Best way to store a PA?

What is the best and cheapest way to store my new PA 12 in my garage? I was told foam noodles work well. Stands look pretty expensive. And again, I'm not a DIY kindof guy. So no assembly required is desired.

I store my PA on the floor with 2 pool noodles running the length of the PA and after 2 years no problems.

Personally I have me a set of cradles I set mine on, but here is a snap from the manual on Hobie storage.

Also the place I got my PA from gave me a set of foam blocks that shape out like the PA's hull, so I could rest it on that if I wanted. You might see if your dealer has something like that.

Yikes. Those cradles are expensive. I like the noodles idea.

I priced them for a TI yesterday. Almost no change out of $300. However it's an expensive boat so maybe worth it?


Brad

Long Jetty

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Brad K
Papaya Tandem Island - "Dry Reach"
Lengthened Jet Ski trailer
"Kayaking Bob" Spray Skirts
Trampolines

The cheapest way to store is upside down on a 4x4 just cut a 8 foot 4x4 in half and store it on them as illustrated in prior post.

What is wrong with storing it on flexible PVC pipes?

4x4 cheep and it is a recommend storage way

.

This is the third winter I've stored mine up under the rafters of my deck using a Harken Hoist. I use a boat cover to keep dust out, and position the 1" straps of the hoist under scupper holes. No sign of deformation whatsoever. I wouldn't support it this way in hot weather, but in winter it seems to be fine.

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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult
Pro Angler-14 owner

Any way that is recommended in the manual that it came with.

-The OP asked for the best AND CHEAPEST way smart guy so you get a big "X".

Well considering my manual on a 2015 says a flat surface is acceptable I dont think it gets cheaper than that. Here's your "X" back.

The manual does not say that.
The "anyway in the manual" means strapping to the ceiling and cradles. Those are not cheap smart guy, here is your "X" again.


I have see a lot of guys build a frame with 2 loosely held PVC pipes on the top. A few put wheels on the frame.
This probably costs a few hours of work/fun and $20.

Those that use a pick up for transportation just wheel the frame over to the truck for loading/unloading.
When they want to work on the PA they are all good to go. There is also storage underneath.
A lot cheaper than those cradles you include in your cheapest way.

I know the OP did not want a DIY project, but I thought some would find this amusing. I have two 2015 PA 12s to store. I had a couple of requirements:

- I wanted to store upright so I could do work/maintenance on them easier
- I have some back issues and can't lift even one side of a PA 12. I stored them in my barn and used chain hoists and straps to put them on my supports.

I used the Hobie cradles at 67" centers on my recently built truck rack, but could not afford two more sets of cradles. I found a local residential interior design shop that sold custom cut foam. They had three firmness levels and I got the firmest. It is so firm, you would not be able to sleep on it well. The thickest they sold was 6". It is open cell polyurethane foam, so it would not work in the weather or at highway speeds. I was surprised to learn that this shop would cut curves if I gave them a template. When I went there I had already resigned myself to the fact that I could only get rectangles and I would have to massacre them with a bread knife or electric knife.

I made some templates out of cardboard. The first step in doing this is to decide where on the Hobie bottom you want the supports. I choose the space between the sonar cover and the skeg (marked with a piece of blue tape) and the center of the mirage hole. That was about 51" centers. I know that is less than the recommended, but these are stored out of the sun and it is a PA 12 which seems to justify a shorter span.


The first step is to lay a straight edge across the bottom at the support point and notice the difference between the center pontoon and the two outer pontoons. Draw two lines on the cardboard, indicating where the pontoon bottoms will be. Then take a piece of stiff wire (I used 3/12 UF house wire) and form it into the shape of the bottom at the support point, but only attempt to do half the boat, from the center out. This makes it easier and you can fold your half template on itself later to complete the design. Place the molded wire on the cardboard and align the pontoon bottoms to the two line drawn earlier. Mark it with a sharpie, cut, fold, mark, cut.


They made them for about $40 a set and they fit well.


I had already glued some dense foam to the tops of my saw horses because I thought I had to store upside down. I used some spray adhesive the shop sold me (Chapco 808 Contact-Type Adhesive) to glue the cradles to the foam on the saw horses.


I wrapped the boats in tarps to discourage birds and rodents.