WAVEWALK KAYAKS

It looked like a Wavewalk kayak party floating down the river.

We had friends join us on an afternoon outing on the Oconomowoc river. The rain held off and the sun even poked thru for a while. It turned out be a great afternoon and evening for paddling. It is always amazing the amount of fish that we float over. They don’t seem to be startled by the W kayaks. Our friends enjoyed their first outing and were amazed how comfortable and stable the Wavewalk kayaks were.

We had a great time.
John and Jeanne

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).

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

John owns four of the world’s best looking fishing kayaks, thanks to his original camo designs. But how do you attach four W fishing kayaks to a pickup truck bed when you’re going for a long paddling and fishing trip with your family ?

Says John:

-”It should be easy to transport four W s in the back of my pickup. I used the noodles on top of the 300 s that fit side by side between the wheel wells just as they did before. The slightly wider 500 s are placed on top of the noodles and the 300 s. Five straps do the trick. Two in the back keeping any sliding out action from occurring. Two pulling back to prevent the top W s from going through my rear window, and one strap going through the handles to prevent the wind from lifting the W s up. Hope to take the fleet out Friday if the weather cooperates.
John”

Read more about John and Jeanne’s kayak fishing trips in Wisconsin and Michigan >>

Spending long hours paddling and fishing can make you tired. Stretching while standing up or lying down on the saddle of your W500 fishing kayak can be invigorating or relaxing, and will help keep you fresh.
As far as resting while lying down, although it may be tempting because of the stability and comfort the W500 fishing kayak offers, we do not recommend it because you could fall asleep, which is hazardous.

If there’s a slight chance that you might fall asleep in your kayak, you’d better be anchored in water that’s very shallow, that is enough for you stand in safely and comfortably in case you go overboard. By shallow we mean not more than knee deep. Remember: stuff happens is not just a phrase – it’s real life, which can be cruel. Deep water is dangerous enough even when you’re fully awake, and believe it or not – it’s possible to drown in water that you can stand in.

Falling asleep in your kayak involves taking the risk of being exposed to predators, such as alligators or sharks in the water, and bears and other large size land predators on the nearby shore. Statistics can be composed of improbable events.

Sleeping in a kayak that’s not solidly anchored in place is particularly hazardous, because you might drift too far from shore, or into deep or turbulent water, or to an area that can be otherwise dangerous to you.

Taking a nap in your kayak is extremely perilous when the water is cold, because falling in such water while you’re asleep might cause a shock, quickly followed by hypothermia, which can lead to the inability to move, and thus be lethal.

If your paddle is not properly secured in case you fall asleep in your kayak, the result could be more than awkward, since losing it would prevent you from paddling back to shore in time before darkness, or before a storm.

Sleeping in a kayak with hooks and bait around could cause you to hook yourself, or attract some unwanted visitors…

Always, and in all circumstances, leave your PFD on. Wearing your PFD is your best policy against drowning.

Avoid falling asleep in your kayak especially if there’s even a slight chance of a fast motorboat going by. Even if the driver can see you and avoid a collision with your fishing kayak, the wake their motorboat leaves could make you lose balance and fall overboard, and even capsize your kayak if you panic.

Although some irresponsible kayak anglers say that wearing waders is OK when you’re kayak fishing, it is not. It’s one thing to plan testing a concept in a controlled environment such as in one’s swimming pool, and a totally different thing to have to deal with a problem in real life, which tends to catch you by surprise. Therefore, falling asleep in your kayak while you’re wearing waders is much more dangerous.

Never drink alcohol on board a fishing kayak (or any other small watercraft for that matter), and don’t use mind altering substances or drugs. Remember – drowning is easier than you think. Being drowsy while operating a small watercraft can be enough to cause a fatal accident, and many deaths by drowning are related to substance abuse.

Don’t take the risk of falling asleep in direct sun on a hot and bright day. Being asleep won’t prevent you from getting a sun stroke, and paddling while you’re sun stricken and dehydrated can be very hard, and might even prevent you from making it back to shore.

Falling asleep in your kayak while there’s no one else around is more dangerous. Generally, it’s highly recommended to go kayak fishing and paddling in a group, because it’s safer.

The reader should remember this list of recommendations is partial, as the author cannot possibly cover all potential risks involved in taking a nap in your kayak, as those risks are multiple and varied.

Bottom line: Do whatever you can to avoid falling asleep in your kayak.

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”

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

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.