Wavewalk Kayaks

Hi,
First of all that rowing piece is interesting. I think the W would be pretty easy to row. I got to thinking about a sculling oar at the rear, that might work as well. Also at one time there was a rear paddle/oar that attached like a trolling motor for silent going before the days of the electric units. I’ll have to see if they are still around on some fashion. I sent you another video this time landing a flounder.
Yesterday the fishing was fantastic. I managed 4 nice flounder all about the same size, 5 sea trout, and a half dozen ladyfish. It’s good to see the game fish again as it indicates the area is finally coming back from the red tide last year.

Attached is a closeup shot of a Gulp shrimp on a jig head in a trout’s mouth and one of the trout on the seat. You can really see those nasty little fangs.

Coming in the wind had kicked up some but the wave action was like a washing machine thanks to a whole line of boats coming into the bridge area at the same time. These were big ones all over 30 ft and they kicked up huge wakes in the process all of which made the water very choppy. The W handled it without pause and not one drop got inside except from the paddle shaft. The reason I commented on this was a fellow yaker saw me me heading in and was amazed I didn’t swamp the W or get it filled with water. He said at times I disappeared into the waves with only my head and shoulders showing. As far as I was concerned I was only worried about hitting a rod tip on the low hanging trees on the way in.

Jeff

Jeff McGovern’s reports from Florida:
-”I shot quite a bit today in just a short time.  The fishing was off the chain, in other words, outstanding.  I had only a few hours but was able to make the most of it. Catching fish with topwater lures is nothing but loads of fun - The W kayak allowed me to cast like a deck gun and really get some distance.”

And here is the movie that Jeff shot:

The 2008 W kayak model makes it really easy to get in and out of, whether on land or on water.
You can just step or hop out of it, and then step or hop back in.

It’s quite useful for occasional wading, or for any other activity.
This is s picture that Jeff sent us. It shows him standing outside his W fishing kayak and measuring his next meal…

Whether you’re on a paddling or fishing trip in shallow water, you don’t want to have to turn back, or worse - get stuck somewhere because of underwater obstacles. Such obstacles may be rocks, tree roots, fallen branches and fallen trees that prevent you from reaching your destination, be it an interesting place to tour or a promising spot to fish in.

If you have to turn back the W solution is either to paddle backwards, or turn the boat, or turn yourself inside the cockpit and face the direction from which you came from: The W kayak is fully symmetrical front and back and it feels the same paddling forward and backward.

Another strategy you can try is poling with your paddle (preferably the Wavewalk PSP), or going over the submerged obstacle - whether it’s top part is underwater or even a few inches above water:
You position yourself at the back of the cockpit, thus raising your W kayak’s bow. Then you paddle forward full speed and try to get the boat to go as forward as possible over the barrier. If you succeeded in getting the middle of the boat pas the obstacle you’re almost there, and you’ll have to move swiftly to the front part of the cockpit and thus make your W kayak tilt forward and go over the obstacle.
It may not be as easy as it sounds, but practice makes perfect, and in this case it’s fun too.
It’s also great to know that you’ve gone where no other canoe or kayak could go…
This video shows how it’s done:

Imagine you have a big boat, one that’s too big to beach. Well, you may actually own such a boat, and in such case you should be really interested in reading this post…
Obviously, you’d need to tender this big boat with some kind of small boat, usually a dinghy.
Why a dinghy? Because you need the thing to be really stable, protect you well, and enable you to carry provisions on board. For these reasons a traditional SOT or sit-in kayak might prove to be a bit problematic.

You may also want to use the little auxiliary boat just for fun and relaxation - maybe for paddling, or to go fishing in shallow waters. In this case the classic dinghy might be a bit awkward because rowing is OK for a short time if you really have to do it, but most people consider paddling to be more fun.

So, what’s the solution?

Read Cap’n Ron’s story about the beautiful ‘Ninja’ - his 42′ sailing boat, and the little green W Kayak that tenders it.

Jeff McGovern is a master kayak fisherman and W kayak fishing trailblazer from Palatka, Florida.

Here is what Jeff recently wrote me:

“In the W kayak I find myself poking the boat into grassy areas since the grass coming up between the hulls will hold it in place. With the slightly additional height the angler is at casting over the grass is easy. Also you don’t catch grass on the back cast as you would in a lower boat.
I’ve fished the same areas out of a SOT and the W the last few months, and there are distinct advantages to both designs at certain times. At a higher tide the W can creep into the grass areas where the SOT would be surrounded by grass making a cast impossible.
Also with moving forward in on the saddle the W becomes a pivot point so a larger fish has a tough time of getting on the wrong side of your efforts. In most other kayaks that concern is addressed with a longer rod to clear both ends of the boat but that is still harder.
As you look toward newer W models I’m wondering if raising the saddle a bit would be nicer for big guys like me.
Those little trashcans I use pushed in the hulls are pretty handy.
One other thing about the W that comes up is the ease of dragging it on the ground. For short beach launches or for areas like the fish camp where I normally launch the W proves almost effortless. Other kayakers have mentioned how simple the W is to handle - I really only have to pick it up once at home to load it and then once more when I get back to put it away. At virtually all my launching spots all I do is pull it off the back of the Ranger and onto the ground. Once I place the rods in the rack I can drag the whole thing to the water and be off. Other kayak fishermen who use SOTs are either waiting for assistance or making multiple trips to the water. Jeff”

BTW, Jeff writes articles on fishing in general and kayak fishing in particular: http://www.wavewalk.com/kayak_fishing_with_Jeff.html