Storing a kayak or kayaks can be a challenge in tight or already cluttered storage spaces. A kayak hoist enables you to lift your boats up and off the ground and reclaim your garage, boathouse, shed, or barn for more organized and efficient utilization.
We’ve tracked down the best kayak hoists for all vessels and storage spaces within our top list, so there’s something here for every style paddler.
Our Review
The Suspenz Ceiling Hoister is likely our top pick within this list for its ease of set up and operation, high-quality hardware, and versatile orientation ability.
You can purchase this kayak hoist in a range of maximum weight capacities ranging from 60 to 200 pounds, allowing you to personalize this option to your specific needs. The higher weight-bearing options could also of course be used to lift different style boats other than kayaks, or other equipment entirely.
Suspenz has furthermore integrated a self-locking cleat that grips instantly if accidentally released as an added safety measure.
With this option, you can orient your kayak or kayaks to fit between the ceiling and the top of an open garage door, or at a 90-degree angle against any wall. The hardware is easy and intuitive to install and will outlast the vast majority of the competition.
While the price point is certainly a bit higher with this option, its quality of craftsmanship, versatile capabilities, and expected lifespan make it none the less an excellent value buy!
Our Review
The HARKEN Kayak Hoist is another stellar, easy to install and operate option for paddlers who would prefer to customize their hoist to the specific weight and length of their kayak or kayaks.
This patented system lifts evenly regardless of weight distribution, effectively reducing weight by two times for a 2:1 mechanical advantage. This is pretty standard in the world of kayak hoists, but the ball bearing pulleys, high-quality stainless steel hardware, and double braided rope ensures consistently smooth operation and long-term durability superior to the comparably priced alternative options.
HARKEN offers a wide selection of weight and length specific hoist options that can be precisely matched to your kayak’s specs which boosts smoothness and even weight distribution stats even further. Have a particularly long, but lightweight boat? No problem, there’s a hoist for that. Do you paddle a stouter, heavier kayak that’s outfitted with all sorts of cumbersome accessories? There’s a HARKEN hoist for that too!
Our Review
The VIVOHOME 110V Overhead Electric Lifting Hoist is a brilliantly powerful, motorized hoist option that’s perfect for lifting particularly heavy kayaks or canoes, or for paddlers requiring full-assistance when it comes to lifting their vessel.
If you have low upper body strength or an injury or condition that makes loading and unloading your kayak or personal watercraft on your own difficult, a motorized winch like this will entirely eliminate the strain involved with transporting and storing your boats. This electric motor and remote panel can lift up to 440-pound loads with zero manual effort – so go ahead and utilize this hoist for full-on rowboats, paddleboats, dinghies, pontoons, or anything else with a big footprint that oughta be stored up and out of the way!
The hoist is designed with a sheaved pulley lift hook for single or dual-line operation, so you can really get creative with how you utilize this tool. It’s furthermore designed with a built-in safety breaking structure and overheating protection to ensure accident-free operation.
While this is certainly a more involved option than traditional manual hoists, this unit is still quite easily installed and operated, and impressively compact and lightweight considering its capabilities. For those seeking a no-nonsense, ultra-powerful, and versatile lift system for kayak storage applications and beyond, the VIVOHOME 110V Overhead Electric Lifting Hoist is absolutely worth checking out!
Our Review
The Kayak Hammock Deluxe Hoist System from Malone Auto Racks is a unique and innovative option that orients your boat on its side, rather than right side up enabling you to stash your kayak almost flush to the wall.
Featuring a maximum weight capacity of 120 pounds, this hoist option can lift most kayaks and canoes without being overstrained. The brand also includes padded hooks for bicycle storage in addition to the kayak lift straps, so you can utilize this model for lifting all sorts of gear and equipment up and out of the way.
If your ceilings are too low in your garage, shed, or boathouse but you still want to get your kayak or kayaks off the ground, this could be the perfect solution that clears your floor space without forcing you to hang your boats in tight overhead spaces. Alternatively, you can absolutely still utilize this hoist to pull your vessel(s) all the way up to the ceiling – it’s brilliantly versatile for stashing your boats however makes the most sense within your gear locker!
Offering simple, no-hassle mounting and corrosion-resistant hardware, this is another reliable option from a trusted brand you can feel confident about purchasing!
Our Review
The Fabater Kayak Hoist is a particularly easy to set up and operate, as well as highly versatile hoist option that can support up to an impressive 125 pounds!
