The most important thing with drying is not to take them off the vine too soon. You must wait til the vine is brown and all the leaves have turned brown. Take them off sooner and the gourds will rot.

After the stems and leaves are brown, you can leave them on the vines to dry, several months if need be, or you can pick them and lay them on the ground, or take them inside. You could lay them on a rack if you want. Once they have stopped growing, a rack will not affect the shape of the shell.

While drying, the outer skin will turn brown and scummy and look horrible. That is just part of the drying process. Dont remove this skin until the gourd is completely dry and feels like balsa wood. Drying can take several weeks to several months, depending on the size and thickness of the shell.

Good Luck