Wavewalk Kayaks

Donavan Campbell is a W kayak stream fisherman from North Carolina, who contributed a fishing kayak review of his W300.

His wheel system offers the advantages of being low-cost, simple, easy to make, and lightweight for carrying on board. It’s all-terrain, and easy to attach to the kayak.

-”Wanted to pass along pictures of the wheel system my dad and I created for the W300.

We utilized a 1/2″ aluminum tube as an axle inside a 3/4″ aluminum tube, attached plastic wheels and mounted (drilled through both tubes) aluminum shelf brackets as guides and as a place to attach the bungee.

Important thing to me was keeping the weight to a minimum (complete set weighs about 3lbs) because when you river fish, where you put in is not where you get out; the wheel system goes with you.

Additionally no ball bearings or anything that would rust as the wheel spins on a plastic bushing, the axle does not turn.

Has proven to be very stable and quick to attach and detach.  Everything was purchased at Lowes Hardware for little less than $50.

No problem maneuvering any terrain now.

I imagine in a couple of years the plastic bushings and wheel will need to be replaced but this is a minimal investment.  Hope someone finds this helpful.

–Donavan”

Some DIY projects are special - Kevin Eastman is a fly kayak fisherman from Florida, who made a DIY Greenland - Aleutian style kayak paddle for his new W500 fishing kayak.

Contrarily to what most kayakers seem to believe, aboriginal kayak paddle were not necessarily short as standard modern paddles are, and some could be as long as the paddle Kevin made, and even longer. The decision about the length of the paddle depended on the owner’s plans for usage and paddling style, and sometimes on the availability of materials in the barren Arctic.

Says Kevin:

-I made a Greenland/Aleutian paddle for my W500.  So far it seems to be working out very well, and it has the advantage of being very light.  One face of the paddle is the beveled Greenland style and the other face is a flatter Aleutian style.  The Greenland face allows for quicker acceleration while the Aleutian surface shines at faster speeds.

It’s 9 1/2 feet long and about 3 1/2″ wide at the tip.  I made it from a 10′ cedar 2X4 and finished it in teak oil.   The loom (hand hold area) is 24″. I think using cedar is the key for this long of a paddle.  Using some of the other woods used for shorter Greenland paddles would make it a bit heavy.

The paddle is nearly as light as the Pacific Design paddle I use for my other kayaks, and has a very low swing weight because of the thin blades, making it easy to paddle long periods without fatigue.  The flex of the wood and dynamics of the paddle also make it easy one the joints.

I took a picture with it next to my Pacific Design paddle for size comparison:

Since I’m in Florida with oyster bars everywhere, I decided to protect the paddle tip with fiberglass cloth and epoxy.  So far that is keeping the oysters at bay.

The drip rings are made out of oval pieces of inner tube.  These are essential since the long blade surface accumulates a lot of water that will otherwise end up in your lap.

This is a fairly easy project for anyone that is game to try.  There are lots of “how to” articles to be found on the Web.  It’s also the first time I’ve made one.

The paddle can be used very well without a sliding stroke, but if you need to dig in on a turn it helps out. Also when standing, the sliding stroke helps with more speed, but is not needed.

One thing it does do is allow you to keep the paddle very low around the waist when stroking and use your torso to put the power to the paddle well.

I was going to order an extended midsection for my P.D. paddle initially, but after using this, I may just be content.

I’m going to take some GPS readings to see what speeds it will cruise at vs a traditional wide paddle.

I’ll send some more pictures of my W500 when I finally decide on how I’m going to rig this boat.
I did a little umbrella sailing yesterday and that was interesting.

Kevin

Donavan Campbell is a stream kayak angler from North Carolina, who got his W300 in the summer of last year. He took his time to write a review, and it was worth waiting for…:

I wanted to share my review of the W300 with you…

-”Look at the teeth on that Muskie!”

I use the W300 on the New River in the NC mountains (Sparta, Jefferson) for smallmouth bass fishing.

