My first thought was it should be hanging in my garage.

I'd like to look at it angled right top of the wall down to the left and rotated some to give it an 'in use' appearance. A black bracket and hook for the top capable of handling the entire weight and one of two small black cradles with vhb tape to keep it against the wall angled and rotated.

I agree on hanging it.

Then - have some concave pieces of wood on the wall to conform to the curve and embed some metal in them and put magnets inside the canoe to keep it against the wall brackets

Four arms…1 on each side above and below the middle with the two on top that rotate and lock… https://www.wayfair.com/storage-organization/pdp/malone-auto-racks-high-rise-kayak-storage-system-wall-mounted-kayak-rack-jgr1078.html High Rise Kayak Storage System Wall Mounted Kayak Rack
https://www.wayfair.com/storage-organization/pdp/wfx-utility-folding-storage-wall-mounted-kayak-rack-w000170801.html Folding Storage Wall Mounted Kayak Rack

WOW. Beautiful. Please post a photo when it is hung on that wall. I want to see it and admire it!

No idea how to hang it, but its beartiful! Really a work of art!

I would think the best way is to have a custom cradle made that will support the kayak at the structural reinforcement inside the kayak to keep the shell from distorting over time. Don't forget to mount the paddle also.

Find out who makes these acrylic mounts and have them make you a larger one for the Kayak.

https://www.storeyourboard.com/vertical-longboard-wall-mount-clear-acrylic/?source=category_page

Without a doubt, my favorite post on Houzz in a very long time. Just beautiful.

Nothing useful to add other than stunning piece of functional art. Your dad is very talented. The wall is going to look phenominal.

It can be used as if it were art on the wall.

I think I'd look at using rope, as that is what was meant to be tied to each end: heavy enough to not stretch, triangulated off of two spots above and below the ends. I'd use the kind of knots you'd use when carrying on car roof, before straps and such. The top could even triangulate off of the ceiling, in line with the attachment point, if the rafters are in the right place.

There are some nice stainless steel tie downs on Amazon. This is the kind of knot I use to use when tying my canoe down.

How high is the wall? I LOVE the color! It will be a stunning backdrop to the gorgeous kayak.

Building on Seabornman's thoughts - I see 2 large wooden supports near the top of the wall, perhaps 4' apart. The more rustic the supports, the better - cedar logs, for example. Then, like Seabornman, I'd use a rope or ropes to suspend the kayak from the supports, hanging below them.

Repeat at the bottom, to prevent sway. The kayak will be suspended, not touching the wall at all.

Thank you everyone for the great ideas. Some things that we haven't thought of. I just hope we have blocking in the right places for what we need. They put more blocking than I thought was needed. I have pre-sheetrock videos, for identifying studs, but I'm quite sure there is no blocking in the ceiling.

The wall color is SW Gale Force.

The wall height is 21.5 feet tall. The kayak is 17.25 feet long, 21" wide, and 15" high. It's been hanging in our garage from the ceiling for a decade. So these measurements were taken from that perspective. We need to take it down and see the bow effect, because it's probably more than 15" thick.

My lighting saleslady also got a vendor involved for the exact placement of the art spotlights. I'm excited to see how that will work as well. We attempted to have light across several points, and since it's so long, that was a challenge.

I would study Sculptor Nancy Rubin's boat sculptures. This is the massive installation at MOMA here in Los Angeles. The heavy wires have alway been part of her pieces. I would utilize all three wall's available to you to position the boat in a more dynamic position as if in motion with a custom harness and wires. Then get one of her bronze miniatures to display below.

"The kayak is 17.25 feet long, 21" wide, and 15" high."

I checked, I do have space for it in my garage.

" I checked, I do have space for it in my garage. "

But I have space for it in my walkout lower level! Which faces a creek! It would feel so much more at home there.

But nope... that kayak deserves a place of honor on that stunning blue wall!

I’d contact a museum and ask if any of their art installers freelance on side gigs. They would be experienced in securing heavy and odd-shaped items to walls.

The kayak and the wall are fabulous. Be sure to show us the final result.

I hate to admit it, but I think my location for the kayak is in third place.

Hope to see images of the end results.

I have a feeling you are not in Los Angeles but if you are I do have contact info for art handler that works at the Getty museum that could handle it.

VERY talented father!

Did he also make other things out of wood?

* Yes please do show us after it's hung!

You need to be able to get it in and out easily-- a boat that beautiful needs to be used! Don't relegate it to just being a wall hanger.