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The Docksider


Our Dock Mounted Kayak Lift Rack
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June 1, 2022 by Ed Wrobbel Leave a Comment

2022 Kayak, Canoe, and Paddle Board Season!

2022 kayak season

We’re back to beautiful weather! That means it’s time to get back outside and spend as much of your Spring and Summer as possible out on the water!

Don’t rush out to the nearest lake just yet. From using kayak launch dock systems to planning you’re your first trip out, here are a few important things to remember:

1. Make sure you’re in kayak, canoe, and/or paddle board shape

Before you lift your board off your paddle board rack, you might want to take stock of your current physical abilities. You certainly don’t need to be in Olympic athlete shape, but if you haven’t had much physical activity over the last few months, you need to be extra careful to avoid muscle strains and other injuries early on.

Start by stretching for a good 15 minutes or so before and after you hit the water. Whether you’re taking a kayak or paddle board by yourself or a canoe with a friend, prepping your muscles for repeated paddling will help prevent health problems. Also, never overdo it! If you’re tired after an hour or so out on the water, head back in and take a break.

2. Take excellent care of your equipment

After every use of your equipment, make sure you’re taking excellent care of everything. You spent good money on these boards and your gear, don’t ruin them by leaving them outside all night or resting against a tree or your shed.

There are quality kayak mounts for garages that allow you to store your equipment safely and securely without risking any damage. Also, it just looks so much better when you’re utilizing canoe racks and kayak storage racks the way they were intended – and not just lazily tossing your equipment to the side.

3. It’s better with friends!

Most importantly, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, and just about any water-related activity is better and more fun with friends and family! Our paddle board dock racks can be converted and used as SUP Holders, as well. They’re great for storing paddle boards for you and your friends and family members! Sure, taking a kayak trip across the lake by yourself can be relaxing. But there isn’t anything better than exploring waters with a friend or two. Start stretching a little bit, grab your gear off your canoe or kayak launchers, grab a friend, and enjoy spending a day out on the water! Give us a call if you want to pick up some hangers for your DockSider rack and secure your equipment correctly!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: canoe, Kayak, Paddle Boards

March 12, 2019 by Ed Wrobbel Leave a Comment

Are You Considering Buying a Paddle Board (SUP)?

March 9, 2019 | Ed Wrobbel | DockCraft Industries LLC

Interests in Paddle Boarding
Paddle Board Types

Paddle Boarding offers:
– The Serenity and Solace of the open outdoors and the quiet of the water
   lapping against your board.
– The Core Body workout that Paddle Boarding offers; or
– Quiet time with friends, away from the everyday pace.

There are a few things you should be aware of before your purchase:

Paddle Board Construction – 4 basic paddle board construction techniques:

Epoxy Fiberglass Paddle Boards: a solid board made with an EPS foam core (similar to a high-density foam cooler) wrapped with fiberglass and epoxy. Fairly lightweight, stable and rigid.
Pros: Generally, the most stable, faster, good tracking and control.
Cons: Most difficult to transport and store, can be dinged or cracked, more expensive.
Good for recreational and touring Paddle boarders.

Soft Top Paddle Boards: similar to Epoxy Fiberglass boards, but the top of the board is covered with a sponge material that shows less dings and scratches.
Pros: Good for a beginner who is more likely to run into docks, rocks, or other obstacles. Falling down on the board is less likely to hurt.
Cons: Extra padding makes these boards slightly heavier, more prone to punctures
Good for water front owners, recreational paddlers, and one size fits all.

Thermoplastic Paddle Boards: a molded shell around a foam or hollow core.
Pros: Less likely to ding or scratch, heavy daily use, Beginning paddlers
Cons: Heavier than other boards, less maneuverable and performance oriented.
Least costly

Inflatable Stand Up Paddle Board (ISUP): constructed of heavy-duty commercial PVC. Cross stitched construction which creates an air pocket / core. When inflated, the board is very rigid, similar to a basketball.
Pros: Portable and can be stored easily when deflated. Less likely to be damaged when hitting obstacles.
Cons: Needs to be inflated prior to use; inflating device must be transported as well as. A slight performance degradation as they tend to float on the water as opposed to cutting through the water.

Paddle boards have 4 dimensions that you should be familiar with:

Paddle Board Volume (a function of length, width, and thickness).
The volume determines the load capacity of the board – can it support your weight?
You do not have to be very concerned about this as most boards have the volume and weight capacity labeled on them. Select a board where your weight is within the range provided.

