Storage Confusion

I am so confused. I bought my first Hobie PA12 the other day and I want to take care of my investment (love it). Every video I watch on how to store it shows the PVC method which the manual explicitly says not to do. The foldable stands Amazon sells, although flimsy looking, seem to be exactly what the manual says if the straps were a bit wider but on this forum, I see they are not preferred by the mods. I understand flipping it over on its rails works but it's HEAVY to do this every time plus it has the controls on the H Bar that are begging to be broken. I even called Hobie and they said I can keep it on the ground with no problems which confused me even more. I want my Hobie to last many years.

Is there a product that is 100% safe for the hull that I can put in my backyard where I can roll up to it and place my kayak on top, with a tarp and call it day? I would then move this product to the garage for winter with the kayak still on top. Any help with this is greatly appreciated and thank you!

**Not sure how to include a picture of the Amazon foldable hammock-like stands.

One of the approved methods is simply to place it on a flat surface. I like a rolling cart with locking castors (just built out of 2x4's and plywood) that I can roll the PA up to and place the bow on it, go around and lift the back to let the wheels fall out and slide it on.

Kevin

One of the young guys at my dealer told me the same thing about just keeping it on the ground or on 2x4's, which in my mind I was thinking "That's NOT what the manual says..."

I don't want to void my warranty/cause a problem by improper storage based on unofficial advice. I went with the Hobie cradles (which the manual approves for storage) but their molds are not accurate and way overpriced.

I honestly think the best option is to shape your own cradles using heated PVC. But, that's just my opinion...

How you use (arrange) PVC will determine if the method is good or bad for your boat. There is a way that allows the PVC to conform to perfectly to your hull shape so as not to cause any damage over the long term. There are many ways to use PVC that requires your boat hull to conform to the shape of the PVC which can result in hull hogging, flat spots, etc., etc. It's not the PVC in question here - it's how it's arranged in relation to the hull.