How to Build a Stand for Four Canoes

Proper care for your canoe is an important part of canoe ownership, as improper storage on the ground can lead to damage to the bottom of your canoe's hull. Few canoeing mishaps are more frustrating, or more dangerous, than discovering a hole or crack in the bottom of your canoe while out on the water. A PVC canoe rack, made from 1-1/4 inch diameter pipe, stores your canoe safely off the ground, with soft foam insulation supporting the bottom of the canoe to avoid damage to the four canoes on the rack.

Things You'll Need

  • 16 PVC pipes, 2 1/2-feet long
  • Power drill, 1/2-inch diameter
  • 8 bolts, 1/2-inch diameter
  • 8 nuts, 1/2-inch diameter
  • Wrenches
  • 8 PVC pipes, 6-feet long
  • 22 PVC T-couplings
  • 16 PVC pipes, 1-foot long
  • 8 Ropes, 3/8-inch diameter, 2-feet long
  • PVC insulation
  • 20 PVC end caps
  • 12 PVC elbows
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Instructions

    • 1

      Drill a hole through the center of each 2 1/2-foot piece of PVC.

    • 2

      Secure the pipes together in pairs, threading a bolt through one pipe then the other and fastening with a nut. The piece will still be able to turn relative to each other, however the frame constructed later will ensure they hold their required X-shaped form.

    • 3

      Attach a T-coupling to both ends of each 6-foot long pipe, inserting the pipes into one top opening of each T-coupling, and turning so the bottom openings on both couplings attached to a pipe point in the same direction.

    • 4

      Attach a 1-foot pipe into the remaining top openings of the T-couplings attached to the 6-foot pipes, creating eight pieces approximately 8-feet each. Due to the T-couplings, the pieces will be slightly longer.

    • 5

      Insert one end of a 2 1/2-foot pipe into one bottom opening of a T-coupling on an eight foot piece, then attach one pipe from a second pairing into the bottom opening of the other T-coupling on the same section.

    • 6

      Attach a second 8-foot section to the second pipe in each pairing, creating a a frame with two 8-foot sections, and a pair of crossed X shapes. Repeat to create four frames, which will be the seats for the four canoes.

    • 7

      Tie an overhand knot at one end of each rope.

    • 8

      Drill a hole through both bottom legs of all eight X shaped sections, centered between the point the pipes are secured with a bolt and where the pipe being drilled connects to an 8-foot section. Drill the holes perpendicular to the 8-foot sections.

    • 9

      Thread one rope through each X shape, passing through the holes in one leg then across and through the second leg.

    • 10

      Tie an overhand knot in the end of each rope. The knots in the rope will keep the X shapes from spreading too far when a canoe is placed on them.

    • 11

      Cut 16 sections of 1-foot-long insulation foam and place a foam piece around each top section of the X shapes. The foam will protect the bottom of the canoes.

    • 12

      Place a PVC cap on the end of each top section of the X shapes to ensure water does not get inside your rack. This completes each individual kayak seat.

    • 13

      Place an elbow coupling on the end of each 1-foot section on two of the kayak seat sections, using eight couplings in total. Turn the elbows so the open ends of each coupling points away from the X shapes.

    • 14

      Insert a 1-foot pipe into the right-facing elbow openings on one seat, then insert the other end of the same pipes into the left-facing elbows on the other seat, combining the two seats together.

    • 15

      Insert a 1-foot pipe into all four remaining elbow openings on the two combined seats.

    • 16

      Attach end caps on the ends of the left 8 foot section of one remaining seat, and right-facing elbow couplings on the ends of the right 8 foot section.

    • 17

      Insert the left-facing pipes on the two combined seats into the elbow openings on the third seat. Three of the seats are now combined together, with pipes extending from the right side of the rack.

    • 18

      Attach end caps on the ends of the right 8 foot section of the remaining seat, and left-facing elbow couplings on the ends of the left 8-foot section.

    • 19

      Insert the right-facing pipes on the three combined seats into the elbow openings on the fourth seat to complete the four canoe rack.