I was very impressed with the stability of the W300 for river fishing and it’s tracking.
Water depths range from 10′ to 6″ on the New River and the W can handle either along with occasional sharp rocks.

I keep the rigging light for easy maneuverability out of the water and plan to add an additional rod holder and the “wheels” I see from other owners. I fish with other standard kayaks and am glad I purchased the W, I strongly recommend the W to everyone that asks, thanks.

Donavan Campbell
Statesville, NC

Added some fish pictures, first calendared fishing trip for 2010 is March 26th & 27th!

PS- If anyone in western NC wants to check out a wavewalk I would be happy to help them…

There’s a new article available on the exciting, complex, confusing, and often daunting subject of rigging your fishing kayak.

The article is called Rigging Your Fishing Kayak: Some Basic Practical Advice

The main message it conveys is that there’s no need to hurry and start outfitting your W kayak for fishing as soon as you take it out of the box in which it came, and it’s advisable to use it at least several times as is before you decide if and what type of rigging you’d like to add to it.

The article discusses typical rigging questions like rod holders, paddle holders, rudder, seat, outriggers, motor, anchor, milk crate etc.

We recommend that prospecting clients as well as new owners of W fishing kayaks read it.

Doug had already contributed a short review of his W300 fishing kayak:

-”Just came in from a couple hours in the inlet after work — 1 14# bass.  Got a 30 and a 16 last Sat night.  I don’t fish from it too often; I might throw a swimmer out on my way to and fro.  For the season so far I have around 75 bass over 10#/30″.  I’m running second place in the season long New York Surf Fishing contest.  I’m totally satisfied with the Wavewalk.  If I wreck this one somehow I’ll order another within a week.  It gets me access to good fishing areas and it gets me away from the crowds.  Only ‘problem’ is I put a couple pretty deep gouges on the bottom while fishing in mussel beds and around rock jetties –
Doug”

Now Doug sent us some pictures of a special kayak trolley he got for it:

Says Doug:

-”Here are some photos of a cart special made by paddlecart.com   I use it all the time. Works over rough terrain, rocks, down embankments,etc”

-”Attached is the drawing I sent to Paddlecart in case users inquire” :

I thought it may be interesting to revisit the subject of motorizing fishing kayaks with an outboard gas engine.

To the best of my knowledge, so far only one W kayak angler has used such an outboard motor: Jim McGilvray, from Norfolk, UK, who rigged his 2007 W300 fishing kayak with a 2.5, 4 stroke engine, and a pair of DIY outriggers.
This is the movie Jim sent us, over two years ago:

This rig allows for more than trolling, obviously. The speed and stability are remarkable.

Gary Rankel from Hernando, Florida, and his friends founded a new, local kayak fishing club called the Nature Coast Kayak Fishing Club.
Congratulations Gary - We wish you and your friends success, and hope you’ll have a lot of fun!

Gary has already contributed great reviews, stories and pictures to our website and to this blog, and today he sent us some more pictures of his W500 kayak fully rigged for fishing:

Gary’s unique and ingenious way of mounting a compass between the hulls of his W kayak:

And this is already a classic: A doormat attached underneath the hull tips, enabling Gary to drag his fishing kayak on asphalt and concrete pavement for long distances. When Gary reaches the water he simply folds the mat inside one of the hull tips.

Gary’s tackle box:

Jerry Kushner is a winemaker from Kentucky, who purchased a W300 fishing kayak early this year, before the W500 became available.

Here is Jerry’s review of his W kayak:

“I planned to fish some of the fast flowing rivers with my Wavewalk kayak.
After I got it I tried it in my pond, and at first it felt tippy but once I got my balance I found it easy to paddle and maneuver.

Finally, I got to use it in the Gulf of Mexico.  I installed a pair of fold up outriggers that I purchased from Paddlers Hideaway (I found them on e-bay).
The first time I took the kayak out the waves in the surf were one to two feet high and even when broadsided by a wave the system was solidly stable.
I felt real secure, and for an almost eighty year old this rig is ideal for fishing offshore.

