By Jeff McGovern
The W500 goes into the wind much easier than any kayak or canoe I’ve used in the past. A steady good walking clip can be attained and kept up for as long as it takes to reach your destination.
When heading in there was another kayak I overtook on the way, a [tandem SOT fishing kayak] with two folks paddling. Didn’t start the camera until I was just about past them so I missed getting them on screen. I was up the ramp and to my truck before they made it to the camp. The W500 is very easy into the wind, it’s just a matter of keeping the strokes a little shorter and lower. Progress is easy and you’re not worn out at all.
Thanks Jeff,
Indeed, typically, W kayakers and anglers report being able to paddle their W in strong wind they previously thought would be impossible for them to deal with.
I think it’s fair to say that this kayak turns windage into a non-issue, unless you’re paddling in a storm, of course, such as in this movie:
Yoav
Hi Jeff-
Another valuable, real-world post. I especially like the part where you say: “Just go ahead and break down and get the Wavewalk. Why waste the money on something else. Get the best, first.” I assume that by “break down” you mean to defy convention which is what people have to do if they want something better than what everyone else has.
Viewers might want to note that you you aren’t even breathing hard even though you are paddling into the wind and narrating the video at the same time.
Thanks,
Michael
Wow, I don’t recall having seen that stand up paddling video before, Yoav. That was awesome. I sure wish I had your sense of balance.
Thanks Gary,
It’s easier than it looks.
I’ll send you a new bracket that we’ve been developing. It’s a more ‘relaxed’ design that allows the W hulls to splay a little compared to the original design, and by that it offers some more stability.
Yoav
The w tracks really well, and I don’t recall having had any issues paddling it from point a to point b beacuse of strong wind.