Posts Tagged ‘touring’

Another Enjoyable Kayak Fishing Trip – Wisconsin

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

We were able to slip away for a few hours yesterday and had another enjoyable trip with the W kayaks.
Wonder if anyone can see the doe and her two fawns, hint look for the spots.
Hope all is well.

John and Jeanne

fish caught in camo kayak, Wisconsin

Jeanne paddling her blue fishing kayak and looking at deer

kayak fishing trip story  - doe and fawns on river bank

John's daughter enjoying her kayak fishing trip

yellow finch - view from fishing kayak



Gary’s Manatee Watching Kayak Trip, Crystal River, Florida

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

I took my wife’s cousin, Paulene, who is visiting from England, to the Crystal River yesterday to see some manatees. It was not only her first time in a W, it was her first time in a kayak, and she did well during a 2 mile paddle (maybe a blister or two on her hands).

Paulene paddling W500 fishing kayak, Crystal River, FL

The trip also gave me a chance to paddle in tandem with my wife for the first time, and I was surprised at how fast we were able to go despite the extra weight and me being the only paddler (I think I’m going to have to order another paddle from you, for times like these).
The two W’s also fit nicely into my new truck.
We only saw one manatee. Guess the warmer water has moved them out into the Gulf (hopefully not anywhere near the oncoming oil spill which is really scary).

Gary

Front passenger in tandem paddling fishing kayaktal River, FL

2 fishing kayaks in back of pickup truck, FL



More About Paddling Trips in the W Kayak, by Norma Cavello – Connecticut Kayaker

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Norma is a seasoned kayaker, who has already contributed a kayak review of her 2004 W300.

Norma paddling her kayak with her dog on board.

I have many kayaks, and use all of them for different times and depending on who I’ll be paddling with.
I have gotten to a point of “what to get rid of” boat wise, and the Wavewalk will never be gotten rid of, as I love the boat because of the difference I feel when I paddle it.

I belong to a lot of different kayaking groups in different states, and I also participate in online kayaking forums. Once I posted a few positive remarks on the Wavewalk’s performance in different water conditions, and I was rebutted by someone who I’m very sure never paddled a Wavewalk kayak, but left serious demeaning comments of it. Funny, at the time I thought maybe those comments were made by a competitor trying to disclaim the Wavewalk without trying it first.

Mack (my dog) and I go solo most often in my Wavewalk, and feel totally secure in any condition we find. It is superior to other yaks in distance and comfort level for sure.
In my 10 ft W300 I have kept up with “serious“ sea kayakers, but they still refuse to try the Wavewalk – I just don’t get it… I tell them to watch the videos showing it in the surf, etc. It’s such a loss for them. I don’t get what they’re afraid they’ll be missing, other than the shape of their old kayak.

I did find it hard to rescue 2 paddlers in the water from the traditional rec kayaks to get them back into their boats as it was sinking without flotation as I was sitting higher with a dog, but then again they safely hung to my Wavewalk while their tandem kayak without flotation sank in the water, and were safely rescued from a motorboat that I flagged down.
I’ve never had to rescue a sea kayak as of yet, but I believe I sit too high to assist in such a recovery, other than maybe they can use my W hulls to help themselves.  It really depends on the kayaker in trouble to know enough to help themselves.
The Wavewalk is really different and most do not appreciate that yet. One day I believe they will.

I paddle away with or without my dog, and I’m not sure of what other kayakers think when they see me keeping up with them, especially in the rough conditions they paddle in sometimes.
Once I was told by some good kayakers I know that they had to rescue a sea kayaker, when I made it back fine from the same area with my W, and I had my dog on board. They told me these things at the landing launch, after their paddling trip, and I just smiled, knowing they knew I was paddling through the same area in a smaller boat they don’t accept…

I feel very safe in my W boat, and it is so comfortable.  I truly want it to be known, and a success.



More Records for Wavewalk Kayaks in July

Sunday, August 2nd, 2009

August marks the beginning of the new fiscal year Wavewalk, and it’s a good time to compare y-o-y performance.
As it stands now, we sold 42% more kayaks in the 2008-9 year (August 1st to July 31st) compared to our previous fiscal year 2007-8, which in itself was pretty good.
The W500 is a big success, and it contributed significantly to this increase.
Overall, the pace of increased sales has been accelerating since 2006, in both our touring and fishing kayak models.