Paddle Board Length  – Longer boards are typically faster and go straighter, whereas shorter paddle boards are more maneuverable.

Paddle Board Width – The most important in regard to stability. Narrower boards go faster. The extra stability of a wider board may make you feel more comfortable and paddle more efficiently.

Paddle BoardThickness  -Inflatable paddle boards are 6 inches thick and hard paddle boards are generally 4 inches thick. Thicker inflatable boards make you feel higher above the water and are more stable, however, the performance is not as good.
Hard Paddle Boards are shaped to reduce weight and optimize performance, yet less stable.

 

Paddle Board Configurations:

Nose shaped paddle boards:

Wider noses have more flotation and provide more weight capacity for gear and pets.
Pointier/ Narrower noses cut through the water / waves more easily allowing better performance in racing and cruising conditions

Tail shaped paddle boards

Pin Tail (which approaches a point) has good tracking, but not as stable on turns. Good for racing.
Square Tail provides stability and the ability to turn. Good for touring and shorter racing.
Round Tail, a combination of the Pin and Square Tail, is stable and easier to turn. Good all-around tail for SUP’s, but typically not used on race or high-performance boards.

Other paddle board features:

Fins: Fins help with tracking of your Paddle board, but most importantly they help you from having your board “spin / slide” out while turning.
All Paddle Boards come with fins; usually one, two, or three.
The single fin is great for lakes, bays, and ponds. The three-fin setup is best suited for the surf. The greater number of fins, the more specialized your board becomes.

 

Accessories Required for Paddle Boarding:

Paddle: Clearly, the paddle is required to propel you and your board through the water. Your paddle should be 6 to 10 inches taller than your height.

SUP Leash: This is a cord that attaches to you  (at your ankle or calf via a Velcro strap) and your board (coiled or straight). This leash is the only means of connecting you and your board. This safety device prevents your board from getting away from you in the event you have a mishap (loose your balance, stormy conditions, collide with something). Without the leash, your board could get away from you in just seconds. Additionally, your loose board could pose danger to others.

PFD (Personal Floatation Device): An extra safety feature for you in the event of a mishap.

Inflation Pump: Required for Inflatable SUP’s

 

Classification of Paddle Boards:

– All Around Paddle Boards
These boards have a round nose that is slightly raised out of the water in the front. This will push the water down while lifting the nose up. Great to handle waves. These boards tend to be 10 to 12 ½ feet in length and 30 to 34 inches wide. For greater stability look at the wider side of this range. Great for beginners, the casual paddler, Yoga and fishing. They are not the best for racing or touring. (Also, a good board for Yoga and Fishing)

– Touring Paddle Boards
These Paddle Boards typically have a pointed nose (to cut through the water) and are designed for longer, calm water paddling. Typically, these boards are longer and narrower, which results in less stability and less maneuverability. These boards tend to be longer (12 to 14 foot) and narrower (29 to 30 inches) which contributes to the speed needed for racing.

 

Hopefully this article will give you the required background information to have an educated conversation prior to the purchase of your SUP / Paddle Board and to fit your intended use.

 

Wait there’s more…… After Purchase needs!

Transporting your Paddle Board / SUP Home:
Once purchased, you will need to get your Paddle Board / SUP home! If you do not have a car top carrier (which, in most likelihood, you could purchase at the location you purchased your Paddle Board / SUP)) a pickup truck or a larger SUV, you could always rent a trailer from a local trailer rental agency.

Car topping your Paddle Board / SUP to your launching site:
– There are several sporting goods stores or online stores where you can purchase a car top carrier for Paddle Board / SUP.

Do you have waterfront property?
Check out the DockSider Paddle Board / SUP Dock Lift and Storage Rack @ https://dockcraft.com/paddle-board-lift-rack/
– Our Paddle Board / SUP Lift and Storage rack offers convenient launching and storage capability right where you need it – On your Dock! We have models that will suit your needs; whether you board your Paddle Board / SUP directly from your dock, or if you board your Paddle Board / SUP while you are in the water.

DockCraft Industries’ patented design allows you to load and lift your Paddle Board / SUP directly from the water. With our leverage assisted design, you only lift a fraction of your Paddle Board / SUP weight!
– Keep your Dock clear for safe passage.
– Watch our videos at https://dockcraft.com/product/Paddle Board / SUP-dock-rack/
– Half way down the page; select the video’s tab.

