Comments on: Gary Rankel’s New, Rigged W500 Fishing Kayak, Florida http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/07/09/gary-rankels-new-w500-fishing-kayak-florida/ The World's Best Fishing Kayaks Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:18:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Dave http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/07/09/gary-rankels-new-w500-fishing-kayak-florida/#comment-2858 Dave Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:47:44 +0000 http://wavewalk.com/blog/?p=319#comment-2858 Hi nieghbor! I've been looking for a kayak and found the W today on the internet. What an awsome yak! I'll be using it around Honeymoon and Caladesi for sure! Hi nieghbor! I’ve been looking for a kayak and found the W today on the internet. What an awsome yak! I’ll be using it around Honeymoon and Caladesi for sure!

]]> By: Gary Rankel http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/07/09/gary-rankels-new-w500-fishing-kayak-florida/#comment-1878 Gary Rankel Tue, 14 Jul 2009 19:51:41 +0000 http://wavewalk.com/blog/?p=319#comment-1878 Thanks Yoav, Jeff for your comments regarding hull protection. The plastic lid idea may be a better option than my steel-reinforced doormat slide. You never know - with all the high-tech, space-age technology, something may hit the market - - until then I guess we'll just have to live with some scratches. Thanks Yoav, Jeff for your comments regarding hull protection. The plastic lid idea may be a better option than my steel-reinforced doormat slide. You never know – with all the high-tech, space-age technology, something may hit the market – - until then I guess we’ll just have to live with some scratches.

]]> By: Jeff McGovern http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/07/09/gary-rankels-new-w500-fishing-kayak-florida/#comment-1877 Jeff McGovern Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:39:55 +0000 http://wavewalk.com/blog/?p=319#comment-1877 Hey Gary, Glad that strap solution worked for you. I don't know of anything to coat the hull with either unless you consider the bottom paint they use on Triumph boats since they are rotomolded poly too. Some of the folks will bottom paint those since they are in the water for months at a time. But even then you'll be removing it each time you drag over hard rough materials. Yoav's idea is clean and simple. The bottom of my W hulls are pretty roughed up mainly from finding oyster beds using the hear them first method. Not much you can do about that and I don't know of any hull material they won't tear up. Even my old Grumman has scratches from finding a few. Hey Gary, Glad that strap solution worked for you. I don’t know of anything to coat the hull with either unless you consider the bottom paint they use on Triumph boats since they are rotomolded poly too. Some of the folks will bottom paint those since they are in the water for months at a time. But even then you’ll be removing it each time you drag over hard rough materials. Yoav’s idea is clean and simple. The bottom of my W hulls are pretty roughed up mainly from finding oyster beds using the hear them first method. Not much you can do about that and I don’t know of any hull material they won’t tear up. Even my old Grumman has scratches from finding a few.

]]> By: admin http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/07/09/gary-rankels-new-w500-fishing-kayak-florida/#comment-1876 admin Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:05:15 +0000 http://wavewalk.com/blog/?p=319#comment-1876 Gary, If you want to drag your W kayak over asphalt and concrete perhaps you need to consider a 'consumable' solution that would last a season or two, until it wears out: I think you could try attaching to the bottom of the W hulls the lid of one of those 18 gallon plastic boxes (containers) you can find in any department store. The lid is 24" wide, which should fit the bottom of the W500 hull tips, where the hulls get narrow. It's also lightweight and flexible, and would fit perfectly in one of the hull tips. It will cost you about $8, plus you'll get the box for free :) Yoav Gary,
If you want to drag your W kayak over asphalt and concrete perhaps you need to consider a ‘consumable’ solution that would last a season or two, until it wears out:
I think you could try attaching to the bottom of the W hulls the lid of one of those 18 gallon plastic boxes (containers) you can find in any department store. The lid is 24″ wide, which should fit the bottom of the W500 hull tips, where the hulls get narrow. It’s also lightweight and flexible, and would fit perfectly in one of the hull tips.
It will cost you about $8, plus you’ll get the box for free :)
Yoav

]]> By: Gary Rankel http://wavewalk.com/blog/2009/07/09/gary-rankels-new-w500-fishing-kayak-florida/#comment-1874 Gary Rankel Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:08:19 +0000 http://wavewalk.com/blog/?p=319#comment-1874 Thanks, Jeff: Yeh, I have a really small 1985 Toyota. I simply got a longer strap, wrap it around each hull, and then hook each end into the notches I have mounted above the bed - really easy. With that setup, I won't need metal eyelets. I had the 500 out on its maiden voyage this a.m. and it's great - much faster, roomier and more stable. Its higher draft lets me float over oyster bars that I'd hit with my 06 model, which will minimize scratching. The water is like a bathtub and fishing was slow, so I stretched out in the cockpit and took a nap using the monster noodle for a head rest. I couldn't empty the water out of the inside after washing out and turning upside down because of the much wider 500 cockpit lip. Yoav suggested drilling a few 3/8" holes in the lip which has solved that problem. He also suggested considering using these holes to attach my anchor rope, which I'll probably do. I'd like to find a wax or sealer that I could apply to the hulls to minimize scratching when dragging over cement or rocks, but Yoav is not aware of such a product which adheres to the polyethylene. I'll continue asking around, but am not optimistic. Let me know if you come across anything. When will you get your 500? I bet your 300 will be kept for guests once you try it. Thanks, Jeff: Yeh, I have a really small 1985 Toyota. I simply got a longer strap, wrap it around each hull, and then hook each end into the notches I have mounted above the bed – really easy. With that setup, I won’t need metal eyelets.

I had the 500 out on its maiden voyage this a.m. and it’s great – much faster, roomier and more stable. Its higher draft lets me float over oyster bars that I’d hit with my 06 model, which will minimize scratching. The water is like a bathtub and fishing was slow, so I stretched out in the cockpit and took a nap using the monster noodle for a head rest.

I couldn’t empty the water out of the inside after washing out and turning upside down because of the much wider 500 cockpit lip. Yoav suggested drilling a few 3/8″ holes in the lip which has solved that problem. He also suggested considering using these holes to attach my anchor rope, which I’ll probably do.

I’d like to find a wax or sealer that I could apply to the hulls to minimize scratching when dragging over cement or rocks, but Yoav is not aware of such a product which adheres to the polyethylene. I’ll continue asking around, but am not optimistic. Let me know if you come across anything.

When will you get your 500? I bet your 300 will be kept for guests once you try it.

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