As for our website, another record was broken in July, with 18,638 unique visitors (real, individual people, that is). So far, our website attracted more than 100,000 unique visitors since the beginning of 2009.



W Kayak Fishing Trip Report: John and Jeanne in Door County, Wisconsin

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

-”After my wife Jeanne caught on easily on her first trip we decided to head to big water in beautiful door county Wisconsin on Lake Michigan. We faced almost record cold temps for this time of year, highs in the fifties and light showers.”

two fishing kayaks on pickup truck bed

-”We didn’t venture out the first day but I snuck a little fishing in the second day on the mink river off of Rowley’s bay, lake Michigan. I had a little action with smallmouth bass and perch on leeches and a splitshot. The second day was all about taking in the scenery at cave point.”

John and Jeanne and theirn two fishing kayaks on the beach

-”Calm weather on that side of the peninsula allowed us to take in the beautiful scenery and take a little break, We did land up answering a lot of questions about the w kayaks from the on lookers at cave point state park.”

John fishing for bass standing in his kayak

-”Something tells me that more orders from Wisconsin are going to be pouring in…

That evening on the other side if the peninsula the wind calmed down also.”

Jeanne in her yellow fishing kayak

John exploring with his camoe fishing kayak

-”We headed to Ephraim bay and enjoyed glass like conditions and a wonderful sunset.”

Jeanne in her yellow kayak

John paddling his camo fishing kayak into the sunset

-”We had a great trip thanks to our new w kayaks which made it enjoyable, comfortable, and safe.”

John paddling standing in his camo fishing kayak

-”I also learned a lesson. The water may be calm, but don’t loose sight of the big picture, especially on the great lakes. I was standing at Cave point when a rogue wave snuck up behind me. I didn’t have a chance, the swell propelled the w forward and I went backwards. It was a clean dismount and the w did not flip. It was totally my fault and not the boats. I forgot for a second that I was on the big water. Always be aware what is going on around you knew before we headed out though that the water was a tolerable temperature, or of course I would not have been standing at all. Jeanne was entertained and I told her to snap some photos while I found a spot to empty the w kayak and get back in a wiser man.
Have a great fourth!
John and Jeanne”

Jeanne in her yellow fishing kayak - great lakes

John paddling his camo fishing kayak into the sunset


W500 Kayak Review by Tim Kerr – Kayaker, New York

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Tim Kerr is a kayaker, and member of a kayaking club in Buffalo, New York. He came to West Newton, Massachusetts, tested the W500, and ordered one right away. Here is his review:

Buffalo, New York. June 29, 2009
The Wavewalk W500 has allowed me to return to the water!

Paddling paddling his kayak standing up

After suffering from sciatica that developed after using my single hull kayak earlier this year, I searched for a more comfortable boat. Not only did I find the Wavewalk, I was immediately taken with its unique design that allows people like me with degenerative disk disease (I’m fifty-one) to lay back and rest, sit up straight or even stand and stretch out.

Tim l;aying down to rest on his W500 kayak
Kayaking is not for everyone but the Wavewalk opens the door for so many people that may have tried the sport and then gave it up because it just plain hurts their back. I’ve got a crushed disk that hates it when I stick my legs forward and then try to paddle as in a single hulled boat. The “saddle” combined with the twin hulls in the Wavewalk is a great invention.

Tim kayaking with urban background
I took the boat into the inner harbor in Buffalo. I didn’t try to lift it myself, I’ve got to be careful about such things. I brought along two extra items, a little waterproof pad to sit on, and a camera box on a leash. Attached are some pictures taken on my second day out. I spent the entire morning in the boat without back pain. The next day I was fine–no sciatica.

Tim paddling his W500 in a canal
PS, I drove nine hundred miles in two days to try this boat, to be sure it was right. I’m glad I bought it. I’m “back” in the water again…

Tim Kerr

Getting out of kayak without getting wet

Tim beaching and getting out the W way: From the front, and without getting his feet wet

Added June 27, 2009:

-”Crossed the Niagara River last week. Was I the first in a Wavewalk? Paddling is going well. Going out to Lake Erie to play in some waves for the first time today…. Getting used to carrying it on the car and made a shelf in my garage for winter storage.”

Update from August 2009: Tim’s first movie W kayaking on Lake Erie, Pennsylvania

November 2009: Watch Tim’s Kayak Reentry Movie From Niagara River, NY



A Floridian Kayak Fisherman’s Paddling Trip on the Charles River, Massachusetts

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Those of you who are familiar with this blog already know Jeff McGovern is an expert kayak fisherman from Northeastern Florida, and a Wavewalk Kayak fan who has contributed great kayak fishing articles and reviews, as well as pictures and movies to our website.

