DIY Two-Kayak Rack

Over the last decade, we’ve seen massive growth in the kayak fishing industry. This has driven innovation in the design of kayaks, leading to kayaks specifically created for different fishing conditions. From skinny water kayaks (Coosa) to off shore kayaks (Kraken) to fly fishing (MayFly), there’s now a kayak that fits the needs of any and every angler. For anglers like me that fish multiple conditions, this often means multiple kayaks, which comes with the issue of how to store those kayaks in limited space. Here’s where this quick and easy two-kayak rack can help.

That’s my rack in use in my backyard. I have my Coosa HD upside down on the top rack and my Coosa right-side up on the bottom rack. I cover both kayaks with UV-resistant kayak covers I got on Amazon to protect them from the elements.

To build your own rack, you’ll need the following:
1) Seven 8ft x 2in PVC pipes
2) Four 2” PVC 4-ways
3) PVC Primer & Solvent Weld (NOTE: based on this not being used to conduct water, I skipped priming and just applied the solvent weld)
4) Saw
5) Tape measure

First, you’ll need to cut some PVC pipes. Using the saw, cut two of the 8ft pipes in half, giving you four 4ft sections. Then cut one of the 8ft pipes in quarters, yielding four 2ft sections. Once everything has been cut, what you have on hand should look like this:

After you’ve made all your cuts, it’s time to build your platforms. Start by solvent welding your remaining four 8ft segments into the 4-ways. If you’ve not used solvent weld with PVC before, a YouTube search for “PVC solvent welding” will find you a quick tutorial. You’ll want to be sure you line up your 4-ways on both ends of the pipe so they’re level. Once you’ve welded the 4-ways onto the 8ft pipe, your platforms will look like this:

Now that you have your lengthwise supports welded in place, it’s time to add the crossbars. Begin by solvent welding 4ft sections of cut pipe into the 4-ways. Placing your 4-ways on level ground while welding the crossbars will help you ensure you have even platforms. Once you’ve welded the four 4ft sections into your 4-ways, you should have two 4ft by 8ft rectangle platforms like this:

Now it’s time to combine your upper and lower platforms. Begin by welding the 2ft sections into the lower platform, creating your stanchions. Then weld the upper platform onto your stanchions, creating a rectangular rack for your kayaks. You’re finished rack should look like this:

All told, this rack took about an hour to build and was very inexpensive. It’s light-weight and easily moved. It can be added to quite easily, increasing your kayak storing footprint from two to three or even four kayaks, depending on the height of your storage space.