WAVEWALK FISHING KAYAKS BLOG » back pain

Fishing Kayak Review From Tony DeFusco, New Hampshire Fisherman

W kayak — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 10:34:59 +0000

Last year, we published this review for the first time, although back then Tony and his daughter Lisa had not sent us pictures. We felt it was important for our elderly visitors, especially those who suffer from serious back problems, to read a testimonial from someone in their condition who enjoys kayak fishing whenever the weather in New Hampshire allows for it…
Now that Lisa sent us these new pictures of her dad in his W500 kayak, we decided to republish this review, and this rime as a full featured fishing kayak review, including even a good looking bass… -Thank you Lisa!

The 500 is great. It only took a minimum amount of time of actual paddling to get used to the kayak.
The weather is still bad but I am planning to get out next week and see if I can catch a fish.
My daughter Lisa and I have spent many hours fishing out of the kayaks on the weekends but I have not slimed the 500 yet. Today we had to quit because our hands got so cold.
The 500 is very stable and easy to control. The stability is very important as I had a major surgery on my back last year and somehow it messed up my balance.
You have designed a great craft. Thanks to you I can enjoy fishing again.

Tony

Tony hand crafted his own paddle

Chris’ Kayak River Trip Report, Massachusetts

W kayak — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 17:22:20 +0000

I have spent about 35 hours these past two weeks in the W300. I am very comfortable with all aspects of this kayak. Of course, my experience remains with flat water, but as my emails indicate – I am in no hurry to get to any particular level and just enjoy each outing. My personal record paddling while standing is slightly over a mile.

We had a person from Japan embedded in our group at work. He wanted to go kayaking so I borrowed a common kayak for him and we went with another person and his kayak to the Quinebog River in Brimfield, off of Route 20. We did about 12 miles. Unfortunately I had to do about six of those miles in the common kayak I borrowed for our visitor. What a pain it is to adjust the back support and the foot rests to get a comfortable paddling position. Also the kayak zig-zagged with each stroke because it did not have a keel or natural tracking action (nor did I initially have the paddling expertise to correct this). Since I came to the W300 with only canoe experience, I did not realize what I was (fortunately) missing. I was never so happy to get back into my W300. Meanwhile, my friend with the other kayak took the W300 while our visitor took his. He was very happy with the W300 and understood immediately how this was absolutely superior for fishing. He was standing and looking around bends and over marsh grass in no time and he loved the space inside the kayak and the ability to have fishing gear on the flat saddle while changing up lures. I had to politely ask him not to lead the group because I could not keep up with him in the W300 while I was in the borrowed kayak.

I went out by myself for some 6, 7 and 8 hours at a time on the water days. I now have the tell tale W kayaker tan/burn on my upper knee.

Anyway, thought I would drop you a line – so to speak.

Chris

More kayak trip reports from Chris Ott >>

Kayak Review by Kayaker With Spinal Fusion – Laura Palestrini, Georgia

W kayak — Wed, 25 May 2011 19:50:05 +0000

Spinal fusion is an extreme surgical intervention performed on patients who suffer from certain chronic, serious back conditions, including severe pain, which have not responded to conservative treatment.
Laura is one of those patients, and her short testimonial sends a clear message of hope to people like her:

I had spinal fusion six years ago. I have always wanted to Kayak but I know there is no way that I can sit in the L position on a regular kayak.
I contacted Norm Craig, a W kayaker who had spinal fusion too, and he assured me I would be fine with the W500.

I love my W kayak. I have taken it out about 7 times, and my longest trip was about 2 hours. It is very easy on my back. I just bought a new life preserver today made for kayaking. I am planning on going out tomorrow morning.

I am also going to make a cushion for the seat. I am also trying to figure out how to configure a cup holder. Has anyone come up with a cool design?

Thanks again.

Laura

Initial Review of W500 Kayak, by Jim Addison, Big Guy from British Columbia, Canada

W kayak — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:28:39 +0000

I’m 6’-3”; 235 lbs. I have back and weak leg problems that will keep me from safely balancing in the standing position, let alone jumping up and down. Sitting, I can go all day! (at 70 yrs old that’s probably an hour or so)… The saddle and sitting positions it offers are the big appeal of the Wavewalk for me. Forget about the traditional L position – I couldn’t get up, even if I had managed to get down.
Once I saw the W500 I knew that was the boat for me, but, being me, and never having tried a W500, I kept thinking I could improve on the design here and there. During the acceptance process I learned a lot, and now I’m happy to accept the hull as it is.

I’m feeling a little guilty that I didn’t have any exciting adventures to relate.
The first time out, I went to a lake with a shallow beach where I figured I could walk back to shore if I dumped the boat. I started out cautiously, right from shore, without getting my feet wet. I paddled in the shallow area for less than a minute, then headed down the lake (how’s that for quickly gaining confidence?), then all the way up to the other end (a mile?), then back down the . . . oh, oh! The breeze has kicked up. This could be trouble. A couple of mental adjustments and I was paddling into the wind and doing OK. Remember, I’m not a paddler, not ever a rowboat. I rested a bit in the lee of the eastern lakeshore then headed back to the beach 1/2-way down the lake where I dis-embarked, without getting my feet wet.
So far, nothing out of the ordinary. I initially found the boat to be tender, but that was me, not the boat. Anything that only weighs 59 pounds is bound to be tender when it’s reacting to a 235 pound novice, and the more I use it, the more compatible we become. It took a bit of adjustment to handle the paddle, which I imagine every new paddler experiences. And even though I got a couple of scares out there on the lake by digging in too hard, I didn’t dump the boat.
I haven’t been chasing fish. I realized I’m not going to be an avid fisherman but the lure is still there, and watching Fisheries pour three tanker trucks of keeper size trout into the lake whets the appetite.

I’ve constructed a rack for my car using the trailer hitch and a roof rack on the 2 door coupe. The T-bar trailer hitch rack is connect to the roof rack by two 2 X 6 spruce(strong and light) boards. Because the car is low, it is an easy chore for me to lift one end of the kayak onto the back rack and then lift and slide the boat into place on the racks. I have the kayak, strapped to the roof rack ,hanging above the car in the garage. Just lower the whole setup onto the car, screw it down and voila!

When I’ve put a few more miles on the boat and had some experience with the different situations that I’m sure will pop up, I’ll pass them on to you.

Jim

Short Review of W500 Fishing Kayak, by Anthony DeFusco, New Hampshire

W kayak — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:26:03 +0000

Tony is an elderly gentleman from New Hampshire. Together with his daughter Lisa, he picked up his green W500 here, in Sharon, Massachusetts.
In most cases, our clients order by mail, or buy from our dealers, and I don’t meet them face to face, unfortunately. Since I actually got to meet Tony and Lisa, I felt like publishing Tony’s short review, although we normally don’t publish a review unless it’s accompanied by pictures:

Tony