When Jeff told me he was coming to Boston on a business trip it was clear we had to meet and go paddling together, rain or shine. Well, it so happened that it rained abundantly thanks to ‘hurricane’ Kyle, but that didn’t deter us, and we grabbed a couple of W kayaks and headed to my favorite spot – the Charles River Reservation.

Well, I won’t tell you any fish tales, and this alligator we’ve encountered on the bank is not a real one. It’s an amazingly realistic sculpture that a local resident put there for everyone to enjoy:

Alligator in the Charles River Reservation

Jeff had read about Treehouse Island in the W kayak review that Adam Bolonsky’s wrote on Wavelength Magazine, back in 2005, and he wanted to visit the place, so we paddled there under torrential rain.

We got to Treehouse Island and landed, and discovered the place was undergoing some renovation, and was a bit of a mess.  The third floor of the tree house had collapsed, and its second floor was pretty much gone too, so we couldn’t climb up and watch the Charles River scenery, unfortunately.

Kayak fisherman in Treehouse Island

While we were there the rainstorm had gradually weakened, and we continued our paddling trip in clement weather…

Jeff with our two fishing kayaks

Jeff getting ready to launch

Jeff paddling his fishing kayak out of Treehouse Island

After the trip Jeff told everyone that he had so much fun just paddling the W kayak although it had been the first time in his life to be in a boat without taking with him any fishing gear…


The Soda Can Test: How Stable Is Your Fishing Kayak?…

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

Scott sent us more pictures from his Minnesota river trips, and here’s one that tells something about stability:

Fishing kayak on the Maple river, MinnesotaScott tells: -”I paddled the Maple river in nice calm waters with good depth, my Pepsi was riding securely in front of me along side my camera.”

Well, if you can keep a soda can securely on your kayak’s deck without using a cup holder while you’re paddling down a sinuous river, it says something about your boat’s primary (initial) stability…

W Fishing Kayak Towing a Motorboat – Massachusetts

Thursday, July 3rd, 2008

Boaters are always ready to help one another. Usually it’s motorized boaters who assist paddlers, but yesterday, while paddling our W kayaks on the Charles river in Waltham, we had an opportunity to help Anthony and Kelley, whose boat’s outboard motor had stalled.

We attached the back of my W kayak with a rope through its carry handles to the front of the motorboat.

From their motorboat, Anthony used my 9 ft long paddle, and Kelley paddled using a canoe paddle they had onboard. I paddled using an 8ft long paddle that belongs to my 9 year old son Yanay who had been onboard my W kayak and moved to the motorboat before we began the operation.

Yadin, my 12 year old son stayed in his own W kayak, and took pictures using a camera he borrowed from Anthony and Kelley.

Fishing kayak towing a motorboat

It was a long and slow process, although the distance we had to paddle wasn’t long. After about 15 minutes we heard thunder and it started raining.

Fishing kayak towing a motorboat

The Charles was already swollen from a previous thunderstorm, but since this part of it flows slowly the fact we had to paddle upstream didn’t seem to change much.  The rain grew stronger, and after some 20 minutes more of paddling we made it to this dock in Waltham, where our cars were parked.

Fishing kayak towing a motorboat


Tandem River Paddling and Touring in Your W Kayak

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

The W kayak can carry two adult passengers onboard, providing none of them is very big.
In these pictures the guy is 6 ft 200 lbs, and the girl is 5’5″ and weighs 135 lb. That’s about the maximum passenger load this boat would take and still perform reasonably well.
tandem paddling in fishing kayak
To begin with, it’s important to stress the fact that tandem is an ‘advanced’ application, which means both paddlers are required to be experienced in solo W kayaking before they go paddling it in tandem.
Paddling in tandem fishing kayak
The secret to successful tandem paddling is having each paddler perform his / her role: The front paddler should paddle as regularly as possible (e.g. left-right), and the back paddler, who’s in fact the ‘skipper’ should follow the movement of the front paddle with his own paddle while trying to keep the paddles parallel to each other in order to prevent them from colliding.
Fishing kayak with two passengers paddling
The paddler in the back is also the one who’s more responsible for tracking and steering, and should try to do it without losing power and momentum, that is while applying different strokes of varying power. Sharp turns should be done together.