And Finally, Winter Storage :
– In the Off Season, you will need to store your Paddle Board / SUP away from the water.
– There are many Wall Mount racks available on the internet that will satisfy this purpose.
– You could also utilize the DockCraft Wall Mount Conversion Kit. This Kit will modify your DockSider Dock Lift and Storage Rack to a Wall Mounted Rack.

Filed Under: Blog, Home Page, Paddle Boards, Paddlers Tagged With: Paddle Boards, SUP

January 11, 2019 by Ed Wrobbel 1 Comment

A Message from Cindy and Ed

Hi Folks,

My wife, Cindy, and I own DockCraft Industries LLC.

Our company focuses on making the best and most convenient Kayak, Paddleboard, and Canoe Dock Mounted Storage Racks / Lifts that are on the market today.

“Bold statement” you’re probably thinking; perhaps – but also quite challenging; at least for us.

A little background,

Cindy (Master’s Degree in Education) and I (Degree in Engineering and a Master’s in Business) are both retired after 30 years with a Fortune 500 company.

We live on Canandaigua Lake in the beautiful Finger Lakes area of New York State.

Of course, we love the water, the activity on the lake, and recreational kayaking!

We had a problem:

We have a break wall requiring 5 steps down to our dock. Although our lake is shallow, knee deep in the Spring at the water’s edge; the steps required us to lug our Kayaks up and down or store them on our dock creating an obstacle course as we maneuver to the end of our dock. 

I had a good idea – So I thought:

Mount a couple of boards on the legs of our dock and have the boards extend beyond the edge of the dock. Then simply lift the kayak onto the boards and tie the kayak down.

My daughter (in her early 30’s) came back from a kayak journey one day and exclaimed – I love to kayak; but, what a pain to launch and lift the kayak to store!
Two reasons:  the cockpit fills with rain and sloshes around when launching, and the weight and bulk of the kayak create a cumbersome situation when lifting on the boards- especially if you try to lift one end and then the other.

“The DockSider” Kayak / Paddle Board Lift & Storage Rack was born!

After my daughters’ statement we got to thinking and watching our neighbors launch their kayaks.

For those with a sick sense of humor – it was actually quite comical.

Our Kayak / Paddle Board Dock Lift and Storage Rack:

  • Clears your Dock decking by sitting on the side of your Dock.
  • Lift with a fraction of the weight due to the patented leverage assist mechanism.
  • Stores at an angle eliminating Rain entering the cockpit.
  • Has height to water distance adjustment via pins and slots; to accommodate different water levels.
  • Our products include models for those that board their Kayak while in the water or from the dock (mucky /stony bottom, or Deep Water).
  • The mounts create loading on the decking of your dock not the side boards.  If your dock can hold you; it will hold your kayak or paddle board.

The patent for our Kayak & Paddle Board Lift / Dock Rack was issued in 2012.

Our primary reason for starting DockCraft Industries is to share our products with those that have a similar problem as ours.

Over the years we have had Thank You letters / emails from:

  • 25 to 80-year old’s
  • Husband and Wives
  • Grand Parents and Grandchildren
  • Customer Neighbors and Friends

It gives us great satisfaction and pleasure hearing that our customers find our racks so useful and convenient.

We hear:

  • I did a Happy Dance!
  • Wow, I use my kayak paddleboard much more now!
  • Unique / Easy to install and use / Great Quality!
  • My 82 year old Mother can now enjoy her Paddle Board!
  • See our Testimonials @ https://dockcraft.com/testimonials/

Our Business is based on our Customers:

  • The customer is the most important person in our company.
  • Without our customers we wouldn’t have a business.
  • The customer is not dependent on us, we are dependent on the customer.
  • We are not doing the customer a favor by serving them, the customer is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so.
  • The customer is a person who brings us their wants. It is our job to satisfy these wants to the benefit of Our Customer and to ourselves.

We are here to serve our customers – Email or Call us:

  • If you have any questions or have a unique application relating to our Dock Racks.
  • Have a problem or product idea for your dock or paddling needs; perhaps we could help!
  • Have a particular topic you would like us research and share.
  • Or simply want to share some info about your waterfront.

Thank You for taking time to read this blog.

Our Best to All !

Cindy and Ed

Filed Under: Blog, Home Page, Kayak, Paddle Boards Tagged With: Dock Lift, Dock Racks, Dock Storage Racks, DockCraft Industries, Kayak, Paddle Boards, Peddle Boards

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