If you plan to store your new kayak in your garage, you'll need to decide what storage mechanism you'll use. There are lots of options on the market, with each offering its own set of benefits. A popular method is wall storage, which is desirable because it doesn't take up floor space in your garage. If you're leaning toward wall storage for your kayak, you'll need to choose whether vertical or horizontal storage is right for you. Here are some considerations that you should think about as you make your decision about kayak storage.

Available Space

To store your kayak on the wall of your garage, you'll need a considerable amount of free space. This isn't a challenge in a garage that has bare walls, but many garages have shelves, cabinets, and other items attached to them. It's a good idea to assess your garage and see what space you have available. If there's a vertical section of one wall that is bare, this may be a good place for a mount that will hang your kayak vertically. Conversely, if you have storage shelves on the bottom half of your walls but there are open spots on the upper halves, you may favor horizontal storage.

Your Height

It's also a good idea to consider your own height when you're trying to evaluate whether to proceed with vertical or horizontal kayak storage. If you're on the shorter side, you could theoretically use a stepladder to retrieve a kayak hung horizontally high on the wall. However, you may not want to have to retrieve the ladder each time. In this scenario, you might favor vertical storage so that the bottom half of the boat is easily within reach. If you're taller, you may favor horizontal storage on the wall's upper half because you can reach this area without trouble.

Garage Door

You'll also need to consider your garage door when you're evaluating whether vertical or horizontal kayak storage will be best for the garage. Many garage doors open overhead, which can pose some challenges. In a tight space, the garage door tracks that are mounted to the ceiling may make it difficult to store a kayak vertically. In this type of situation, horizontal storage lower on the wall may be a better option for you. However, if your garage door is hinged to swing open, you'll have no overhead tracks and thus have the option of easily using vertical storage.