to be used both indoors and outdoors, even if you plan to use it most of the time on your fishing dock.

Most, but not all, of the racks on the market are meant to be installed inside a fishing dock. But most docks are not designed that way. Therefore, the rack you want to consider needs to be made in a way to withstand some exposure to external elements! Lucky for you, such a rack exists, and we are going to introduce you to it below!

Capacity

It is a bit self-explanatory because you need to check the capacity of a rack based on how many kayaks do you want to store on it. Most of the racks come with a capacity of two. On a weight scale, the capacity would be around 150 lbs.

There are situations where you just want to install the rack to the dock, so you don’t have to carry it from your home to your dock. In such a case, you can go for a rack with a single kayak space.

Want to further your skills and knowledge as a kayak fisherman? Learn How to Use a Kayak Paddle Leash and How to Use a Kayak Brush Gripper!

Buy the Best Kayak Rack for Dock

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The best kayak rack for the dock is the free-standing kayak rack that we’ve showcased above. This kayak rack comes with a storage capacity of two kayaks and has a weight capacity of 175 lbs, which is huge. It means that you can even go for larger kayaks if you want.

This kayak rack has a full metal frame, and it can withstand rigorous use time and time again. All the components of this rack feature powder coating, and there are UV protection cushion sleeves as well. You can easily store a couple of kayaks on this rack in a compact manner. The rack will not take much space.

The good thing is that you can use the rack both indoors and outdoors. The rack has an excellent weight capacity, and it can hold up to 175 pounds with ease. You are good to use it anywhere you like, plus you can also use it as a free-standing or mounted rack.

Its installation is straightforward, and you don’t have to go through much to put it into shape. You won’t have to carry your kayaks anymore, and they will be ready for you on the dock!

Side Note: If you are buying a kayak rack, you are moving into your next phase of your kayak fishing addiction! Check out some other pieces of “next level” kayak fishing gear, like the Best Kayak Brush Gripper!

My Experience

One of the top features of this kayak rack for dock system is that it is an all-metal rack. The metal rack is further powder-coated to ensure its durability as it gets exposed to various external elements. The rack will continue to perform year after year.

It can comfortably hold two rocks simultaneously. The max weight capacity of this rack is 175 pounds for kayaks. Therefore, it can easily house larger kayaks with ease. Your kayaks will be placed safely, and you won’t have to worry about them “sliding” off, thanks to the wisely designed “cradle” style arms.

The effortless installation makes it easy to use, even for a novice. You have to go through the instructions manual carefully, though. It took me about 15 to 20 minutes to make the installation and I am NOT a handyman! It is very easy to clean and maintain too. You just need a damp cloth to get it cleaned in no time.

Pros

All-metal construction (great for standing up to the elements)
Very easy to install.
Can hold two kayaks at a time (perfect for single and tandem models)
Max weight capacity of 175 lbs.
Use indoor and outdoor (potential to bring inside during the winter)

Cons

The instructions manual lacks a bit of detail (however, between the manual and this post, you should be all set)!

Conclusion

I hope this post about the best kayak rack for dock storage has proved to be useful and informative for you! I’ve made sure that ALL the information on the best kayak rack for the dock stays easy to understand and follow. I can’t imagine that we didn’t cover something that you would have wanted to find, however, let me summarize to be sure:

For a recap, the best kayak rack for dock storage is the showcased model above. It’s all-metal construction, and powder coating makes sure that it stays resilient for a long time. The rack is very simple to install.

However, the instructions manual could have been better in describing the details with a bit more elaboration (just be sure to reach out to us if you have questions). The rack can hold two different kayaks and comes with a maximum weight capacity of 175 lbs. It means that you can easily place larger kayaks on this rack too.

Comments

So what do you have to say about this kayak rack for the dock article? How do you store your fishing kayaks on your dock? Did this article help you learn any new tips or tricks? Perhaps you could share a few of your own tips and tricks with us! Please reach out to use and share your story! Leave your comments and suggestions in the section given below! We read and reply to every comment and love interacting with the kayak fishing community!