Compass storage and transport

I plan on transporting and storing my new Compass hull side down on an 8' plywood deck trailer
Should I be concerned about storing on a flat surface or the 2' overhang at the bow and stern of the 12' kayak?

You can store your kayak upside down resting on two crossbars. The rails of the kayak are very stiff and can support the weight easily. Padded crossbars will reduce the chance of any scratches or marks on the rails.

If you must store it right side up, use cradles or something that is shaped to the contour of the hull. If the kayak is resting right side up with little to no support, this puts the entire weight of the kayak on one point on the bottom and possibly cause a flat area to develop.

understood
thank you

I'm still waiting for the arrival of my 2021 Compass Duo, and am preparing a sling system for hanging it from the ceiling of my garage. The two slings are 2" wide straps. I realize that the standard recommendation is to hand it upside down so that the weight is borne by the side rails. This is in the 2020 Hobie Compass manual (page 18).

But, I might get a nicer fit in my storage area if I hang it on its side. Bearing in mind that I have 2" wide straps, is it acceptable to hang it on its side? If so, are their stronger points in the hull (with bulkheads or firewalls) that give greater strength for storing on its side?

Thanks for any advice.

–Gordon

Polypropylene plastics are capable of warping especially when they are repeatedly heated and cooled.

The kayaks are basically hollowed out bubbles on the sides and bottom. They were thermoformed, so the plastic was originally heated and then cooled to give it shape. While they are made stiff and durable plastic, putting any sort of long term pressure on the weaker sides, with temperature fluctuations which naturally occur, will eventually cause damage.

Same goes for anything made of polypropylene like Home Depot buckets. While sitting upright - no issue. But fill it with sand, turn it to its side and hang them by straps along the body —overtime the stressed points will begin to warp.

So basically yes you can hang the kayak from it’s side, but in the long term with factors like heating and cooling, it will eventually cause damage. Just my understanding.

Yes, I realize that they can deform over time. But, what I’m wondering is if there are ribs in certain spots that make them less likely to deform quickly. After all, the manual recommends hanging the boat upside down on the basis of the rails being stronger and not as likely to deform.

Having said that, if the rails do deform while upside down, it wouldn’t affect the performance of the boat very much. A similar question arises as to any deformation that occurs on the side when stored on its side. The deformation would be mainly above the waterline.

—Gordon

When storing your compass, do you guys keep the rudder down or up (locked) position. Not sure if there would be any long term effects on the springs if keeping it up while being stored

my rudder is in the stored position. but I store it upside down on a pair of sawhorses.

A reputable dealer and kayak serviceman told me a Hobie Mirage Compass Duo can be safely transported on its hull on a car top and stored on the hull on the ground because the bottom is basically flat i.e. weight is evenly distributed. However be sure the slacken tie downs on a car to relieve pressure if you are not going to unload the kayak immediately when you arrive at your destination. Additionally, if storing over the winter outside it should be turned over (hull side up) to allow water to run out and not accumulate because when it becomes ice it expands and damages the hull if left right side up. So the standard answer given in the Hobie recommendation to store on rails upside down is not absolute. Does anyone have experience to share on this point?

I don't have the duo but my Compass owner's manual states for any length of "storage" the kayak should be upside down on the rails and this includes if it is stored in a sling. Transport is not critical unless it is for several hours to a destination. In that case, it should be secured upside down.

Now that I've got my 2021 Compass Duo, I can answer my question above: There are no bulkheads or reinforcements that would support an upright storage position.

But, I do note that the connection between the top deck and bottom hull has been greatly strengthened by going to 3 pairs of scupper holes (for the Duo) and that these are well-positioned to give a firmer deck for standing on. Several people have suggested that going to a rectangular hatch to replace the round hatch gives a firmer deck to stand on, but the extra scupper hole pairs seem to do the strengthening job now.

Also, I note that the scupper holes are made by inserting a straight piece of black tubing on the mould so that the roto-mold plastic forms a thick surface around it. This greatly strengthens the connection between the deck and the hull. It also solves the problem that I've read about in another post where the scupper cart became dislodged in transit and the posts twisted in such a way that they broke through this top-to-bottom connection because it only had thin plastic.

So, I'm happy with these improvements. And, I'm storing my Duo with the hull up.

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Gordon Sick, Calgary Canada
2021 Compass Duo