Jerry Kushner”

Here is a video clip of me motoring up the Farmington River from the Rainbow Reservoir launch on September 15 2009.
It would take me 2 1/2 hours to paddle this far, and I would be exhausted, paddling against the current.
But with the W300 and my hands free steering 30 lbs thrust minn kota trolling motor, it took me a little over 20 minutes to make the trip, that meant more time to fish!
Tight lines
Rox

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!

From Yoav and the Wavewalk Team

Here’s a nice idea for an ergonomic steering system for a kayak’s motor:

Applying it to motorized W kayaks looks easy and convenient.

Rod Ratzlaff, a Colorado kayaker and eclectic outdoorsman, got his W500 earlier this year, and we already published his ‘first impression’ kayak review on this blog.
Since then, Rod wrote a full featured article about his W500 kayak, and kindly contributed a copy to our website.

Rod’s article has insightful observations and reflections, great pictures, and interesting links, including to his own website that’s definitely worth visiting.

Rod and his wife Toni worked together on some unique modifications and outfitting projects, including a sophisticated rudder system - Rod needs it when he sails his W500 with an umbrella! (you must see that!), a truly amazing spray deck (fairing) and an equally amazing cockpit cover, a great looking seat pad, a portable electric motor, and other smart and artistic items…

My favorite work of art is the W logo sewn on the spray deck

Yoav

Jeff did it again: Now he takes us on a video tour of his new W500 that’s fully rigged for saltwater fishing, yet features no milk crate!

And if you happen to wonder what fish are inside that blue bag at the bottom of the kayak’s hull, here’s, one of them - a nice, tasty looking sea trout:

Jesse got his W300 fishing kayak in January. He fishes mainly in the ocean near San Diego, in the harbor and in the lagoon. In this short cellphone movie Jesse is showing a 6 lbs spotfin croaker he caught:

Here is a collection of fish Jesse caught on another good day, including (top) a sand bass and (bottom) another 6 lbs spotfin croaker.

Jesse mounted a trolling motor on his W300, and he gets to speeds up to 10 mph with it. This picture shows the transom mount Jesse built:

Jesse also rigged his W300 fishing kayak with carry wheels: Sometimes Jesse takes his dog for a ride in his kayak:

Jesse likes to paddle his W300 standing up, and fish standing as well. Jesse also likes to fish for halibut. His favorite lures are Berkley Gulp Alive, and he recommends smearing the lures with Uni Butter (sea-urchin flavored butter) that attracts fish better than anything, both in saltwater and freshwater.

Jesse is the owner of the Five Star Pool & Spa Service for care of aquatic systems.

Rigging the kayak with a transducer:

This is the plumber’s putty I used for fixing the transducer in the hull. It cost $1.99

First I made a ring of putty in the bottom of the hull. The ring is big enough to put my transducer in.

Then I put the transducer in and added a little water for good contact with the hull.

I then covered the transducer with more putty and sealed it up.

The putty sealed really well with the kayak’s hull. There was no water leakage.
I got a good signal through the hull, and it was cheap and fast to do. I can also peel it off real fast with no residue left behind.

And this is how I improved comfort:

I picked up a yoga mat from my local Good Will store for $2.00.

I used double faced carpet tape on the bench.

I cut the mat to fit the bench seat and laid it down.

It made for a nice soft seat and it’s not slippery.

Here’s my “W” at the lake ready to go:

I live in one of those houses that are on the hillside in the background.

The “W” is a great boat to sneak up on wildlife.

This is a beautiful lake just to be on. (Willow Lake Prescott Arizona.)