Compatible with ceilings up to 12 feet tall, this model is a stellar choice for the kayaker seeking a simple, but reliable hoist option that’s brainless to install and implement, as well as built to last. Versatile, rubber-coated hooks can be utilized with the included kayak lift straps or on their own for hoisting all sorts of equipment, and are furthermore designed not to scratch or scuff your gear.
Fabater has engineered this option with minimal hardware, making set up a piece of cake, so if you’re intimidated by DIY projects and unsure of your handyman ability, this is a great go-to option!
Our Review
The RAD Sportz 1003 Kayak & Canoe Lift Hoist is another simple and straightforward option that’s offered at a particularly reasonable price point considering the quality of craftsmanship here.
If you’re interested in a budget kayak hoist option but don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot with a poor quality unit that won’t perform smoothly or last in the long run, this is a stellar middle of the road choice. The plastic pulleys won’t provide quite the same strength and consistent smoothness of metal hardware, but customer reviews insist this is none the less a quality unit.
Featuring a maximum weight capacity of 125 pounds and compatibility with ceilings up to 12 feet, this is a highly capable lift system that can handle most model kayaks even when fully geared-up. The nylon straps furthermore have integrated attachment points down their entire length in order to accommodate precise hanging orientations and ceiling spacing.
Included rubber-coated hanging hooks can be utilized for securing all sorts of gear and equipment while also protecting from scratches and scuffs – so RAD Sportz has ensured this lift system is versatile in terms of what you can hang with it.
If you like this hoist option but have more than one boat to hoist, then be sure to check out the brand’s two, three, and four-pack purchase options.
Our Review
If you have more than one boat to hoist, then this two-pack of VIVOHOME Heavy Duty Ceiling Mount Kayak Canoe Garage Hoists should absolutely be on your radar. Here’s your chance to score two quality lift systems for the price of one.
Compatible with up to 12-foot ceiling heights and featuring a 125-pound max weight capacity, this is an impressively capable hoist system for the cost. Equipped with a safe locking mechanism that prevents accidental release and versatile rubber-coated hooks that can be utilized to hoist all sorts of gear and equipment, this is truly a killer value buy.
VIVOHOME furthermore has engineered this option with minimal hardware, enabling particularly easy installation and operation.
Our Review
The StoreYourBoard Kayak Ceiling Storage Hoist is likely the best budget option worth buying. Offering particularly easy installation and compatibility with all kayak lengths and widths, this is a solid go-to for many different style paddlers and storage spaces.
The one downfall here is that this hoist can only support 60 pounds, so it’s not suitable for heavier boats or for kayaks that are outfitted with an assortment of accessories that add weight. The adjustable center strap, however, allows for perfect positioning of your vessel, so even awkwardly shaped and particularly long boats will lift nice and evenly as long as they’re under the weight limit.
If you paddle a standard hard-bodied kayak or are seeking a hoist system that can be utilized for SUPs, inflatable vessels, and other lighter-weight equipment, this is an excellent value option that offers better than adequate performance for its price point.
Our Review
If you own a fleet of personal watercraft that includes a few SUPs, The StoreYourBoard Paddleboard Ceiling Storage Hoist is an innovative tool for convenient and efficient storage you ought to have on your radar.
This purchase option includes two hoists at an excellent price point, so budget buyers should perk their ears to this one!
Supporting up to 60 pounds, this lift system features an adjustable center strap enabling perfectly even positioning and can accommodate SUPS of all shapes and sizes. The design is also a suitable hoist for stacking surfboards, and other comparably shaped gear and equipment. Hanging hooks are also included, so this is a suitable option for lifting bikes, tools, and more!
An integrated auto-locking brake system furthermore ensures there are no accidental releases for an added safety measure, so the brand hasn’t cut any corners here despite the more than reasonable price tag!
Our Review
The Powerfly Kayak Hoist Storage System is a somewhat customizable and impressively versatile option that’s compatible with both high and low ceilings, as well as offered at a stellar price point.
Hanging straps feature multiple mounting points in order to control how far from the ceiling your boat hangs, and can also of course be utilized to secure a wide spectrum of different gear. All of the required hardware for mounting is included, and customer reviews insist that install is a piece of cake.
Best of all, the brand provides you with enough rope to hang your boat from particularly high ceilings, so if your garage or storage space has high rafters, this system will still be compatible.
While there are certainly higher quality options available, it’s hard to beat the price point of this hoist if you only need a simple and straightforward option.