Review of the Wavewalk 700 on a Vermont camping trip

W700 solo and tandem Touring Kayak

By Galina Slastenko

Massachusetts

The kayak was beyond all expectations!
On the very first time we used it to get to our camp site, loaded with all the gear we got into a strong rain storm with wind, so strong, that it was difficult to see on a mile paddle.
Not for a moment I had any doubt in the fact the kayak just doesn’t care. It was easy to handle, incredibly stable and just a pleasure to operate.
We actually loaded it on top, front and back, and between us – it was still stable.
I did have some trouble to get out when the gear was around. But this is a fishing boat, not a camping canoe, maybe I am asking too much.
I think for the next trip we will make some kind of harness to attach to the front and back, and load our most light dry bags on top connected with harness for security. That will free leg space. We do not have that many pictures though – just two worth to show – one right before the rain and one on our way back – beautiful Vermont summer day!

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Before the rain storm – Wavewalk 700 Tandem kayak loaded with camping gear, Vermont
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On the way back – Wavewalk 700 Tandem kayak loaded with camping gear, Vermont

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One thought on “Review of the Wavewalk 700 on a Vermont camping trip”

  1. Thanks Galina,

    Wow! When you told me that you and Alex were planning to take a lot of gear on your camping trip, I didn’t imagine that the boat’s storage space would be overflowing… But you did it, and you have these great photos that prove it 🙂

    Among different images that I had in mind when we designed the 700 series, there were beautiful images like these. True, the W700 is not a 17 ft camping canoe a.k.a. ‘Expedition Canoe’, but when push comes to shove, it does the job for its crew and their gear, regardless of weather conditions. Paddling a large size canoe on a lake in strong wind isn’t easy, to say the least…

    Couple comments:
    Note that in the ‘Sunny’ photo the boat is a bit stern-heavy. It’s important to distribute the load evenly along the boat, in order to keep it as level as possible, so that it can travel faster.
    The harness idea sounds good, and you may also want to consider some sort of a platform made from thin, lightweight plywood that would prevent your camping gear from getting wet when you store it outside the cockpit. Alternatively, a tarp would work well too.

    Yoav

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