Bob

Fishing kayaks can be expensive, and when you start adding the cost of all accessories you’ll find they actually cost much more.
However, by buying a Wavewalk fishing kayak you can save a lot of money (up to $1,350) just on accessories:

• Rudder: Our kayaks track better than any other kayak, and require no rudder. You save $220 - $300
• Kayak Seat: Our W Kayaks are yak-back free, and require no special seat added. You save $80 - $200
• Kayak Rack: Our kayaks are easy to cartop and fit any car rack - No need for a special kayak rack. You save $50 - $500.
• Outriggers: Our W500 kayaks are stabler and safer than other kayaks that are equipped with outriggers. With the W500 you don’t need outriggers, even with an electric trolling motor. You save $100 - $350.

Rudders are a pain to operate, they slow you down, and get stuck in shallow water and weeds.

Kayak seats are bad for your back, and can turn your kayak fishing trip into an unpleasant experience. They are even likely to get you to quit kayak fishing in the long run, because of back pain and discomfort.

Kayak racks need to be installed on your car rack, and when they’re there you can’t use your car rack to carry other things.

Outriggers are a pain to install, they slow you down, and they limit your kayak’s mobility and maneuverability. Plus they’re one more bulky thing to carry.

BOTTOM LINE: Rudders, yak racks and outriggers are annoying, and kayak seats are bad for you. Aren’t your health and peace of mind priceless?

Have been out in the W 500 several times and it is working out nicely. Really enjoy being able to move around and stretch. Am getting it rigged to my satisfaction for fishing and was out once for salmon, but my Wife caught the only one, naturally. Have rigged my motorhome so I can carry the W on the roof, and the twin hulls make it easy to lash securely. Will try to send some pictures soon.

Ken Short

NEW: (October 30) Ken’s Full Review of his W500 Fishing Kayak, Plus Pictures and a Story About Catching Salmon

October 8: More rigging projects and great pictures from Bob >>

The boat came on Friday the 18th.

The delivery driver was so curious that we opened the box so he could see the “W”. He said “let’s go fishing”. Who knows he might get one!

As you can see I have been rigging the “W” like many of your other customers. I have been out twice so far and it only took me 5 minutes to get my sea legs. But I have not yet tried to stand up and paddle. I’ll wait some before I try that. It has been great fun for me just to have the freedom to pack up and go.

I put the “W” in the back of my truck (No picture) and in 10 minutes I’m in the water. I have two lakes just 10 minutes away. I just bought a fish locator and I’m going to “shoot” through the hull with the transducer.

I’m going to try using plumbers putty to hold the transducer in place. If that doesn’t work is there a product I can use that would work better. I would prefer something that’s not permanent. Thanks for your help. A happy “W” owner Bob Sandeen

Continued from John’s first review of his motorized W500 fishing kayak

-Just caught the second or third biggest bass I’ve ever caught (a little over 3 lbs). For me that’s a big bass! So maybe investing in a fishfinder was a good idea. Unfortunately I didn’t have a camera with me so no one’s going to believe me I also caught it on a beat-up, 1950’s lure called a “Flatfish” that I resurrected from an my old tackle box. The action of the lure is so outstanding that I’m trying to buy more of these obsolete lures.
Also enclosed a few photos showing my new reel style trolling motor crank and fishfinder, my crossed cable TM steering system and a detail shot of the flip-over wheel attachment cable connector (uses existing carry handle screw) and of course, the Flatfish.

The W500 as been working out great.

Its impossible for me to take it anywhere without somebody asking me what the heck it is. I ended up installing a bow mounted trolling motor with a 12 volt battery in the stern.

I also put in a fish finder and made a custom cart so I can tow it to and from the truck.

I mostly use it for fishing San Diego bay. Eventually I’m planning on fabricating some outrigger pontoons to add some more stability when I’m standing up.

I’m also trying to find some type of product to protect the bottom of the kayak, it’s starting to get some scratches on the bottom. I was thinking about maybe finding some kind of spray on protective material or perhaps some kind of protective tape that would adhere to the plastic but I’m not sure yet.

Overall its been working great so far.

Ryan